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At An Post, we're here to help with all your delivery needs. Check out the information below for all your questions on receiving post.
Manage your delivery
If you are not sure how to trace your item or have missed a delivery, this is the right place to find answers to those and many other common questions around managing your post.
Standard post items are normally delivered by An Post one to two days after posting. Most often, delays occur due to incomplete, illegible or incorrect addresses.
Other reasons for late or delayed delivery include:
- Items posted after the final collection of the day
- Difficulty accessing the property
- International post being handled by multiple postal services and customs agents
- Handling of prohibited items
If we have left a 'sorry we missed you' notice indicating that delivery was attempted at your address, please follow the instructions on the notice.
If you have not received your standard post within five working days from the date of posting, or 15 days in the case of international post, we suggest you use our contact form or pick up an enquiry form at your local post office or delivery office.
Some retailers will provide us with your contact details and we will get in touch by email or text to let you know when we will be delivering your parcel. You can expect to hear from us a few days in advance of your delivery if your contact details have been provided. If you know you're not going to be at home you can set your safe spot to have your item delivered to. This can be a safe, dry place out of view or a neighbour. Sign up now at
anpost.com/signup to set a safe spot.
An Post holds missed deliveries for the following periods:
- 5 working days for Standard Post and Express Post.
- 3 working days for registered post.
- 16 working days if it is received from abroad.
After that, we will try to return the item to the person who sent it, if there’s a legible address on the outside. If anything has to be returned to the sender, we will attach a sticker explaining why we couldn’t deliver it. In order to avoid missing a delivery you can sign up
anpost.com and set up a delivery safe spot. This can be a safe, dry place out of view or a neighbour.
We’ll always attempt to deliver your post to your address at least once. After a failed delivery we will return your item to your local Delivery Service Unit. Find out how to collect your post or have it redelivered from the Delivery Service Unit.
If
your online tracking shows that we attempted to deliver your post, but you didn’t receive a ‘Sorry we missed you’ notice, this means we’ll try again in the next delivery slot, which is usually the following day.
If your online tracking shows that we attempted to deliver your post, but you didn’t receive a ‘Sorry we missed you’ notice, this means we’ll try again in the next delivery slot, which is usually the following day.
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If you have found a ‘Sorry we missed you’ notice in your letterbox (also called a ‘Docket In Box’ or ‘DIB’ notice). This gives you information on what we tried to deliver and how to collect it.
Once we have left this in your letterbox, we’ll return your post to your local Delivery Service Unit and won’t attempt another delivery unless you arrange a redelivery online.
If you miss the final delivery, there are a still a number of ways you can collect your post:
We make every effort to ensure your post arrives safely, unopened and in good condition, but you should keep any damaged or opened post for inspection. There are a number of reasons why post may sometimes be damaged:
- Incorrectly-sized or poor quality packaging
- We may place damaged items in a plastic bag to prevent further damage
- Envelopes may occasionally be damaged during the machine sorting process
- We use waterproof delivery equipment but we can’t guarantee that post will never be wet in bad weather conditions
If your post is missing, damaged or opened, get in touch using our contact form. If you prefer, you can pick up the form at your local post office or delivery office.
Once we receive your parcel and it is scanned into our network system, we will deliver it to you as quickly as possible.
Customs and deliveries
Due to stringent EU Customs rules governing non-EU goods, which came into effect on 1st July 2021, VAT and customs charges now apply when you buy goods outside of the EU.
- An Post collect the customs charges on your behalf that are charged by Revenue on items delivered to Ireland from non-EU countries. In order for your parcel to be processed and delivered, these charges must be paid.
- If customs duty or VAT is due on the item, where possible, we will contact you by post, text or email. You can then pay the customs fee above or at your local Post Office. We will deliver your item as soon as possible after payment has been received.
- If there is no customs duty or VAT due on the item, then the item will be delivered as normal.
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An Post will never send a message containing any links when contacting you about the payment of customs charges.
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Also, within a few days of receiving an An Post customs SMS or email you will receive an official An Post postcard detailing your customs charges (a customs charge notification card to which specific Terms & Conditions apply).
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You can pay above. You will need your track & trace number and reference number provided in the SMS/email/ or by bringing your reference details to any post office.
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If you are ever in doubt about scam messages we have further information on our security page to help you identify legitimate and scam messages.
This is likely due to the senders’ failure to complete the address details on the electronic customs form. If the customs charges due are paid and the full correct address are written on the physical package itself, it will be delivered. However, If the address is incomplete on the package and incomplete on the electronic customs form, you will see further tracking updates to reflect this via
track & trace.
