Lost Royal Mail Tracking Number? Here’s What to Do

When sending a parcel, forgetting your Royal Mail tracking number is easy. In many cases, the parcel arrives, and you don’t need to worry.

However, what if it doesn’t arrive? Without your tracking number, you can’t check where your parcel is. Here is what to do to recover your lost Royal Mail tracking number.

Where Can You Find Your Royal Mail Tracking Number?

You can find your Royal Mail tracking number on the parcel’s receipt. When you send your parcel, the cashier at the post office always gives you a receipt.

The tracking number is between nine and 27 letters long. Though it is called a number, it can also contain letters. On your receipt, the tracking number may be called:

• Barcode number
• Reference
• Reference number

If you see numbers on your receipt and are unsure which one is correct, try them all. Go to Royal Mail Track and Trace and enter the number(s). If you have the correct reference number, your parcel details appear.

How Can You Recover a Lost Tracking Number?

1. Wait for the Parcel to Arrive

You can find the parcel number on the label of your parcel. You can check or ask the recipient once your parcel arrives. While delivery should only take one to three days, Royal Mail often has delays. Between 5% and 20% of parcels were late in 2021/2022.

2. Go to the Post Office

If you are the sender, go to Royal Mail. If you are lucky, they have a record and can give you your tracking number. Don’t get your hopes up, though. In most cases, the operator can’t help you. They handle hundreds of parcels every day.

Thus, the chances that they remember yours are low. They likely also won’t have time to check their records. Nevertheless, going to the post office is worth trying.

3. Search for the Receipt

You can solve the issue quickly by finding your receipt. Check your pockets and your bins. If you threw your receipt away, but the bins have not been collected yet, you might recover your receipt.

4. Don’t Bother Phoning Customer Support

You might think Royal Mail’s customer support can recover your tracking number. However, customer service can’t help you. The person on the phone won’t know your tracking number. Instead, you will waste time queuing. This makes the waiting time longer for people with solvable issues. Thus, there is no reason to bother phoning.

5. Learn From Your Mistake

Sadly, there are no magic solutions to recover your lost Royal Mail tracking number. You may have to accept that it is gone. You may need to refund the buyer if the parcel doesn’t arrive. At least you can learn from your mistake. If you sell something again, such as contract phones, ensure you take a picture of the receipt.

This is also helpful if you sell household items or anything else. It is also good practice to give the tracking number to the buyer. This way, they can check where the parcel is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does My Delivery Not Have a Tracking Number?

Your delivery does not have a tracking number if it is untracked. Another reason why you may not have a tracking number is technical issues. In this case, the issue will likely disappear if you wait a day.

Why Is There No Tracking Number With Royal Mail?

You need to wait if there is no tracking number on the Royal Mail website. Royal Mail will process your parcel and update the tracking number. Royal Mail’s website may not be up-to-date, so the details may not be current.

What Are Examples of Royal Mail Tracking Code Prefixes?

Royal Mail tracking codes have prefixes. These indicate the type of service used for shipment. Examples are:

• RV: Royal Mail Tracked
• SD: Special Delivery
• RA: International Tracked & Signed
• LN: International Tracked
• LZ: International Standard

Prefixes are followed by alphanumeric characters that make up the unique tracking number.

Lost Royal Mail Tracking Number Summary

If you lost your Royal Mail Tracking number, try the following ways to recover it:

• Wait
• Go to the post office
• Search for the receipt
• Learn from your mistake

Sadly, there is no good solution if you have lost your tracking number. You may have to accept the loss.

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