PostNL tracking
How to track my PostNL package?
Ordertracker provides a simple solution to track your PostNL packages. To begin, you'll need a PostNL tracking number provided by the sender or the retailer.
Enter your tracking number in the above field and hit "enter." Our tracker will then fetch the latest tracking details for your package.
You'll see a timeline showing your package's journey, including its current location, transit history, and expected delivery date. This keeps you informed about your PostNL package in real time.
Where can I find my PostNL tracking number?
Finding your PostNL tracking number is usually simple. When you buy an item online or send a package, the tracking number is typically given by the online store or sender. If you're the recipient, the sender often provides it via email, text, or on the order confirmation page.
For online purchases, log in to your store account to find the tracking number in your order history or tracking section. You can also find it in shipping notifications sent to your email or phone.
Once you have the tracking number, you can easily use Ordertracker to monitor your package's progress. This tool shows your package's journey and estimated delivery date.
Why isn't my PostNL package moving in the package tracking history?
Dealing with a PostNL package that appears stuck in tracking can be frustrating. Yet, there are steps to tackle this. If you've been using Ordertracker and see no progress, start by being patient. Delays, like customs or logistical issues, can arise.
If the delay remains, contact PostNL or the sender for specifics. They can offer insight or investigate. Keep your tracking number ready for a smoother process. Sometimes, misrouting or address errors cause delays. Confirm the details provided to you by the sender. Remember, PostNL customer service or the sender can help resolve shipping delays.
When I track my PostNL package, why does it show as "returned"?
If you're tracking your PostNL package and it's marked as "returned", this usually means that the package has been sent back to the sender or the shipment origin location for a specific reason. There are a few common explanations for why a PostNL package might be labeled as "returned":
An unclear or inaccurate address from sender or recipient might lead PostNL to be unable to deliver, resulting in a return.
If multiple delivery attempts fail, PostNL may return the package instead of holding it indefinitely.
If the recipient doesn't collect the package within a timeframe from a post office or delivery center, PostNL might return it.
International packages can be return due to customs problems like missing or incorrect documents.
If your PostNL package is "returned" in tracking, contact the sender or PostNL customer service. This clarifies the return reason and lets you explore solutions like resending or refunding. Please note that return procedures can vary based on PostNL policies and circumstances.
Why does the PostNL parcel tracking timeline indicate that my order cannot be found?
When your PostNL parcel tracking lacks information, it may indicate a "cannot be found" message. This happens for a few reasons:
Ensure your tracking number is accurate. Even a small mistake can prevent the system from recognizing your package.
Sometimes, tracking details might be slower to update in PostNL system. Wait and check again later for potential updates.
If the package was recently sent, it might not be processed by PostNL yet. Tracking should appear shortly.
About PostNL
PostNL is the primary postal and parcel service provider in the Netherlands. With a rich history dating back to 1799, PostNL has established itself as a reliable and efficient logistics company. It offers a wide range of services including mail, parcels, and e-commerce solutions. PostNL plays a crucial role in connecting businesses and individuals, facilitating domestic and international deliveries. With its extensive network and innovative approach, PostNL strives to provide excellent service and meet the evolving needs of its customers.
How to contact PostNL?
If you are experiencing issues with the delivery process managed by PostNL, please do not hesitate to contact their customer support.
Dutch postal service since 1799
The origins of PostNL date back to the creation of a centralized national postal service in 1799 under the Batavian Republic (predecessor of the Netherlands). During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Dutch postal system evolved within a public administration of PTT (Post, Telegraph and Telephone), modernizing to meet the changing needs of society. In 1989, a major restructuring took place: postal activities were separated from telecommunications, giving rise to two distinct entities, the telecom operator KPN and the postal branch TNT Post. The latter, privatized and renamed TNT N.V., was listed on the stock exchange in 1998.
In the early 2000s, TNT Post expanded its scope by integrating international operations, while remaining the provider of the universal postal service in the Netherlands. In 2011, the TNT N.V. group split into two independent companies: on one side TNT Express (for international express delivery services), on the other PostNL, which took over all postal and parcel activities in the Netherlands. This refocusing allowed PostNL to fully concentrate on its domestic market as a leading postal and parcel provider. In the following decade, PostNL consolidated its national position and adapted its strategy in response to the decline in traditional mail volumes and the rise of online commerce. In 2019, the company initiated the acquisition of its Dutch competitor Sandd to reunify the national postal network (an operation ultimately approved by the government despite initial concerns from competition authorities. At the same time, PostNL chose to refocus its European activities on the Benelux) the same year, it sold its German postal subsidiary (Postcon) to an investor, and in 2020 it sold the majority of its Italian subsidiary (Nexive) to a partner, retaining only a minority stake. These developments mark PostNL's desire to focus on its key markets while innovating to remain competitive in a changing sector.
