Two clocks means two habits
Treat any report of damage as urgent and any report of non-arrival as merely important. Sixty days disappears faster than it sounds when a buyer takes three weeks to mention a cracked item.
FedEx claims
How a FedEx claim works
FedEx runs two different deadlines on US shipments, and mixing them up is the most expensive mistake on this page. Damage and missing contents close 60 calendar days from the shipment date, while an undelivered or lost shipment stays claimable for nine months from that same date.
Both deadlines citedDocument list in fullLive lane included
Sixty days or nine months
The deadline depends on what went wrong, not on when you noticed.
The two windows, side by side
Both counts start at the shipment date. The international row is included because people ask, though our own label service is domestic only.
| Case type | Clock starts | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Damaged or missing contents, US | Shipment date | No later than 60 calendar days |
| Damaged or missing contents, international | Shipment date | 21 calendar days |
| Undelivered or lost shipment | Shipment date | Within nine months |
SMKlog sells US domestic parcel labels only, with no account required, and we do not sell international labels, fulfillment or platform integrations. The international row above is FedEx policy quoted for completeness rather than a service we offer.
What FedEx asks you to attach
FedEx publishes the list of materials it uses to support a claim investigation. Reproduced here in its own terms:
- "Proof-of-value information (e.g., a copy of the original invoice from the vendor)".
- "Photos of the package and damaged contents".
- "Serial numbers of damaged or lost merchandise".
- "An itemized repair invoice or statement of non-repair".
- "Appraisals or expense statements".
- Copies of retail invoices, receipts, or online order confirmations.
Per fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/claims.html, checked 2026-07-28. The serial-number line is the one most often missed on electronics, and it is easier to record at packing time than to reconstruct from a photograph after the fact.
Who files, and what happens to the box
- A recipient can file directly, or ask the merchant to file on their behalf. Shippers and merchants can submit claims singly or in batches of up to 200.
- FedEx tells filers to "Keep the original packaging and contents until your claim is resolved", and it may request an inspection report with photographic documentation of the shipment condition and the damage.
- For US parcel shipments with a declared value "greater than $100 and less than $1,000", FedEx permits self-inspections, which is why a thorough photograph set carries real weight in that band.
- The claims page does not publish a processing time, so anyone quoting you a decision date for FedEx is guessing.
All four points per fedex.com, checked 2026-07-28. Whether a particular claim is paid is FedEx's decision under its own terms, and neither this page nor our support team can promise a result.
A mid-weight parcel on a real lane
Claims cluster around parcels heavy enough to hurt when they go wrong. We quoted a 16 by 14 by 10 in carton at 16 lb through the SMKlog calculator on 2026-07-28. Both FedEx rows are shown exactly as returned.
| Carrier | Service | Checkout total | Transit quoted |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPS | Ground Saver | $20.50 | No window returned |
| FedEx | Ground Economy | $20.98 | 6-7 business days |
| USPS | Ground Advantage | $22.62 | 8-9 business days |
| UPS | Ground | $23.70 | 2-3 business days |
| FedEx | Ground | $29.72 | 5-6 business days |
FedEx returned two services here at an $8.74 gap, with the more expensive one quoting a shorter window. That is the shape of most FedEx rate sets on ground lanes, and it is worth seeing before deciding which row a valuable shipment should ride.
Buy the label where the records live
A claim needs the shipment record, the value evidence and the photographs in one place. Labels bought through our FedEx label page come with the order record we can pull for you, no account needed.
Optional protection is a separate track
Our shipping protection is bought at checkout, recorded by a partner, and claimed by email to us with the order number, tracking number, proof of value and photographs. It does not replace the carrier process and it has its own eligibility rules.
FedEx claim questions
How long do I have to file a FedEx claim?
For US shipments, damage and missing contents must be filed no later than 60 calendar days from the shipment date, while undelivered or lost shipments can be claimed within nine months of that date. International damage cases run to 21 calendar days, per fedex.com checked 2026-07-28.
Can the person receiving the package file the claim?
Yes. FedEx allows recipients to file independently or to ask the merchant to file for them, and shippers and merchants can submit claims singly or in batches of up to 200 at a time.
What documents does FedEx want?
Proof-of-value information such as a copy of the original vendor invoice, photos of the package and damaged contents, serial numbers of damaged or lost merchandise, an itemized repair invoice or statement of non-repair, appraisals or expense statements, and copies of retail invoices, receipts or online order confirmations.
Do I need to keep the packaging?
FedEx tells filers to keep the original packaging and contents until the claim is resolved, and it may request an inspection report with photographic documentation of the shipment condition and the damage. Self-inspections are permitted for US parcel shipments with declared value greater than $100 and less than $1,000.