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DHL surcharges (Belgium)

Joan
  • Updated

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Purpose: learn how to avoid unwanted DHL surcharges when your package does not meet the carrier shipping conditions. 

Note: The carrier may change the prices and/or conditions of the surcharges listed below. We do our best to keep you as well-informed as possible. However, we cannot guarantee complete accuracy. Therefore, no rights can be derived from the information below. A surcharge will already be applied if any one of the three dimensions exceeds the shipping conditions.

These surcharges apply when a parcel doesn’t meet DHL conditions. The carrier assesses this at the sorting center, which is why surcharges appear later on your Sendcloud invoice—not at label creation. They apply to all DHL shipping methods. Please review this section carefully and check the specific surcharges under Surcharge over maximum limits.
Would you like to ship a pallet with DHL Europlus pallet? You can find the conditions and surcharges in these articles. 

The General surcharges below can be applied to any DHL shipment (except returns), so we recommend reviewing them carefully.

General surcharges
Surcharge Description Cost
Drop off label not scanned at parcel shop If you create a DHL Drop Off label but don’t hand in the parcel at a service point, this surcharge applies. The description will be “Drop off label not scanned at parcel shop”. If the label isn’t used because the parcel isn’t returned, no surcharge is billed. €1.00
Manual process Applied when the parcel cannot be automatically sorted  €7.45
Extra handling   €7.45
Surcharge for Wadden Islands An amount of €5.05 will be charged for a package and €32.70 for a pallet when shipping to one of the Wadden Islands. Package:€5.70
Pallet: €32.70
Surcharge remote area This surcharge applies when the delivery address is in a remote or hard-to-reach area. It is charged per kilogram, with a minimum fee. €0.35/kg
Minimum €17.70 
Surcharge new label

This surcharge applies if DHL has to relabel your parcel, for example due to an;
- Ureadable barcode
- Incorrect information
- Label not being placed on the longest side

To avoid this, ensure the label is clear, correctly printed, and properly attached.

 €1.20
Surcharge return to sender

This surcharge applies when a parcel cannot be delivered and is returned to the sender. You won’t be charged this fee if the customer chooses to return the parcel. It only applies when delivery fails.

For example: if the customer refuses the parcel, misses the delivery, the address is wrong, or the parcel isn’t picked up at the DHL service point in time.

 €9.50 + the outbound rate
Pick-up fee DHL charges a pickup fee when fewer than 4 parcels are handed over per pickup.
At the end of the month, they calculate how many pickups were below this minimum.

For example: if there are 22 working days, you’re expected to ship at least 88 parcels (22 x 4). If you only ship 62, that’s 26 parcels too few. Dividing 26 by 4 equals 6.5, rounded up to 7 pickups that didn’t meet the minimum. The pickup fee is then 7 x €4.50.		 €4.50 per pickup
Surcharge pickup in vain If a pickup was requested and there's no parcels upon arrival €20.20
Surcharge Europallet exchange service (Benelux only) DHL takes care of the balance registration and ensures that shipped Europallets are returned in good condition within 4 weeks. €3.45
Surcharge over maximum limits This surcharge applies if weight or dimensions exceed the carrier’s limits. Since specs vary by shipping method, check the DHLforyou, Europlus, and Parcel Connect surcharge conditions  

DHLforyou surcharges
Surcharge Description Cost
Surcharge outside of specifications (large)

Larger than 120x60x50 cm

    • From Belgium to the Netherlands: €7.45
    • From Belgium to Belgium: €23.70
 €7.45 or €23.70
Surcharge outside of specifications (heavy)

Heavier than 23 kg but lighter than 31,5 kg.

 €4.45
Surcharge outside of specifications (extra heavy) Packages which are heavier than 31,5 kg will be charged at the price per package plus/pallet tariff. This may cost you several hundreds of euros. For this reason, please make sure to stick to the maximum limits. Varies per shipping country
Surcharge for long package

Parcels which length is between 180 cm and 240 cm. This also applies to parcels with a volume greater than 432 liters.

 €23,70

 

DHL Europlus surcharges
Surcharge Description Cost
Surcharge for packaging

This surcharge applies when a parcel must be handled manually. Common reasons include:

  • “Fragile” or “Handle with care” stickers

  • Label not placed horizontally on the longest side

  • Packaging made of wood, metal, bubble wrap, Styrofoam, or plastic bags

  • Taped-together boxes

  • Loose contents inside the box

  • Round tubes

How to avoid it:
Use sturdy, rectangular boxes with enough internal filling. Avoid labels like “fragile,” don’t attach boxes together, and place the barcode label correctly.
This is one of the harder surcharges to avoid, as multiple packaging factors play a role.

 €7.15
Surcharge outside of specifications (small) Smaller than 15x11x3,5 cm €3.70
Surcharge outside of specifications (large) Larger than 120x60x50 cm but smaller than 180x100x50 cm €7.15
Surcharge outside of specifications (extra large) Larger than 180x100x50 cm but smaller than 240x100x200 cm €49.70
Surcharge outside of specifications (heavy) Heavier than 23 kg but lighter than 31,5 kg. €4.45
Surcharge outside of specifications (extra heavy) Packages which are heavier than 31,5 kg will be charged at the price per package plus/pallet tariff. This may cost you several hundreds of euros. Please make sure to stick to the maximum limits. Varies per shipping country

 

DHL Parcel connect surcharges
Surcharge Description Cost
Surcharge for packaging

This surcharge applies when a parcel must be handled manually. Common reasons include:

  • “Fragile” or “Handle with care” stickers

  • Label not placed horizontally on the longest side

  • Packaging made of wood, metal, bubble wrap, Styrofoam, or plastic bags

  • Taped-together boxes

  • Loose contents inside the box

  • Round tubes

How to avoid it:
Use sturdy, rectangular boxes with enough internal filling. Avoid labels like “fragile,” don’t attach boxes together, and place the barcode label correctly.
This is one of the harder surcharges to avoid, as multiple packaging factors play a role.

 €7.15
Surcharge outside of specifications (heavy) Heavier than 23 kg but lighter than 31,5 kg €4.45
Surcharge outside of specifications (extra heavy) Packages which are heavier than 31,5 kg will be charged at the price per package plus/pallet tariff. This may cost you several hundreds of euros. Please make sure to stick to the maximum limits. Varies per shipping country

 

Return surcharges
Surcharge Description Cost
Surcharge outside of specifications (large) A surcharge applies to packages longer than 180 cm or larger than 432 liters. If the package exceeds 240 cm or 432 liters, it will be returned to sender and the surcharge still applies. €27.70
Surcharge outside of specifications (heavy) A surcharge applies to parcels over 23 kg and up to 31.5 kg. Heavier packages fall under pallet pricing, which can be significantly more expensive. Always stay within the weight limits to avoid high costs. €27.70
Surcharge pickup Applies when the pickup was planned but unfortunately, no parcels were awaiting on arrival

€20.20

 

To avoid the above mentioned surcharges please carefully read the shipping conditions, make sure you stay well within the permitted dimensions and, of course, select the right network for your package. 

DHL shipping conditions