Organization, structure and service areas
PostNL is structured into several operational divisions covering the entire postal and logistics chain:
- Domestic mail: the mail division manages the collection, sorting and distribution of letters, cards and advertising prints in the Netherlands, for both individuals and businesses. Under its universal service obligation, PostNL delivers mail five days a week throughout the Netherlands (from Tuesday to Saturday).
- Parcels in the Netherlands: this branch handles the delivery of packages and parcels in the domestic market. It responds to the strong growth in shipments related to online commerce, offering flexible delivery services to individual customers, local businesses and e-commerce platforms.
- International services: PostNL's international division handles cross-border shipments. Thanks to a vast network of partners abroad, it transports letters and parcels to many destinations outside the Netherlands, ensuring efficient and reliable delivery to the final recipient.
- E-commerce solutions: PostNL has developed logistics offers dedicated to online merchants. This unit offers specialized services to support online retailers, such as warehouse and inventory management, order preparation and shipping, as well as product return management. These solutions allow e-commerce sites to outsource part of their logistics and integrate with PostNL's digital platforms for simplified tracking.
Geographically, the core business of PostNL is located in the Netherlands where the company operates a dense network of sorting centers and service points. PostNL is also present in Belgium (notably through its subsidiary PostNL Belgium dedicated to parcel services) and Luxembourg, thus forming a Benelux network. Historically, the company had subsidiaries in other European countries: in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom (which operated under the TNT Post brand after 2011, before being gradually rebranded (TNT Post Germany became Postcon in 2014, TNT Post Italy became Nexive). However, PostNL chose to largely withdraw from these external markets from 2019, to refocus on its main service areas. Today, the company concentrates its efforts on the Benelux and relies on partnerships to serve other countries.
Logistics and postal services offered by PostNL
PostNL offers a wide range of delivery and shipping services, tailored to the needs of both individuals and professional customers. The options offered cover both traditional mail and parcels of all sizes, with different levels of speed and tracking:
- Standard delivery (domestic): classic distribution of mail and parcels nationwide. In the Netherlands, PostNL generally ensures the delivery of standard shipments the next business day after dispatch (delivery in ~24 hours).
- Evening delivery: to accommodate recipients' schedules, PostNL offers an evening parcel delivery service, typically between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on selected business days. This allows customers receiving a package to collect it at home outside of working hours.
- Sunday delivery: for certain urgent shipments, PostNL offers the possibility of Sunday delivery. This service, available on certain types of parcels, guarantees delivery even on the seventh day of the week when necessary.
- Express delivery (same day): in eligible areas, PostNL can deliver a parcel on the same day it is shipped. This premium "same day" service allows, if the parcel is dropped off early enough, delivery to the recipient within a few hours, possibly within a specific time slot agreed on the same day.
- Registered mail: for valuable or confidential shipments, PostNL offers registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt. This service provides enhanced tracking and requires a signature from the recipient upon delivery, providing additional security for the sender.
- International shipments: PostNL offers different options for sending mail or parcels abroad. Depending on the urgency, a shipment to Europe can arrive in a few days (usually between ~2 and 7 business days), while an intercontinental shipment will typically take one to two weeks (about 3 to 10 business days). Exact times vary depending on the destination and the service chosen (standard economic or international express).
In addition to these main services, PostNL offers complementary options such as ad valorem insurance for shipments, proof of delivery, or the possibility of redirecting a parcel to a local pickup point if the recipient is absent. Shipping rates are adjusted based on several factors (weight, dimensions, destination, shipping method, additional options). The company regularly adjusts its pricing grid and it is recommended to refer to official information for up-to-date prices. Thanks to the diversity of its services, PostNL is able to offer tailor-made logistics solutions, whether it is to send a simple priority letter, a standard parcel or to organize an express delivery to the other side of the world.
E-commerce solutions and innovations
Faced with the growth of e-commerce, PostNL has developed innovative solutions to support e-merchants. Beyond parcel delivery, the company offers integrated services across the entire online logistics chain. For example, PostNL has specialized warehouses to store products from partner sellers, ensures order preparation (parcel preparation, packaging) and their rapid shipment to end customers, and manages a simplified and efficient return process. These e-commerce solutions integrate with major online platforms and retailers' systems, allowing a continuous flow of information from the order on the merchant site to delivery by PostNL. The goal is to help online stores optimize their logistics, by allowing them to benefit from PostNL's infrastructure and experience in order fulfillment and distribution.
