How To Leave Special Delivery Instructions with UPS

How do you leave special delivery instructions with UPS? There are many reasons you might want to do this. 

Whether it’s alerting UPS to a convenient place to leave a package on your property in the rain, to more permanent delivery solutions to avoid porch theft, providing special instructions can make a big difference.

But how do you do it? Let’s take a look

Providing UPS Delivery Instructions Online

One of the easiest ways to provide UPS with special delivery instructions is to sign up for UPS My Choice.

This is a free online service where customers can create an account to track deliveries, provide delivery preferences, and more.

Within your UPS My Choice Dashboard you will find an “Add Delivery Instructions” on any incoming package. 

Click this and you will be able to provide special delivery instructions.

This can include where to leave the package (front, side, or back door, of your property for example).

You can also state that you would like the package to be left with a neighbor or in another custom location.

The tab opens a text box where you can provide the neighbor’s address or detailed directions to the custom drop-off location.

NOTE: You cannot reroute the package to an alternative delivery address using “Add Delivery Instructions”.

It is used to provide the driver with delivery instructions at the original address. UPS My Choice does provide a “Change Delivery Address” option, however.

• Related Content: Does UPS Charge for Refused Delivery?

Providing UPS Special Delivery Instructions over the Phone

Another solution to providing UPS delivery instructions is to get on the phone.

Call 1-800-PICK-UPS, (1-800-742-5877) with details of your package and you can ask to be forwarded to the local UPS facility that covers your address.

Explain the new delivery instructions to the facility who will pass these on to the driver. They will also likely take your mobile phone number and pass this to the driver too.

When the driver reaches your address you will receive a call so that instructions can be communicated.

Providing Permanent Delivery Instructions for Your Address

So far we have described how to create UPS special delivery instructions for an incoming package.

However, what if you would like to create permanent instructions that will always be used in relation to your address?

The best way to do this is to contact your local UPS Facility, (either by using the 1-800-PICK-UPS number or via general UPS customer services).

Once you have got through to the local UPS facility you will need to ask to add a permanent delivery instruction.

It may take some time on hold, however, you will eventually be put through to a UPS staff member that can make a note in what is called the DIAD (Delivery Information Acquisition Device) associated with your address.

This will now be in the system and will appear every time a package is sent to your address. The relevant driver will be notified on their handset with your specific delivery instructions.

• Related Content: How to Make a UPS claim – Lost Packages

Providing UPS Delivery Instructions Face to Face

On the subject of the delivery driver, why can’t you make arrangements with a UPS driver face-to-face?

While you can explain to the driver where to leave a package for future reference, you cannot always guarantee that the same driver will be covering your area.

In other words, providing delivery instructions to one driver, will not always mean that the next package to arrive will be left in the same place.

Final Words

As you can see, there are a few ways to leave special delivery instructions for a UPS package. 

We recommend that you signup for UPS My Choice as it does make leaving delivery instructions simple and there’s a whole host of other options it provides too.

For more permanent delivery instructions associated with all UPS package deliveries, you are better placed to call your local facility to make arrangements with them directly.

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