If FedEx says delivered but no package is at your door, open the tracking page and check the picture proof of delivery first, since it shows where the driver left the box. If the package still isn’t at that spot, with a neighbor or in your building’s mailroom, use Manage Delivery and then Report Missing Package on the FedEx tracking page to open a case.
Many “delivered” packages that seem to be missing turn up quickly: left at a side door, accepted by a neighbor or building manager, or scanned at a nearby address. This guide covers the checks to make first, exactly how FedEx’s Report Missing Package tool works, who should file a claim if it never appears, and what FedEx will and won’t pay for.
Why does FedEx say delivered when there’s no package?
A “Delivered” status means the driver scanned the package as delivered, not that it reached your hands. Several ordinary things can sit behind that scan:
- It was left somewhere less obvious, such as a back or side door, a porch corner, a garage, a parcel locker or a leasing office.
- Someone else accepted it. For Indirect Signature Required shipments, FedEx’s Service Guide allows a signature from a neighbor, a building manager or another person at a neighboring address.
- It went to the wrong door. Similar house numbers, unit letters and new streets cause misdeliveries, which our guide to what to do when FedEx delivered to the wrong address covers in detail.
- It was taken after delivery. Porch theft is most likely when a package is left in view of the street for hours.
FedEx can deliver into the evening, so check the delivery time on the tracking page as well; our guide to what time FedEx delivers lists the windows for each service.
What should you check before reporting it?
Work through these in order. They take a few minutes and resolve most cases:
- Open the picture proof of delivery on the tracking page. If the photo shows a door, mat or mailroom that isn’t yours, you know it’s a misdelivery.
- Read the delivery details: the time, the “left at” location and, for signature shipments, the name of whoever signed.
- Search the property, including side and back doors, the garage, behind planters and any parcel locker.
- Ask household members, neighbors and building staff, especially if a neighbor’s name appears as the signer.
- Look for a FedEx door tag. A tag means delivery wasn’t completed, and our FedEx tracking and delivery guide explains how to read each scan.
If the status hasn’t changed in a while before showing “Delivered,” the timeline may be incomplete; see FedEx tracking not updating for what stale scans mean. If the package actually came by the Postal Service, the process is different, and the USPS shipping hub and our guide to USPS tracking not updating are the better starting points.
FedEx Report Missing Package: how does the online tool work?
FedEx’s help page for a delivery notification with no package lays out the steps:
- Enter your tracking number or reference number on the FedEx tracking page.
- Select Manage Delivery, then Report Missing Package. If you aren’t logged in, enter the original delivery address to continue.
- Confirm that you’ve checked everywhere the package might be.
- Enter your name and phone number, and optionally your email.
- Choose whether FedEx should contact you by text or email.
- Submit the report and note the case number FedEx gives you.
FedEx says it will contact you “as soon as possible” to help locate the package, but it doesn’t publish a timeline. Its sender-side help describes the online report for FedEx expedited shipments and points other packages to customer support, so if the option doesn’t appear for your package, call FedEx at 1.800.463.3339 instead. Keep the case number for any later claim.
Who should file a claim if the package never turns up?
If you bought the item online, contact the seller first. FedEx’s claims page tells recipients to ask the merchant for a replacement, or to have the merchant file for them, because the shipper is FedEx’s customer. Many sellers will reship or refund once you share the tracking number and your FedEx case number.
You can file a claim yourself on FedEx’s claims page, but FedEx’s Service Guide says that if you aren’t the shipper or the party that paid for shipping, you must provide a claim-filing waiver from the shipper. A claim needs the tracking number and proof of value, such as the purchase invoice. Don’t wait: FedEx’s claims page allows nine months from the ship date for lost or undelivered U.S. packages, but it allows only 60 days for damage or missing contents, so filing within 60 days of shipping keeps every option open. If a package is lost before it ever shows as delivered, our guide on how to report a missing package to FedEx when it’s lost in transit walks through that claim.
