Correos shipping conditions

Purpose: This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the shipping conditions for the postal carrier Correos in Spain.

Shipping Methods (National)

Special conditions

• Volumetric weight: This refers to the space a package occupies during transit (its physical size). Carriers use volumetric weight to ensure shipping costs accurately reflect the parcel's size in relation to its actual weight. They will always charge based on the higher value between the actual weight and the calculated volumetric weight. More information is available in our Help Center article: How to calculate & automate parcel volumetric weight.
• Recipient unavailable: If the recipient is unavailable, the parcel may be left in a mailbox or delivered to a neighbour if deemed appropriate. The recipient will be informed of any alternative delivery.
• Undeliverable parcel: If delivery cannot be completed, the parcel will be returned to the sender. Please note that this may incur additional charges, which are non-refundable.

Home delivery

Service point delivery

Shipping Methods (International)

Special conditions

• Volumetric weight: This refers to the space a package occupies during transit (its physical size). Carriers use volumetric weight to ensure shipping costs accurately reflect the parcel's size in relation to its actual weight. They will always charge based on the higher value between the actual weight and the calculated volumetric weight. More information is available in our Help Center article: How to calculate & automate parcel volumetric weight.
• Recipient unavailable: If the recipient is unavailable, the parcel may be left in a mailbox or delivered to a neighbour if deemed appropriate. The recipient will be informed of any alternative delivery.
• Undeliverable parcel: If delivery cannot be completed, the parcel will be returned to the sender. Please note that this may incur additional charges, which are non-refundable.
• International delivery: Once a parcel reaches its destination country, the final delivery is managed by the local postal service. Therefore, for any delivery-related issues, please contact the respective postal service directly. You can find a list of all local carriers here.
• Home delivery: Not possible to ship to P.O. Boxes or postal offices.

Home delivery

Return Shipping Methods (National)

Special conditions

• Volumetric weight: This refers to the space a package occupies during transit (its physical size). Carriers use volumetric weight to ensure shipping costs accurately reflect the parcel's size in relation to its actual weight. They will always charge based on the higher value between the actual weight and the calculated volumetric weight. More information is available in our Help Center article: How to calculate & automate parcel volumetric weight.
• Return Label: Labels do not need to be printed; clients can simply show them on their mobile device.
• Drop-off in a CityPaq: For returns in which your customer has selected CityPaq, they need to log into the Correos' app/website and notify that they have a parcel for return. Fill in the pre-registered code (L3 LI) and Correos' app/website will provide the location of where to drop off the parcel, and on which locker. More information is available in our Help Center article: Correos CityPaq returns.

Home delivery

Return Shipping Methods (International)

Special conditions

• Volumetric weight: This refers to the space a package occupies during transit (its physical size). Carriers use volumetric weight to ensure shipping costs accurately reflect the parcel's size in relation to its actual weight. They will always charge based on the higher value between the actual weight and the calculated volumetric weight. More information is available in our Help Center article: How to calculate & automate parcel volumetric weight.
• Return Label: Labels need to be printed.
• Drop-off: International returns are handled by local postal service. Therefore, parcels must be dropped-off at the respective postal office. You can find a list of all local carriers here.

Home delivery

Export documentation

Applicable for international shipments (outside European Union and special territories like Canary Islands, Andorra, Ceuta, and Melilla).
More information is available in our Help Center articles: How to ship internationally with Sendcloud.

Required Documents

• Customs Declaration (CN23): 
  • Print 5 copies
    • To automatically download your pre-filled customs documents when you create a label, in the Sendcloud panel go to Shipping > Printing options > Customs documents > Check the option Print customs documents with labels. Select the printer, the format and the number of copies.
    • To download your pre-filled customs documents after label creation, go to Created orders in Sendcloud > Click the eye icon > Actions > Download Customs Declaration.
• Sales Invoice
  • Print 5 copies
    • Download it from your webshop.
• Packing Slip (optional): How can I download picking lists and packing slips?
  • Print 5 copies
  • To download your packing slip, in the Sendcloud panel, go to Shipping > Created labels > Select the order/s by checking the box next to them > Click the arrow next to "Cancel" to open a drop-down menu and select Packing slip > Click Print.

