Royal MailRoyal Mail tracking
The UK's universal postal service — Tracked 24, Tracked 48 and Special Delivery.
Royal Mail is the only carrier that delivers to every address in the UK — and the one whose tracking numbers cause the most confusion, because the format depends entirely on which service was used.
Track your Royal Mail parcel
Enter your Royal Mail tracking number below.
9–27 characters. International tracked numbers usually look like two letters, nine digits, then GB — for example JV620553954GB.
Your Royal Mail tracking number
9–27 characters. International tracked numbers usually look like two letters, nine digits, then GB — for example JV620553954GB.
Example format: JV620553954GB — that is a shape, not a real parcel. Enter your own number exactly as the sender gave it: a single wrong letter is the most common reason a tracker says “not recognised”.
A Royal Mail reference is 9–27 characters long, and Royal Mail itself says so on its help pages. An international tracked parcel usually ends in GB (JV620553954GB). A domestic Tracked 24 or 48 parcel often has a long mixed barcode number instead. Special Delivery Guaranteed numbers are usually 13 characters ending in GB, and often start with SD. None of these is wrong — they are different services, not different couriers. If your number is not recognised, the first thing to check is not the number's shape but whether the parcel has actually entered Royal Mail's network yet: a label can be created by the sender hours or a day before the parcel is handed over, and until the first scan there is nothing to show.
Royal Mail services & delivery times
Full end-to-end tracking; signature optional. Delivery photo on delivery where available.
Full end-to-end tracking; the cheaper tracked option for non-urgent parcels.
Guaranteed timed delivery with full tracking — the premium service for urgent or valuable items.
Delivery confirmation with a signature, rather than full step-by-step tracking.
No tracking as standard. Small/medium parcels posted at a Post Office show delivery confirmation only — no live tracking, no signature.
Tracked to delivery in many countries; the GB suffix marks a UK-origin item.
Delivery aims are the courier's stated aims for the service, not guarantees for every parcel. Bank holidays, bad weather and busy periods (especially Christmas) can add a day.
Missed delivery — the “something for you” card
If you were out, the postie leaves a card. It tells you exactly what happened to your parcel:
- Redeliver — book another day online at royalmail.com, or by phone.
- Collect from a Post Office — take the card and ID to the branch named on it.
- Local Collect — future parcels can be sent straight to a Post Office for collection instead of your door.
- Safe place — if the sender allowed it, the parcel may already be in your safe place or with a neighbour; check the card and the delivery photo.
What each Royal Mail status means
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Item received / accepted | Royal Mail has the parcel and has scanned it in. | Nothing to do — tracking has started. |
| In transit | Moving between mail centres. | Wait for the next scan; gaps of a day are normal. |
| Out for delivery | With your postie for today's round. | It should arrive today. If not, check for a 'something for you' card. |
| Delivered | Delivered, with a photo or signature where the service provides it. | Check the delivery photo on the official tracker, safe places and neighbours. |
| Attempted delivery | Nobody was in, or the item needed a signature. | Follow the card: redeliver, collect from a Post Office, or arrange a safe place. |
| No tracking information | The number exists but no scan yet — or the service isn't tracked. | Check the service on your receipt. If it's Tracked, allow 24 hours from posting, then ask the sender. |
Parcel stuck or delayed — what to do
- Wait 24 hours after the sender created the label — Royal Mail cannot show anything until the first scan.
- If tracking stops for more than 2 working days after the delivery aim has passed, contact the sender: they hold the contract with Royal Mail, and claims start with them.
- Check the delivery aim for your service. Tracked 48 taking two working days is on time, not late — weekends and bank holidays don't count as working days.
- If the tracker says delivered but you have nothing, check the delivery photo on royalmail.com, then safe places and neighbours, then ask the sender to raise it with Royal Mail.
- Never trust a text or email claiming to be Royal Mail asking for a redelivery fee — Royal Mail does not charge for redelivery this way. Go to royalmail.com directly instead.
More detail: Parcel stuck in transit — the full step-by-step guide.
Contact Royal Mail
Customer servicesRoyal Mail customer services, Mon–Fri 8am–6.30pm, Sat 8am–3pm, Sun 9am–2pm.
If you are the recipient and the parcel is lost or damaged, contact the retailer/sender first — most couriers only accept claims from the sender.
Royal Mail tracking — FAQs
What does a Royal Mail tracking number look like?
It is 9–27 characters and can be letters, numbers or both. International tracked numbers often look like JV620553954GB — two letters, nine digits, GB. Domestic tracked parcels often have a much longer mixed barcode number. The format alone does not tell you if a number is real; the sender and service do.
Why is my Royal Mail tracking not updating?
The most common reason is that the parcel hasn't been scanned yet — the label was created before the parcel was posted. Tracking can also pause for a day or two between mail centres. If there is no update 48 hours after posting, contact the sender.
Can I track a Royal Mail parcel without a tracking number?
No. Royal Mail says it cannot track an item from a name or address alone. You need the reference from the sender, the retailer, or your Post Office receipt.
What is the difference between Tracked 24 and Tracked 48?
Both give full end-to-end tracking. Tracked 24 aims for delivery the next working day; Tracked 48 aims for two to three working days. Tracked 48 is cheaper and is the right choice when a day doesn't matter.
Does Royal Mail deliver on Saturdays?
Yes — Royal Mail delivers parcels six days a week, Monday to Saturday. Tracked 24 parcels posted in time can arrive on Saturday.
Track with another UK courier
Not Royal Mail after all? Your parcel may have changed hands — check the other couriers: