Speed Post Tracking Status Meaning: Every Update Explained

Statuses appear in the order your article is scanned. A typical domestic journey has between 6 and 15 updates. The wording can vary slightly between offices, so match the closest phrase below.

Booking and dispatch

Status	What it means	What to do
Item Booked	The counter clerk has accepted the article and entered it into the system.	Nothing. The next scan usually appears within a day.
Item Bagged	Your article has been sorted and sealed in a mail bag with others going the same way.	Nothing. Bagging happens several times on a journey.
Item Dispatched / Bag Dispatched	The bag has left the office by road, rail or air towards the next hub.	Expect a gap while it travels. Long routes can take 1 to 2 days.
Item Onward / Item Sent	The article has been forwarded to the next office in the chain.	Nothing. It is moving normally.

In transit

Status	What it means	What to do
Bag Received / Item Received	The bag or article reached a sorting hub or office and was scanned in.	Nothing. Check the office name to see how close it is.
Bag Opened	The bag was opened at a hub and the articles inside are being sorted again.	Nothing.
Item Received at NSH / ICH	It reached a National Sorting Hub or Intra Circle Hub, the large sorting centres.	Normal. From here it goes to the delivery office.
Item Received at Delivery Office	It is at the post office that serves the receiver's PIN code.	Delivery is usually the same or next working day.

Delivery

Status	What it means	What to do
Out for Delivery / Item Sent for Delivery	The postman has the article and is on the delivery round.	Keep your phone with you. Some deliveries need an OTP.
Item Delivered	It was handed to the addressee or an authorised person at the address.	If you didn't receive it, see the delivery problems section below.
Delivered to Addressee / Delivered (OTP verified)	Delivery was confirmed with the receiver, sometimes using an OTP.	Nothing. This is final proof of delivery.

Delivery problems

Status	What it means	What to do
Addressee Not Available / Door Locked	Nobody was at the address when the postman came.	The article is usually attempted again or held at the post office. Collect it with ID.
Insufficient Address / Addressee Not Known	The postman couldn't find the address or the person.	Call the delivery post office with the full address and a landmark.
Item Held / Retained at Post Office	The article is waiting at the office for you to collect.	Collect it with a photo ID within the retention period, usually about 7 days.
Refused by Addressee	The receiver declined to accept it.	It will be returned to the sender.
Item Not Delivered	A general failed attempt. The reason usually follows the status.	Read the reason and contact the delivery post office.

Returns and redirection

Status	What it means	What to do
Item Returned / Return to Sender	Delivery failed and the article is going back to the booking address.	Senders: watch for it at the original address.
Item Redirected	It was sent on to a different address, usually on the receiver's request.	Track it as normal; the destination office will change.
Item Received at Return Office	The returned article is back at the booking or return office.	Delivery to the sender should follow.

Office abbreviations you will see

HO: Head Post Office, the main office of a postal division.
SO: Sub Post Office, a local office under a Head Office.
BO: Branch Office, usually a small office in a village.
GPO: General Post Office, the main office in a big city.
NSH: National Sorting Hub, a large Speed Post sorting centre.
ICH: Intra Circle Hub, a sorting hub that serves one postal circle (roughly a state).
TMO / RMS: Transit Mail Office and Railway Mail Service, which handle mail in transit.

If the same status repeats or nothing changes for several days, read what to do when Speed Post tracking is not updating.