Place all 15 documents (5 CN23 + 5 sales invoices + 5 packing slip) inside a transparent envelope and attach it securely to the outside of the parcel.

VAT & EORI

• VAT and EORI number of the sender are mandatory for shipments outside the EU.
  • Learn more about your EORI and VAT number in our Help Center article: International shipping: VAT & EORI numbers.

HS Codes

• The Harmonized System code used to classify the type of product.

Use our practical guide and HS Code finder tool to correctly classify your items. Or check the European Commission official website.

Pick-ups

General features

• Always keep your proof of handover until all your parcels are successfully delivered. You can do this by asking the driver to sign your pickup report. This document is essential if you ever need to file a claim. You can find more information on how to create one in our Help Center article: How to create a pickup report.
• Please note that pickup times are subject to local office availability and may be affected during peak seasons or force majeure events.

Incidental Pick-up

For the carrier to pick up your parcels on an as-needed basis, you'll need to schedule a one time collection after you've created your shipping labels.

Scheduling process

• Free Subscription Users: If you're on the Free plan, please refer to the drop-off section.

• Lite Subscription Users Onwards: You can easily schedule an incidental pick-up directly from Sendcloud panel. Follow our step-by-step guide in our Help Center article: How can I request a parcel pickup?

Conditions

• Minimum Shipments: Each incidental pickup requires a minimum of 5 shipments, with a monthly average of at least 10 shipments per pickup. This means you can hand over 5 shipments for a single pickup, as long as your monthly average across all incidental pickups meets the 10-shipment requirement.
• Pickup Days & Times:
  • Monday to Friday
  • Morning shift: 10:00-2:00h
  • Afternoon shift: 3:00-7:00h
• Request Timing: You must request your pickup:
  • 1 business day in advance during low season.
  • 3 business days in advance during high season.
• No Parcels for Pickup? If you have no parcels for a scheduled pickup, please contact our Customer Support Team immediately to cancel it. Failure to do so may result in a surcharge.

Pricing

• Lite Subscription Users Onwards: Free of charge.

Recurring Pick-up

For the carrier to pick up your parcels from a specified location on a consistent basis (e.g., daily, weekly), you can pre-schedule regular collections.

Scheduling process

• Free Subscription Users: If you're on the Free plan, please refer to the drop-off section.
• Lite Subscription Users Onwards: You can easily schedule a recurring pick-up directly from Sendcloud panel. Follow our step-by-step guide in our Help Center article: How can I request a parcel pickup?

Conditions

• Minimum Shipments: A minimum of 10 parcels is required per recurring pickup.
• Pickup Days & Times:
  • Monday to Friday
  • Morning Shift: 10:00 - 2:00h
  • Afternoon Shift: 3:00 - 7:00h
• No Parcels for Pickup? If you don't have parcels to be picked up, please contact the local office to notify them. Failed pickups due to parcels not being prepared on time or being absent may result in a surcharge.

Pricing

• Lite Subscription Users Onwards: Free of charge.

You can find more information on our Help Center article: Pickup conditions in Spain.

Drop-offs

General features

• Whether you are on our Free plan or prefer the convenience, you can drop off your parcels at any Correos office, public mailbox, or CITIPAQ point, which you can easily find using their parcel shop finder.
• Always keep your proof of handover until all your parcels are successfully delivered. This document is essential if you ever need to file a claim.

Package specifications

• Parcel Limit: There's no set parcel limit for drop-offs.
• Maximum Weight: The maximum weight depends on the specific shipping method you've chosen. Please refer to the Shipping Methods section for detailed information.
• Maximum Dimensions: Similar to weight, the maximum dimensions allowed are determined by your selected shipping method. You'll find more details in the Shipping Methods  section.

Claims Process

If you ship using Sendcloud's rates, Sendcloud acts as the intermediary between you and Correos. In case of any incidents with your parcels, you can open a claim directly through the Support panel in your Sendcloud account. For more information in this regard, please refer to Sendcloud’s article: How do I start an investigation or file a claim for my parcel?

This process ensures that all necessary documents are collected, resulting in a complete claim file that the carrier can process as quickly as possible.

Claim deadlines & Required documentation

Required claim documentation

Compensation policy

National claims

International claims

* SDR (Special Drawing Rights) are units of account used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and represent a claim to a country’s currency.