Furthermore, PostNL places innovation at the heart of its strategy to improve its services and make them more sustainable. The company's digital transformation has resulted in the development of online tools and mobile applications facilitating the sending and tracking of parcels for customers. PostNL is also exploring new delivery models: in 2025, the company, for example, encouraged the sector to adopt "optimized delivery on the best day" rather than systematic express delivery the next day, in order to reduce logistical pressure and the environmental footprint of e-commerce shipments. This approach aims to group deliveries more intelligently based on customer preferences, rather than imposing a default ultra-fast delivery scheme, deemed less sustainable in the long term.
Innovation and sustainability: PostNL is recognized as one of the leaders in its sector in terms of sustainable logistics. The company is among the world's top performers in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the transport and logistics sector, and has obtained a Gold certification from the independent organization EcoVadis for its social and environmental responsibility results. Concretely, PostNL has undertaken to green its transport fleet and operations: the delivery fleet includes an increasing number of electric or alternative fuel vehicles, and cargo bikes and pedestrian solutions are deployed for last-mile delivery in city centers. The company aims to ensure 100% emission-free deliveries in at least 25 city centers by 2025, thus contributing to improving air quality and reducing noise in urban areas. Its sorting centers and warehouses are also evolving towards high environmental performance: all the electricity used in PostNL's facilities now comes from renewable sources (wind, solar) and the new parcel sorting center in Apeldoorn has obtained the BREEAM "Outstanding" certification, the highest in sustainable construction. Finally, PostNL encourages the circular economy by experimenting, for example, with reusable packaging and recycling programs for small electronic waste. Through these initiatives, PostNL demonstrates its willingness to innovate not only to gain logistical efficiency, but also to minimize the environmental impact of its activities and contribute positively to society.
Distribution network and international partners
With several centuries of experience, PostNL has developed a reliable distribution network covering the entire Dutch territory and relying on strong partnerships abroad. In the Netherlands, the company relies on modern regional sorting centers and a large fleet of vehicles to transport mail and parcels between these sorting centers and the served localities. The "last mile" - that is, the final delivery to the home or pickup point - is carried out by PostNL's mail carriers and delivery personnel, who use vans, bicycles or make the rounds on foot depending on the distribution area. This internal organization allows for efficient reach to every municipality in the country, with mailbox collection and mail delivery five days a week.
For shipments destined for international destinations, PostNL relies on cooperation with local postal operators and logistics providers in each destination country. As a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), PostNL is part of the global network that connects 192 countries and territories. This network allows it to offer services to more than 220 countries worldwide. Concretely, a parcel sent from the Netherlands by PostNL will be handled by its domestic network to the border, then handed over to a postal or logistics partner in the destination country (often the national postal operator) who will carry out the final local delivery. PostNL thus maintains a vast network of international partners to ensure that shipments reach recipients, whether they are in Europe or on another continent. This cooperative operation ensures continuity of service, with shipment tracking remaining available throughout the journey thanks to data exchange between PostNL and foreign posts.
In terms of alliances, PostNL participates in standardization and improvement initiatives of the global postal network. For example, the company is a member of the International Post Corporation (IPC), a consortium of national posts working to optimize cross-border mail and parcel exchanges (common shipment tracking, quality of service, facilitated customs solutions, etc.). In addition, PostNL has subsidiaries specializing in international logistics, such as Spring Global Delivery Solutions, which offer shipping services to e-merchants to many countries by pooling postal networks. PostNL's distribution network is therefore not limited to Dutch borders, but extends thanks to these global collaborations, making PostNL an important player in international trade through its role as a logistics intermediary.
Tracking systems and shipment identification
To allow its customers to transparently track the routing of their letters and parcels, PostNL provides a high-performance online tracking system (Track & Trace). Each registered shipment is assigned a unique tracking number, also called a shipment barcode. This code consists of a series of letters and numbers: for example, it may start with two letters (often "CC"), followed by nine digits, and end with a two-letter country code (such as "NL" for shipments originating from the Netherlands). Armed with this number, the sender and recipient can connect to the PostNL website or the dedicated mobile app to check the status of their shipment in real-time. The tracking system chronologically displays the different stages the parcel has gone through: handling by PostNL, routing through sorting centers, possible customs clearance, arrival in the destination country, delivery preparation, etc. At each key stage, the status is updated in the database and visible online. PostNL also offers a proactive notification service: the customer can choose to receive alerts (by email or message) during certain events, for example when the parcel is "out for delivery" or if additional information is required (such as payment of customs duties). Thanks to these digital tools, senders and recipients have complete visibility over the journey of their shipment, from the initial drop-off to the final delivery.
The tracking statuses used by PostNL are standardized and presented in clear language to precisely inform about the shipment's situation. In the French tracking, the generic term "L’article" is often used to refer to the shipped item (parcel or letter). Below, a table summarizes the main PostNL tracking statuses and their meaning:
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| The item is currently being transported to the local sorting center | Your parcel is on its way to the local sorting center |
| The item has been processed in the destination country | Your parcel has been processed in the recipient's country |
| The item has arrived in the destination country | Your parcel has arrived in the recipient's country |
| The item is currently being transported to the destination country | Your parcel is currently being shipped to the recipient's country |
| The item has been processed at the sorting center | Your parcel has been processed at the sorting center |
| The item is currently at the sorting center | Your parcel is currently at the sorting center |
| The item has cleared customs | Your parcel has cleared customs |
| The item has been released by customs | Your parcel has been cleared by customs |
| The shipment has been received at the acceptance center | Your shipment has been received at the origin postal center (acceptance center) |
| The shipment has been handed over in bulk for final acceptance, item confirmation is pending | Your shipment has been transferred in bulk to the final carrier and item receipt confirmation is pending |
| The item is ready for shipment | Your parcel is ready to be shipped |
| Pre-declaration, the item has been received by customs | Your parcel has been received by customs following a pre-declaration |
| The item has been successfully delivered | Your parcel has been successfully delivered to the recipient |
| The item is out for delivery | Your parcel is currently out for delivery |
| The item has arrived at the sorting center | Your parcel has arrived at the sorting center |
| The item has been released by customs | Your parcel has been released by customs |
| The item is currently being processed by customs | Your parcel is currently being processed by customs |
| The item is currently at customs | Your parcel is currently at customs |
| The item has been pre-advised | The carrier has been informed of your parcel (pre-announcement of its shipment) |
| The item is currently at the local sorting center | Your parcel is currently at the local sorting center |
| The item is at the sender's warehouse | Your parcel is currently at the sender's warehouse |
| The item is on hold | Your parcel is on hold, possibly due to a delivery issue or customs check |
| The item has been received | Your parcel has been received by the carrier or sorting center |
| The item is available at the pickup point | Your parcel is available at the pickup point |
| The item has arrived at its transit location | Your parcel has arrived at an intermediate transit platform during its journey |
| The item is in transit | Your parcel is currently in transit |
| The item will be returned to the sender | Your parcel will be returned to the sender, likely due to a delivery issue |
| The item was not delivered and must be picked up | Your parcel could not be delivered and must be picked up at a designated location (e.g., a pickup point) |
| The item has been accepted | Your parcel has been accepted by the carrier or dropped off at the post office |
| The item will be scheduled for a new delivery | A new delivery attempt will be scheduled for your parcel |
| The item has been placed in the bag | Your parcel has been placed in a transport bag with other shipments for routing |
| The item is expected to be delivered shortly, please contact the local postal operator for more information | Your parcel is expected to be delivered shortly, in case of delay, contact the local postal operator for more details |
| The item is ready for transport to the last mile carrier | Your parcel is ready to be handed over to the carrier responsible for the last delivery stage |
| The item is expected to have arrived in the destination country, final status | Your parcel is estimated to have arrived in the recipient's country, this is the last available update |
| Payment has been received | The required payment for the shipment has been received |
| Awaiting payment from the recipient | Awaiting payment from the recipient before proceeding with delivery |
| The bag has arrived | The grouping bag containing your parcel has arrived at the intended location |
| The payment request has been sent | A payment request has been sent to the recipient |
| The item is on hold at customs awaiting information from the recipient | Your parcel is held by customs awaiting additional information from the recipient |
| The item will be returned due to address issues | Due to an address issue, your parcel will be returned to the sender |
| The item is at the local delivery office | Your parcel is at the local delivery office awaiting delivery |
| The undelivered item will be returned to the sender | Your parcel, which could not be delivered, will be returned to the sender |
| The item has been received by the operator in the country of origin | Your parcel has been taken over by the carrier in its country of origin (shipping country) |
| The item will be returned if not delivered | If your parcel cannot be delivered, it will be returned to the sender |
| The item is currently with the freight carrier | Your parcel is currently handled by the freight carrier (e.g., in transit by plane/truck) |
| The item has been returned to the sender | Your parcel has been returned to the sender |
| The returned item has arrived | Your returned parcel (re-shipped to the sender) has arrived at its destination |
| A notification has been sent indicating that the item is available at the pickup point | A notification has been sent to inform that your parcel is ready to be picked up at the collection point |
| The item could not be delivered due to an address issue | Your parcel could not be delivered due to a recipient's address issue |
| The item is not in customs | Your parcel is not (or no longer) held by customs at this stage |
| The item has been delayed | The delivery of your parcel has been delayed for an undetermined reason |
| A notification has been sent to the destination post | The post of the destination country has been informed of the arrival of your parcel |
| The item has been handed over to customs for inspection | Your parcel has been handed over to customs for a thorough inspection |