Problems with the Packstation

It may happen that you do not find a notification card in your mailbox. The notification card will then be sent to you by post within the next few days. We kindly ask for a little patience.

If you still have not received a notification card after 3 to 4 days, it is best to check DHL tracking.

• Pickup location: If your parcel has been delivered, you can view the pickup location there.
• Packstation: If your shipment was delivered to a Packstation and you have not received a notification card, please contact our customer service or our chatbot Marie.
• Postal outlet: If your shipment was delivered to a branch, you do not need the notification card for pickup - your ID card is sufficient.
   

Tip: As a registered DHL customer, you will receive the notification and pickup code digitally at your registered email address. Register for free here.
 

Possible reasons:

• The limited number of notification cards carried by our delivery staff was already used up during delivery.
• The delivery staff had no direct access to your mailbox (e.g., an indoor mailbox in an apartment building) and could not deliver the notification.
• As a registered DHL customer, you will receive the notification and pickup code digitally at your registered email address.

Shipping

If the Packstation where you want to send your shipment is out of order, you can help us a lot by reporting the issue. Please contact our customer service and provide us with the address or number of the Packstation. You will find the Packstation number in the DHL App, on your notification card, in DHL shipment tracking or on the Packstation display, unless it is affected by the defect.

To still send your shipment, simply choose another Packstation, a postal outlet, or a DHL Parcel Shop nearby. Our location finder will help you with the search.

Receiving

If your shipment is in a defective Packstation, please also contact our customer service and report the issue. This is the only way we can react quickly and fix the problem so you can pick up your shipment soon.

The storage time of your shipment in the Packstation will, of course, not be affected by the malfunction.

Problem: My Post & DHL App prompts me to activate my device, even though the device is already activated.
 

Solution:

1. Fully close the app (not just send it to the background) and then reopen it.
2. If that doesn't help: Please remove the device that is already activated. You can remove a device in the app under "More > Parcel Delivery > Packstation".
   Alternatively, go to your customer account at www.dhl.de and navigate to "My Data and Services > Parcel Delivery > Packstation".
3. Reactivate the device.

Problem: My pickup code does not work.

If the Packstation does not recognize the pickup code (QR code), please check the time on your smartphone. The time must not be set "ahead" or "behind". The important factor is not the selected time zone, but simply that your smartphone’s time is correctly synchronized.

There may be the following reasons why you have not received the pick-up code:

• You are not logged into the Post & DHL app with your DHL customer account. To receive the pick-up code, you must be logged into the app with your DHL customer account.
• You have only looked under "Track" in the app. The pick-up code is displayed in the "Packstation" section of the app.
• The mobile phone number you entered is incorrect. Make sure that the mobile phone number you have saved in your customer account does not contain any errors.
• You do not have an activated device. To be able to receive a pick-up code via the Post & DHL app, you need to activate your device once. To do this, click on Activate now in the "Packstation" section of the app and follow the instructions in the app.
• No pick-up code is required to collect your shipment. This can happen, for example, if your Packstation shipment is redirected to a nearby branch. In this case, you only need your identity card to collect the shipment. It could also be that your shipment is classed as a notified shipment. Notified shipment are parcels that could not be delivered to your home and were then redirected to a Packstation. In this case, all you need to collect the shipment is your notification card.

If none of these cases apply and you cannot retrieve the pick-up code for other reasons, proceed as follows:

• Log out of your customer account in the app and log in again. This may solve the problem.
• If you are using a DualSIM/MultiSIM, check which number is linked to receive text messages and compare it with the mobile phone number stored in your customer account.
• Deactivate your device (in the "More" section of the Post & DHL app on "Settings > "Device activation" > "Manage devices") and reactivate it via the Post & DHL app.

If you are unable to use the Post & DHL app, it is still possible to use the services of the Packstation with restrictions:

1. Firstly, you can send parcels with the Packstation even without the app. You can find instructions here.
2. Secondly, the app is not required to pick up notified shipments at a Packstation. Notified shipments are parcels that could not be delivered to your home and were then redirected to a Packstation. All you need to pick up the parcel is your notification card.

Important: Unfortunately, it is not possible to receive shipments with direct addressing to a Packstation without the Post & DHL app. The app is used to securely transmit your pick-up code (mTAN), which you need to open the corresponding compartment of the Packstation.

If your Packstation shipment is returned to the sender, this may be due to the following reasons:

• The recipient address is incorrect. 
• The post number and the name of the recipient do not match
• The recipient is not registered for Packstation. To receive shipments via Packstation, the recipient must have a DHL customer account, have activated the Packstation service, and have fully completed the account verification. Further information on Packstation registration is available.
• You have not picked up the shipment within the 7-day collection period. The period begins on the day the shipment is placed in the Packstation.

Here you will find a step-by-step guide.

Due to incorrect operation by a previous user, it may happen that shipments are not registered or are forgotten and therefore remain in a compartment that is marked as "empty".

If you are at the Packstation:

If you want to send a shipment at the Packstation but the compartment is already occupied by another shipment, please remove the shipment and cancel the sending process. Then insert the other (foreign) shipment into the Packstation again as usual via the Send section. To do so, scan the shipment, choose an appropriate compartment size, place the shipment in the compartment, and select "Shipment inserted" to confirm the drop-off.

Afterwards, you can send your own shipment using the same process.

Alternatively, you can also drop off the shipments at a DHL retail outlet or hand them over to a DHL delivery person.

If you are not at the Packstation:

If you found another shipment in the compartment while attempting to send your own parcel, please contact our customer service (0228 4 333 112) and provide the address or postal code together with the number of the Packstation. You can find the Packstation number in the location finder, on your notification card, or in DHL shipment tracking.

You can also send your own shipment at another Packstation or at a DHL postal outlet nearby. Our location finder will help you find one. You may also hand over parcels to DHL delivery staff.

We kindly ask one thing of you:
If you removed the foreign shipment, please insert it into the Packstation again via the Send area as usual, or hand it in at one of our postal outlets. Thank you very much for your support.

This may have the following reasons:

1. No suitable compartment is available in the desired Packstation
2. The desired Packstation is out of order
3. Your shipment exceeds the Packstation's size limits
4. Your shipment is not suitable for Packstation delivery (e.g., cash-on-delivery shipments, age verification required, letter products with #Porto)

If at least one of the above reasons applies, the shipment will be taken to a post office or DHL Paketshop for pickup.

Please check the DHL shipment tracking, the Post & DHL App, or the latest email regarding your shipment to see exactly which Packstation or branch it was delivered to.

Receiving

In case a Packstation is fully occupied, a redirection to a nearby postal outlet or Packstation will be initiated. You will be notified in the Post & DHL app or by e-mail where you can pick up your shipment.

Sending

If you want to send a shipment with a Packstation, but all compartments are occupied, you can of course place your shipment in any other Packstation or postal outlet. Our location finder will help you find the nearest location quickly.

Tip: The location finder also provides an overview of the average occupancy rate of the respective Packstation.

If your online shop offers Packstation without requiring registration, you do not need to register separately. Simply enter the desired Packstation address when placing your order in the online shop. You can select your Packstation using our location finder.

Once the shipment is in the Packstation, you will receive a notification by email, which also includes the pickup code. For app-controlled Packstations without a screen, you will additionally need the Post & DHL App to collect your shipment.

No. The delivery of a Packstation shipment addressed to family members under a common post number is not possible at present. However, your co-users in your DHL customer account can use the services for preferred delivery (preferred location, neighbour and delivery day).