Resolution time (estimated)

Once the claim is submitted to the carrier, we typically receive a response within 15 days. Please note that this is an indicative timeline, and the actual resolution time is subject to the carrier's internal processes and can vary.

Sendcloud insurance

Do you want to insure your shipments for a higher value? This is possible with the help of our insurance: Sendcloud Shipping Protection (XCover).

More information is available in our Help Center article: How do I start an investigation or file a claim for my parcel?

Surcharges

The carrier will apply surcharges to your invoice if a parcel you ship does not meet the criteria laid out in their shipping conditions. We have created the following article so you can take all necessary action to avoid having to pay unwanted surcharge fees on your invoice: Correos surcharges.

Package Content Restrictions

Correos does not accept certain items for shipment. If you ship these items, they cannot be covered by the carrier's insurance and will be excluded from any compensation. Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

Strictly prohibited items

• Firearms and ammunition: Any type of firearm.
• Explosives and dangerous substances: Including fireworks, firecrackers, flammable materials (phosphorus, gasoline, lighter fluids, etc.).
• Gases: Products containing gases (such as fire extinguishers or lighters).
• Toxic, infectious, or radioactive substances: Such as mercury, or biological material (viruses, bacteria, microorganisms, chemicals), except for exchanges between authorized institutions.
• Drugs and narcotics: Illicit substances, unless for medical purposes and accompanied by official authorization.
• Content that violates individual rights: Any object or packaging containing disrespectful drawings, texts, or messages that may offend sensibilities or infringe upon human rights.
• Animals and other living beings: Prohibited for their safety and health, with limited exceptions for certain types of animals if special authorization exists or if they are exchanges between officially recognized institutions (zoos, universities, conservation centers).
• Large batteries and cells: Such as vehicle batteries. (With exceptions for certain lithium-ion or lithium metal batteries installed in equipment, under strict packaging rules and quantity limits).

Additional Prohibitions:

• Universal prohibitions: Established by the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
• Country-specific prohibitions: Based on import, export, and transport laws of the destination country.
• Prohibitions from other logistics services: If they do not comply with the postal regulations of Correos's collaborators.

For more information in this regard, please refer to Correos’ article: Objetos prohibidos en Correos ¡Descubre qué artículos no puedes enviar! (only in Spanish).

Label Validity, Updates & Cancellation

Understanding the ins and outs of label validity, updates, and cancellations helps in managing your shipments efficiently, avoid unexpected costs, and keeping your shipping process hassle-free.

Label validity

Make sure you use the label to ship your package before it expires:

• Correos labels are valid for 3 months after creation.

Label update

• Address change:
  • Parcel not yet shipped: you can easily correct the address by cancelling the original label and creating a new one. Using the "Duplicate" feature can simplify this process.
    • Steps to Cancel a Shipment or Label:
      1. Go to the Created Labels overview and select the shipment(s) you wish to cancel.
      2. In the dropdown menu (next to "Print label"), click "Cancel."
      3. Confirm the cancellation. The label will automatically move to the "Cancelled" tab.
    • Steps to Duplicate a Label (for creating a new one with corrections):
      1. Edit the original label in your panel by clicking on the eye icon next to it.
      2. Select the "Edit new label" option from the dropdown menu of the "Actions" button.
      3. Modify the data you need to change (e.g., the address).
      4. Confirm the label creation.
      5. You will find the new label in the "Created Labels" tab.
  • Parcel Has Already Been Shipped: you will need to contact our Customer Service department directly. They will be able to assist you with the process for an address correction in transit.

Cancellation deadline

If you don't use a label, it's essential to cancel it to avoid being charged.

• If you cancel the label before 23:59 on the day of creation, you will not be charged.
• If you cancel it within 42 days of its creation, the costs for this shipment will be corrected on your next invoice.
• After 42 days, it will no longer be possible to cancel or request a refund for the label.

For more details, you can consult the following article: How to cancel my shipment?

Direct Contract Shipping

You can easily integrate your direct contract with Correos Express into your Sendcloud account. Our Correos contract activation guide explains how to connect your contract, allowing you to ship under your own terms and conditions.

FAQ

When you choose to ship with [carrier], you are agreeing to their General Transport Conditions. For complete details, please find the link below:

General Transport Conditions