Tracking number lookup
You can tell the carrier from a tracking number’s shape: UPS numbers start with 1Z and have 18 characters, Amazon Logistics numbers start with TBA, and USPS domestic numbers usually have 20 to 22 digits beginning with 92 to 95. Paste a number to see the likely carrier; this page doesn’t track shipments itself, it opens that carrier’s tracking page.
Try an example format
Paste a tracking number above to see the likely carrier. Nothing you type leaves this page until you open a carrier’s site.
Tracking number formats by carrier
Spaces and dashes don’t count; carriers often print long numbers in groups of four. Some formats overlap, so a number can fit more than one carrier.
| Carrier | What it looks like | Length |
|---|---|---|
| UPS | 1Z, then 16 letters and digits1Z999AA10123456784 | 18 characters |
| FedEx | Digits only123456789012 | 12 or 15 digits; some ground numbers have 20 or 22 |
| USPS | Digits, often starting with 92, 93, 94 or 959400 1000 0000 0000 0000 00 | 20 to 22 digits, or more with a 420 + ZIP routing code in front |
| USPS international | Two letters, nine digits, then USEA123456785US | 13 characters |
| DHL Express | Digits only1234567890 | 10 digits |
| Amazon Logistics | TBA, then 12 digitsTBA123456789012 | 15 characters |
Once you know the carrier, the rest of the parcel’s story is distance and timing. See how far it travels with the shipping zone calculator, and in December check the holiday shipping deadlines before you promise a date.
What the parts of a tracking number mean
UPS
After the 1Z come six characters for the shipper’s UPS account, two for the service level, seven that identify the package and a check digit that catches typing mistakes. Parcels shipped from the same UPS account start with the same eight characters.
USPS
USPS Publication 199 builds the barcode number from a channel identifier, a three-digit service type code, the mailer’s Mailer ID, a serial number and a check digit. A number starting 92 carries a nine-digit Mailer ID, 93 a six-digit one. If you scan the barcode you may also get 420 and the destination ZIP code in front: that routing code isn’t part of the tracking number, and this page removes it before opening USPS tracking.
International mail
Postal services worldwide use the Universal Postal Union’s S10 format: two letters for the service, an eight-digit serial number, a check digit and the two-letter code of the country that issued it. The check digit catches most typos:
Check digit = 11 − (serial digits × 8, 6, 4, 2, 3, 5, 9, 7, summed, mod 11); 10 becomes 0 and 11 becomes 5
For the serial 47312482 the weighted sum is 200, which leaves 2 after dividing by 11, so the check digit is 9.
Common questions
How do I know which carrier a tracking number is from?
Look at the start and the length. UPS numbers start with 1Z and have 18 characters. Amazon Logistics numbers start with TBA. USPS domestic numbers usually have 20 to 22 digits and often start with 92, 93, 94 or 95, and USPS international numbers look like EA123456785US. FedEx numbers are usually 12 or 15 digits, and DHL Express waybills are 10 digits.
Does this page track my package?
No. It only reads the number’s format to suggest the carrier, then links to that carrier’s own tracking page, which opens in a new tab. Nothing you type is sent anywhere until you open a carrier’s page.
Why does my number match more than one carrier?
Some formats overlap. A 22-digit number can be USPS or FedEx, and a 12-digit number can be FedEx or UPS. Try the carrier listed first; if it doesn’t recognize the number, try the next one, or check the shipping email for the carrier’s name.
What is the 420 at the start of a long USPS number?
When you scan a USPS barcode you can get a routing code in front of the tracking number: 420 followed by the destination ZIP code or ZIP+4. The tracking number is the part after it, and this page strips the routing code before opening USPS tracking.
What do the parts of a UPS tracking number mean?
After the 1Z come six characters for the shipper’s UPS account, two for the service level, seven that identify the package, and a final check digit that catches typing mistakes.
Sources
- UPS, Tracking support (tracking number formats)
- USPS, Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide
- Universal Postal Union, S10 standard: identification of postal items
- FedEx, Tracking
- USPS, USPS Tracking
- DHL, Track and trace your Express shipment
- Amazon, Track your package
Checked 2026-10-28. Rules change; confirm with the carrier or agency before you rely on a number.
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