You’re expecting an international delivery from UPS and have received a “The Package is at the Clearing Agency Awaiting Final Release” tracking update.
What does this mean exactly? Has something gone wrong? What is a clearing agency and is there anything you need to do?
Let’s take a look…

Summary: The Package is at the Clearing Agency Awaiting Final Release
This update from UPS means that the package is still going through customs clearance and has yet to be released. It is just one of the many ways that carriers communicate the fact that customs currently has a shipment under its control.
The Package is at the Clearing Agency Awaiting Final Release – Guide
We have covered tracking updates such as this in many articles on Mailbox Master. The fact is, international package arrivals do need to go through the clearance process.
Carriers will send status alerts at the point a package is handed over to customs, and updates such as “The Package is at the Clearing Agency Awaiting Final Release” are used.
While the wording of the different alerts may differ, the end result is the same.
The package will need to be processed and cleared by customs staff before it is handed back to the carrier for final delivery.
- Related Content: UPS On the Way Meaning – Tracking Guide
Tracking Stuck on “The Package is at the Clearing Agency Awaiting Final Release”

There is a very good chance that you have reached this article because your tracking has ended up stuck on this update and you are wondering what to do.
Firstly, it is important to have a little patience in this situation.
While oftentimes, a package will pass clearance electronically and no formal inspection will take place, other times a shipment may be held for a physical check.
Customs staff are not necessarily suspicious of the package, it is more likely that the shipment was stopped randomly.
All the same, this will cause a delay. Your package will go into a queue of items awaiting inspection, and if there is a backlog, this will take some time.
During this whole process, your tracking will not update (a shipment is not scanned while helps by customs) leading parties to assume it has become stuck.
Depending on the service speed used, (you have reason to make inquiries sooner on an expedited 48 delivery for example), I would recommend waiting for at least 3 to 5 business days with the item tracking stuck, before calling UPS.
Remember, the carrier has no influence over a shipment while it is with customs, so there is very little they will be able to do in the early stages.
What Happens After a “The Package is at the Clearing Agency Awaiting Final Release”

In situations where the shipment doesn’t encounter any complications, within one or two days (sometimes sooner), you will receive a status update communicating the fact that customs clearance has finished.
Import Scan UPS, or “Your package has been released by the Government Agency” are updates to expect in this regard.
If any problems do arise, UPS may send an alert stating that clearance information is required.
This could mean that the sender did not include all necessary information, documentation is missing, or that the receiver needs to pay some sort of tax or import duties.
Either way, the tracking page should include additional information on the specifics. In cases where this is not provided, you will need to contact UPS to find out more.
- Related Content: UPS “Your Package is Pending Release from a Government Agency”
Final Words
Overall, a “The Package is at the Clearing Agency Awaiting Final Release” update is a standard alert from UPS used when an international package is going through the clearance process.
In most cases, the item will clear customs without any issues.
If problems do occur in terms of delay, patience will be necessary.
In cases where action needs to take place by either the sender or the recipient, you may need to contact UPS for assistance on the specifics of what is required.
I’m a 25 year veteran of USPS. I’m retired now, but as the editor of Mailbox Master, I can’t quite remove myself from the carrier industry just yet. 🙂