Here’s an Easy Way to Track Paper Tax Refund Checks

The fastest and easiest way to receive your 2025 tax is online booking and direct deposit options. By writing your own tax return electronically with the IRS, you will be refunded within 21 days approximately. If you want a more streamlined approach, you can apply via snail mail and track your check on paper by receiving notifications from the US Postal Service.

Usually, a paper check takes three to eight weeks to arrive in your mailbox, but you can track where your tax refund is and when you can expect to receive it with the USPS tracking tool, Informed Delivery. The free service sends you notifications of all new mail and provides images of the front of the envelopes.

It’s easy to set up and use USPS Informed Delivery — and we’ll explain how. For more information, learn about the earliest and latest you can file taxes in 2025and host countries tax deadlines except April 15.

How Referrals Work

USPS Informed Delivery is a free mail tracking service that automatically checks your incoming mail, and sends you a picture of each envelope with your address, so you know what will be delivered and when.

When the US Postal Service sends mail through its automatic sorting machine, it creates a digital image of the front of all large pieces of mail. (This does not include magazines, boxes and large envelopes.) If you have signed up for Informed Delivery, you can take advantage of this feature by receiving notifications when your mail is on its way. You will receive an email every morning, Monday through Saturday — except for public holidays — with information about upcoming mail. The email has a grayscale image in front of each letter.

Informed Delivery offers free software for both Android and iOS users to receive updates on incoming mail. Remember that opening your account can take up to three days.

If you are tired of receiving notifications about every letter that is signed by the post office, you can cancel the service at any time.

Read on to learn more about how to sign up for Informed Delivery.

Track the package with Informed Delivery

You can also track the delivery status of boxes and packages with Informed Delivery. Smart Shipping won’t provide photos of your incoming packages, but it will track them and allow you to add an electronic signature to receive packages when you’re away.

How to set up USPS Informed Delivery notifications

You can set up Informed Delivery with instant notifications. First, go to The US Postal Service’s Informed Delivery website.

1. Click on Join for Free button.

2. Next, enter your email address, then choose yours Account Type. You can set up a Residential Mail Account or a Business Account to manage emails to a business address.

3. Enter your mailing address and confirm that the service is available at your address. Then agree to the terms and conditions.

4. Choose a username, password and security questions. Enter your numbers.

5. You need to verify your identity. Click Verify your online identity if you want to receive a verification code on your phone or click Request an order number post office if you want the post office to send you a code. You may also have the option of going to the post office to verify your identity.

Limitations on Intended Delivery

Automatic Transmission has few limitations. In addition to not being able to send photos of your packages, Informed Delivery is not available in some residential areas where the post office has not yet been identified for each district. You can check if Informed Delivery is available in your area on the Informed Delivery page.

For more tax information, see The amount of income and the standard deduction will change in 2025.