What will FedEx pay for a package marked delivered?
FedEx’s liability is capped at $100 unless the shipper declared a higher value and paid for it when shipping, and the shipper must prove the actual loss. The same declared value rules cover every FedEx parcel service, from FedEx Ground to FedEx Express Saver and Priority Overnight, and declared value can go up to $50,000 for each package. There’s one major catch for home deliveries: FedEx’s Service Guide lists “shipments released without obtaining a signature” at residential addresses among the liabilities it doesn’t assume. In other words, if the driver left the package at the right door without a signature and it was stolen afterward, FedEx may deny the claim.
| Situation | Best first contact | What to provide |
|---|---|---|
| Photo shows another address | FedEx: Report Missing Package | Tracking number, your address, the photo detail |
| Signed for by a name you don’t know | Neighbors and building staff, then FedEx | Signer name and delivery time |
| Left at your door, then gone | The seller, plus a police report for theft | Order number, tracking number, FedEx case number |
| You shipped it and the recipient can’t find it | FedEx claim filed by you as the shipper | Tracking number, invoice or proof of value |
For the full recovery checklist after a theft or misdelivery, see our FedEx missing package recovery steps.
How can you stop it from happening again?
The best protection is making sure a package isn’t left unattended. Shippers can choose a FedEx Delivery Signature Option: Direct Signature Required means someone at the address must sign, and FedEx will reattempt if no one is there. Our guide on how to tell if a FedEx package requires a signature explains each level, and whether you can leave a note for a FedEx signature covers what drivers will accept when you’re away.
As a recipient, sign up for FedEx Delivery Manager to get alerts, leave delivery instructions and, for many packages, redirect them to a FedEx location to pick up in person. If you’re the sender and ship valuable items with UPS or USPS, ParcelPath offers Shipsurance coverage alongside up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS rates, and our roundup of shipping services and solutions compares other options. For more FedEx guides, visit the FedEx shipping hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first if FedEx says delivered but no package?
Open the tracking page and check the picture proof of delivery, which shows where the driver left the package. Then search the property, ask neighbors and building staff, and look for a door tag. If it still isn’t found, select Manage Delivery and then Report Missing Package to open a case with FedEx and get a case number.
How do I use FedEx Report Missing Package?
Enter your tracking or reference number on the FedEx tracking page, choose Manage Delivery and then Report Missing Package. If you aren’t logged in, enter the original delivery address. Confirm you’ve searched, add your name and phone number, choose text or email contact, and submit to receive a case number. FedEx says it will contact you as soon as possible.
Is FedEx responsible if a package was stolen after delivery?
Often not. FedEx’s Service Guide says it doesn’t assume liability for shipments released without a signature at residential addresses, so a package left at the correct door and stolen later may not be covered. Contact the seller for a replacement or refund, file a police report, and keep your FedEx case number as evidence.
How long do I have to file a FedEx claim for a missing delivery?
FedEx’s claims page allows nine months from the ship date for lost or undelivered U.S. packages and 60 calendar days for damage or missing contents. International windows are shorter, with 21 days for damage. Recipients who aren’t the shipper or payer need a claim-filing waiver from the shipper, so contacting the seller early saves time.
Sources
- FedEx Customer Support: I received a delivery notification but can’t find my package, fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/faqs/receiving/tracking-questions/fedex-says-delivered-but-no-package.html
- FedEx Customer Support: How do I dispute a delivery or report a package missing?, fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/faqs/sending/shipping/how-to-dispute-delivery.html
- FedEx: File a claim, fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/claims.html
- FedEx Service Guide, effective January 5, 2026 (Claims, Declared value and limits of liability, Liabilities Not Assumed, Delivery Signature Options), fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/Service_Guide_2026.pdf
Part of our FedEx Tracking and Delivery guide. Related: FedEx Tracking Not Updating, FedEx Shipping Map Times, Can I Track FedEx by Address.