- United States of America
- Great Britain
- Brazil
- Switzerland
- Turkey
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All items posted from the Republic of Ireland to a country outside the European Union (including Great Britain) must be presented to the Customs authorities in the receiving country.
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An Advanced Electronic Declaration (AED) will be required for certain destinations. You can complete this either at your local post office or online using Click & Post.
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A CN23 customs declaration must also be completed for all items being sent to non EU countries.
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The following information will be required to complete the declaration:
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Insufficient data may result in the item being returned to the sender, if rejected by the receiving Customs authorities.
Your item may be returned to you if:
- The item does not comply with electronic Customs data regulations that are required by International Customs Authorities.
- The item is prohibited or restricted by the receiving country.
- Customs data regulations require an “Advance Electronic Declaration” (AED) to be generated and to accompany all mail items containing goods. This also applies to items over 500 grams, containing documents. If your mail item does not comply with Customs data regulations, An Post cannot accept the item. Non-compliant items risk being returned to sender.
- If an item is returned to you, due to non-compliance with electronic Customs data regulations, you can bring this mail item, unopened, to your local Post Office where we will record the details of your item, print an AED CN23 international customs declaration, and attach it to the item without any additional cost to you.
When sending an item to Ireland you will need to supply complete electronic customs data according to Irish Customs regulations.
The minimum mandatory electronic data that is required is:
- A valid HS/Tariff Code
- A valid item description
- Country of origin
- Item value
- Postage, insurance, freight paid
- Sender name, address details
- Addressee name, address
- Packet/parcel weight
You should also ensure the items you are sending are not regarded as prohibited/restricted by An Post. You can do so by reviewing the list on our prohibited items page.
- You will not be paying any further shipping costs. You are required to pay customs charges related to customs clearance of the items.
- Some online retailers use a Delivery Duty Paid (DPP) model – This means that the retailer has included estimated customs charges in the total price payable at checkout when the buyer is ordering the item online, so no charges are expected to arise prior to delivery.
- If VAT is applicable to your item and was not charged in your shopping basket
- It will be charged using electronic data captured by the sender before it is delivered to you in Ireland.
- Customers must pay the VAT and applicable administration fees before the item is delivered.
- If the sender has sent incomplete electronic data, additional charges will occur to ensure the item gets to you. A €10 charge will occur.
Great Britain is no longer a member of the European Union and in accordance with relevant VAT law, there is a requirement that VAT is calculated/charged on all non-EU goods.
- As of 1 July 2021: The European Union have removed the €22 VAT exemption on goods coming from countries outside of the EU (excl. NI) and request that all parcels coming into the EU are sent using electronic customs data.
- It is mandatory for An Post to collect these charges on behalf of Revenue. An Post is unable to deliver your item until this charge has been paid.
In addition, customs duties and excise duties may arise on the importation of certain postal items from Great Britain.
Customs charges must be paid by the “Pay by Date”. The “Pay by Date” is specified on the Customs Charge Notification Card you received in the post, in the email you received from An Post (if applicable) or on our
online payment channel, (you will need your Customs Reference number here).
If the customs charge is not paid by the “pay by date” the item will be returned to the sender.
Once you have paid your customs charges and your item has been cleared through customs, it will be delivered in the normal way.
You may reject the item via the online payment channel, or at a Post Office (you will need your Customs Reference number - detailed on the Postcard/SMS/Email). The item will be returned to the sender if unpaid.
Returns can be sent using
Click & Post or at your local Post Office. The Customs related electronic data and labelling (where required) should indicate that the item is a return. We recommend you retain your receipt of posting. Please note, An Post do not process any refunds of VAT or Customs Charges if you are returning goods after the item has been delivered.
- Customs charges are calculated by Irish Revenue based on the electronic data provided by the sender. For further information please visit the Revenue website.
- Depending on the value of your goods, these charges arise on the importation of your goods from outside of the EU, in accordance with relevant customs legislation, such as the European Union Customs Code. The EU VAT legislation also requires VAT to be paid on the importation of most third country (Non-EU) goods, regardless of value.
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As of 1 January 2021 it is mandatory for an electronic customs declaration to be filed for all goods imported by post from non-EU countries. Where goods are imported by you through the postal system, where possible, An Post will lodge an electronic customs declaration on your behalf acting as your direct representative for customs purposes.
For more information regarding customs obligations please visit the
Revenue Website