Access Point (this page)
A UPS-network hold, routed by the label. The store gets the parcel through the ordinary UPS trailer, holds it under UPS terms, and releases it against the UPS ID rules. Nothing separate to sign up for.
Retail pickup
Sending a UPS package to a UPS Store for pickup
UPS calls this the Access Point program, and a UPS Store is one of the retail locations that hosts it. A recipient enters a nearby Access Point address as the ship-to, the package is held there on arrival, and pickup is on a government-issued photo ID with a matching last name. The published hold period is 7 calendar days before the package returns to the sender. Terms read on 2026-08-11 from the UPS Ship to a UPS Access Point Location Service document.
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The retail leg of a UPS lane
An Access Point address on the label is what sends the parcel to a UPS Store rather than a doorstep.
How Access Point at a UPS Store works
Two ways in. On the outbound side, the sender enters a UPS Access Point address on the label at label creation. On the receiving side, a UPS My Choice member redirects a package that already shipped to a nearby Access Point for pickup. Both routes land the parcel at the same shelf on arrival.
| Question | What UPS publishes |
|---|---|
| Where the package lands | A UPS Access Point location, which includes UPS Store retail sites and third-party partner locations |
| Hold period | Up to 7 calendar days at no additional charge |
| What happens after 7 days | The package is returned to the sender as undeliverable |
| ID at pickup | Government-issued photo ID with a last name and full address matching the package, or a government-issued photo ID with a last name matching the package |
| Age-restricted parcels | The ID must confirm the recipient is 21 years of age or older and authorised to receive the item |
| Fee for the routing | None specifically for the Access Point label; the shipment pays the ordinary UPS Ground or air rate for the route |
Two details make the difference at the counter. The ID has to match; a spouse's licence with a different last name and a shared address is refused. And the 7-day window is calendar days, not business days, so a package that lands on a Friday leaves the store on the following Friday, weekend included.
Access Point against UPS Store retail hold
UPS Store mailbox rental
A private mailbox at a UPS Store franchise. It carries a real street address and accepts parcels from any carrier. That is a paid ongoing service; Access Point is not.
Package receiving without a mailbox
Some UPS Store franchises accept a one-off package on a per-item fee, without a rented mailbox. Fees and eligibility are set franchise by franchise; call the local store before shipping.
Where the sister carriers land the same idea
FedEx routes packages to a FedEx retail location under the Hold at Location product; USPS routes to a Post Office under Hold For Pickup. The published mechanics differ. FedEx's version currently posts a similar week-long window on Ground and Home Delivery packages, and USPS holds letters and parcels for 15 days at a Post Office. Our sister guides on FedEx Hold for Pickup and on USPS Hold For Pickup work through each one in turn, so a sender who is choosing between carriers can pick on the merits.
What SMKlog does with these labels
Our calculator prints ordinary UPS Ground and air labels; the Access Point routing is a matter of what the sender types as the ship-to. Enter the Access Point street address as the destination and the label prints to that address on the ordinary rate for the route. UPS handles the hold, the ID check and the return on its own paperwork. Nothing on our side changes; we simply do not charge for a service UPS provides at no add-on.
Where these rules come from
- UPS, Ship to a UPS Access Point Location Service Additional Information — hold period, ID rules, return conditions. Read 2026-08-11.
- UPS, UPS My Choice program page for the receiver-side redirect.
- Cross-carrier context via our own sister guides on FedEx Hold for Pickup and USPS Hold For Pickup.
Carrier service terms move without notice. Treat the figures above as what UPS published on the date shown and check the current version before shipping.
Access-Point-at-UPS-Store questions
Can UPS hold a package at a UPS Store for pickup?
Yes, through the UPS Access Point program. A UPS Store address can be entered as the ship-to on a shipping label, and the package is held for the recipient to pick up in person on a government-issued photo ID.
How long does UPS hold a package at an Access Point?
Up to 7 calendar days at no additional charge. After 7 calendar days the package is returned to the sender as undeliverable, per the UPS Ship to a UPS Access Point Location Service document.
What ID do I need to pick up an Access Point parcel?
A government-issued photo ID where the last name and full address match those on the package, or a government-issued photo ID where the last name matches the last name on the package. Age-restricted parcels also require age 21 or over.
Is Access Point the same as UPS My Choice hold at location?
They overlap. My Choice lets the recipient redirect a package that already shipped to an Access Point; sending directly to an Access Point address is the sender-side version of the same routing.
Does FedEx or USPS offer the same thing?
Both offer parallel programs. FedEx Hold at Location routes to a FedEx retail location; USPS Hold For Pickup routes to a Post Office. Each carrier's rules differ; the sister guides on this site cover them one by one.