To cancel a UPS pickup, log in to ups.com, open Schedule a Pickup, go to your pickup request status, select the pickup and choose Cancel. You can also call 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877) with your Pickup Request Number (PRN). Cancel before the driver is dispatched to your address; once the driver is on the way, the request usually can’t be withdrawn.
Canceling promptly keeps a pickup you no longer need off your bill and saves the driver a wasted stop. The steps differ slightly depending on how you booked the pickup and which pickup service you use, so this guide covers each method, what to have ready, and what to do if it’s too late.
How Do You Cancel a UPS Pickup Online?
The online route is the fastest if you scheduled the pickup while logged in to your UPS account. UPS’s own Smart Pickup user guide describes the same path: log in, go to Schedule a Pickup, open Pickup Request Status, and select the pickup you want to cancel.
- Log in to the UPS account you used to schedule the pickup.
- Open Shipping and choose Schedule a Pickup.
- Go to the pickup request status (pending pickups) view.
- Find the request by date or by the Pickup Request Number from your confirmation email.
- Select it, choose Cancel, and confirm.
- Save or screenshot the cancellation confirmation for your records.
The public pickup lookup on ups.com shows a request’s status by PRN, but canceling or viewing earlier requests requires logging in. If the cancel option isn’t offered, the pickup has likely already been dispatched or completed.
How Do You Cancel a UPS Pickup by Phone?
If you booked the pickup by phone, don’t have a ups.com login, or the online option has disappeared, call 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877). Have your Pickup Request Number ready, along with the pickup address and date, so the agent can find the request quickly.
Calling early in the day gives you the best chance of catching the request before routes are finalized. For UPS Ground Freight pickups, UPS directs customers to call UPS Freight at 1-800-333-7400 instead.
Where Do You Find Your UPS Pickup Request Number?
Your Pickup Request Number is in the pickup confirmation email UPS sends when you schedule. It’s a separate reference from the tracking numbers on your packages: a tracking number starting with “1Z” identifies a package, while the PRN identifies the driver visit itself.
If you’ve lost the email, log in and open your pickup request status list, which shows pending pickups by date. Pickups booked over the phone get a PRN read out by the agent, so note it down at the time of booking.
Which UPS Pickup Services Can You Cancel, and How?
How you stop a pickup depends on the type of service. The table below summarizes the usual approach for each; account holders on scheduled services should confirm details with their UPS representative.
| Pickup service | What it is | How to stop it |
|---|---|---|
| On-Call Pickup | A one-time pickup you request for a specific day | Cancel online in your pickup status list, or call 1-800-PICK-UPS before the driver is dispatched |
| Smart Pickup | Account service where a driver comes only on days you process a shipment | Cancel an individual pickup request in your account; voiding the day’s shipments may also mean no pickup is triggered |
| Daily (scheduled) Pickup | A driver visits every business day under your account | Contact UPS or your account representative to skip a day or change the schedule |
| Ground Freight pickup | Pickup for palletized UPS Ground Freight shipments | Call UPS Freight at 1-800-333-7400 to verify or cancel |
If you’re deciding which service to book next time, our guide to UPS pickup scheduling options compares them in more detail.
Does It Cost Anything to Cancel a UPS Pickup?
UPS treats On-Call Pickup as a chargeable service, and the charge depends on how you request it and your account type. A pickup that is canceled before the driver is sent should not be performed, which is why canceling early is the surest way to avoid paying for a stop you no longer need. UPS publishes its pickup charges in its rate and service guides, and our explainer on why UPS charges for pickup covers how those charges work and how to avoid them.
If you see a pickup charge on your invoice for a request you canceled in time, contact UPS billing with the cancellation confirmation. That’s the reason to keep it.
Does Canceling a Pickup Cancel Your Shipment?
No. Canceling the pickup only stops the driver’s visit; any shipping labels you created remain active. If you’ve decided not to ship at all, void the labels separately so you aren’t billed for them. Our guides on how to cancel a UPS shipment before pickup and how to cancel a UPS label online walk through voiding step by step.
If you still plan to send the package, just later, you can schedule a new pickup for another day or drop it off yourself.
What Can You Do if the Driver Is Already on the Way?
Once a pickup has been dispatched, you generally can’t cancel it. You can still hand the driver your packages if they’re ready, or tell the driver there’s nothing to collect. A pickup you no longer need can’t be “moved” to another date after dispatch, so schedule a fresh one if you need it.
A cheaper alternative to rescheduling is dropping packages off. UPS Access Point locations and The UPS Store accept prepaid, labeled packages, and our directory of UPS locations and Access Points helps you find the closest one. If you don’t have a printer, see what printing a label at UPS involves, or use a UPS Mobile Barcode instead.
How Can You Avoid Unneeded Pickups in the First Place?
Most canceled pickups come from booking before the shipment was ready. A few habits help:
- Book after packing: schedule the pickup once packages are sealed and labeled, not when the order comes in.
- Check transit time first: knowing how long UPS takes to deliver to your destination tells you whether today’s pickup is really needed or tomorrow’s drop-off is fine.
- Consolidate: group shipments so one pickup covers the week’s packages.
- Compare drop-off and pickup: for occasional shipments, dropping off at a UPS location costs nothing extra.
If you ship with both carriers, ParcelPath lets you buy discounted labels for free, with up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS, and USPS pickups are free. You can compare live UPS and USPS rates for your package in the ParcelPath rate calculator, and more UPS shipping services and options are covered in our UPS hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cancel a UPS pickup without an account?
Call 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877) and give the agent your Pickup Request Number, address and pickup date. The public pickup lookup on ups.com can show a request’s status by PRN, but UPS requires you to log in to cancel online. Calling early in the day, before drivers are dispatched, gives you the best chance of stopping the pickup.
Can I cancel a UPS pickup after the driver is dispatched?
Usually not. Once a UPS driver has been dispatched to your address, the cancel option typically disappears from your pickup status list. You can hand over any ready packages or tell the driver there’s nothing to collect. If you still need to ship later, schedule a new pickup for another day or drop the packages at a UPS location.
Does canceling a UPS pickup void my shipping label?
No. Canceling a pickup stops the driver’s visit but leaves your labels active. If you’re not shipping at all, void each label separately in the UPS shipping history where you created it, or wherever you bought the label. Labels that are never scanned can be voided, so you aren’t billed for packages that never enter the UPS network.
Where is my UPS pickup confirmation number?
The Pickup Request Number (PRN) is in the confirmation email UPS sends when you schedule the pickup. It’s different from a package tracking number, which starts with 1Z. If the email is missing, log in to ups.com and open your pickup request status list, which shows your pending pickups by date.
Sources
- UPS: Smart Pickup User Guide (cancel a pickup request)
- UPS: Smart Pickup
- UPS WorldShip Help: Update or Cancel a Pickup Request for a Ground Freight Shipment
- UPS: Void a Shipment
For other ways to get packages out the door, see our roundup of the best shipping services and solutions.
Part of our UPS Locations and Access Points guide. Related: Access Point, UPS Drop Off Locations, UPS Locations.
