Are you waiting for a package to arrive from FedEx, but their tracking says, “Local delivery restriction, delivery not attempted?”
This can be an incredibly frustrating message to see, especially since it says they didn’t even try to deliver it!
So, what causes this message to appear, and more importantly, what can you do about it?
In this article, I’ll be answering both of these questions and more!
What Does It Mean When FedEx Tracking Says ‘Local Delivery Restriction, Delivery Not Attempted?’
If FedEx is telling you that there is a local delivery restriction, this means that there is something that is making delivery to your address impossible at the moment.
At least, that’s what FedEx is claiming.
In reality, we both know this can be nonsense, especially if other couriers like USPS and UPS are able to deliver the same day without any issues.
However, from FedEx’s perspective, something is making it impossible to access your address. Therefore, FedEx isn’t going to even bother trying to deliver it today, because they know that the delivery will not be successful.
We’ll go over the exact causes for this specific message in just a minute. For now, the important thing is not to worry – chances are there’s nothing actually wrong with your address, and your package should still be arriving soon.
What Causes The ‘Local Delivery Restriction, Delivery Not Attempted’ Message?
Unfortunately, this message is not very specific!
However, I talked with several FedEx drivers to figure out when they would use this message, vs. another message they have in their system.
So, if you see ‘Local delivery restriction, delivery not attempted’ on your FedEx tracking page, it likely means one of the following things:
- The street your package is being delivered to is closed, or road work is preventing FedEx trucks from driving to your address.
- You live in an apartment, and there is no secure place to leave the package. FedEx does deliver to apartments, but issues can occur when they can’t reach your front door.
- Your package is being shipped to a business, that is closed on the expected delivery day.
- The package was placed on the wrong truck, and returned back to FedEx. When it was scanned upon its return, it was updated with the local delivery restriction message. This is often the case if you know there is nothing about your address that would prevent delivery.
- It was planned that your package would be delivered today, but the driver was not able to complete their route in time and had to return to FedEx. If the message appears late in the day, this may be the cause.
- The package was not loaded onto the truck before it left for the day.
- The package was visibly damaged in transit, and was returned back to FedEx before delivery. Don’t panic – this is incredibly rare!
- Your package wasn’t due until a later date (even if the estimated delivery date was today.) So, the driver opted to prioritize other packages ahead of yours, since yours wasn’t due yet.
- Poor weather or staffing shortages prevented the package from being placed out for delivery.
- A locked gate (or similar obstruction) prevented the driver from reaching your address.
Unfortunately, there is no way to know exactly what caused the issue, without contacting FedEx.
However, in a later section, I’ll show you how you can solve the problem for good, without needing to take the time to contact FedEx’s customer service.
So, When Will My Package Be Delivered?
Thankfully, it’s usually not a big deal when FedEx tells you that there’s a local delivery restriction.
Unless there’s something physically preventing them from delivering the package (i.e, a closed street or business), they will usually attempt to redeliver the package on the following delivery day.
This message only appears when your shipment is already at your local FedEx facility, ready to be delivered. So, you should expect to receive your package soon.
That being said, if there is something preventing delivery or FedEx tells you that there’s a local delivery restriction multiple days in a row, it may be time to take matters into your own hands.
Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do!
What To Do If FedEx Uses The ‘Local Delivery Restriction’ Message Repeatedly
If you keep seeing the ‘Local delivery restriction, delivery not attempted’ message on your tracking page, unfortunately you will need to take action.
This is because at this point, FedEx legitimately believes something is preventing delivery – it’s not something as simple as the package being loaded onto the wrong truck, or the driver running out of time.
Thankfully, you have a few options.
The first is to sign up for FedEx Delivery Manager, and provide additional instructions to the driver.
This may be leaving it at a specific part of your house that’s more accessible, or rerouting the package to a FedEx OnSite location – such as your local Walgreens. Then, you can pick up the package there instead, with a guarantee that it will be delivered successfully.
You can view all FedEx OnSite locations in your area, by using this tool here.
If you choose to have it delivered to a FedEx OnSite location, you will see a new message on your tracking page that says ‘Delivery Option Requested.‘ When the package is finally delivered, it will update to say ‘Tendered At FedEx Onsite.’
Alternatively, if you still want the package delivered to your original address, it may be a good idea to contact FedEx customer service at 1-800-463-3339.
They may have more information as to what’s actually causing the delay, and can work with you to fix it.
Conclusion
If FedEx tells you that there’s a local delivery restriction and that they didn’t attempt delivery, this means that something that made delivery to your address impossible – at least for today.
However, FedEx will usually attempt to redeliver the next day, so there’s usually nothing you need to do.
If you continue to see this message however, use FedEx Delivery Manager or contact customer support at 1-800-463-3339 to get things sorted out.
I hope that your package will arrive soon. If you have any other questions about FedEx, just ask below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister