Purpose: In this section, we explain how you can avoid DPD surcharges if your shipment does not meet the shipping conditions of DPD.
Please note: The carrier may change the conditions and/or surcharges listed below, therefore changes may occur. Although we do our best to inform our customers, no rights can be derived from the information below.
Peak surcharges
What are peak surcharges?
Black Friday and the Christmas season are right around the corner, resulting in a radical increase in shipping volumes.
Shipping carriers charge peak season surcharges to ensure that service levels and the delivery experience are still maintained despite this influx of increased shipments during this period. These additional fees compensate for the additional costs shopping carriers face, including increased staffing and longer service hours. They are applied in addition to other, regular surcharges.
Dimensions and weight limits
| Kleinpaket (KP) | Normalpaket (Classic) | DPD Parcelletter | |
| Size | min. DIN A5 | min. DIN A5 |
min. DIN A5 max. 36 cm x 25 cm x 5 cm |
| Weight | max. 3 kg | max. 31,5 kg | min. 50g - max. 1 kg |
| Edge length | max. 50 cm | max. 175 cm | max. 36 cm |
| Girth | max. 111 cm | max. 300 cm | max. 96 cm |
Note: If the parcel is smaller than 15 x 10 x 5cm, a non-conveyable surcharge will be applied (see below).
General Surcharges
Please note that surcharges may apply if, for example, the maximum permissible belt dimensions is exceeded. Click here for a girth calculator that can help you calculate the permitted dimension.
You can find further surcharges in this overview
|
Additional charges not related to the product (in addition to the parcel price) |
Price |
|
Non-conveyable goods / NC surcharge *¹ Non-conveyable goods / NC surcharge Volume |
€6.20 €6.20 |
| Oversize/overweight plus to kg rate *² | €35.20 |
|
Shipping surcharge (per parcel) *³ Unauthorized freight shipping |
€60.20 €8.20 |
| Missing or incomplete export documents | €35.20 |
|
Parcel undeliverable (address error), Addr./PLZ national Parcel Undeliverable / AV (if the recipient cannot be found by the driver) |
€7.20 |
|
Parcel undeliverable (address error), international address/zip code Address Correction International |
€14.20 €14.20 |
| Proof of delivery (P.O.D) *does not apply to downloading | €12.20 |
| New delivery attempt (2-3x) *⁴ | €2.70 |
| Missing advice data (house number, name, postal code, etc.) *5 | €1.10 |
| Faulty / not routed packets | €1.10 |
| Faulty / not routed packets (label unreadable)*6 | €1.10 |
| Currency surcharge for shipments going to Switzerland and Liechtenstein | 19% of freight rate |
| Collection request: parcels not available during collection | €13.20 |
|
Hazardous goods LQ |
€4.20 |
Explanation for the surcharge for oversize and overweight - 35,20 EUR
This surcharge is applied when the package is heavier than the maximum weight or larger than the maximum dimensions. These criteria are described in DPD's shipping terms and conditions. If a parcel is too heavy or too large it must be taken off the automatic sorting belt and processed manually. This results in surcharges.
When shipping overseas you must also consider the volume weight of the package. If the L x W x H / 5000 exceeds 31.5kg you can also expect this surcharge.
Dimensions
- Longer than 175cm in length
- Above 31.5kg weight
- Belt circumference greater than 300cm (1x length + 2x width + 2x height).
How can I avoid this surcharge?
To avoid this surcharge, we recommend staying well below the maximum weight and within the maximum dimensions. Packages are measured and weighed with specially calibrated equipment, but measurement differences can always occur. Always allow yourself some extra space to ensure that the dimensions are not exceeded. DPD recommends staying 15 cm below the maximum belt size. Click here for more information regarding packing your packages.
Explanation for the surcharge for weight correction
This adjustment is not an additional surcharge but a correction applied to the invoice. It happens when the selected weight does not match the actual weight bracket, leading to a recalculation to reflect the correct weight.
How can I avoid this surcharge?
To prevent weight corrections, ensure the weight entered during label creation matches the actual weight of the shipment. Double-check the package's total weight, including its contents and packaging, and select the correct weight bracket. Providing accurate weight information helps minimize recalculations or adjustments on your invoice.
Explanation of the individual surcharges
*1) Please note that in addition to the special shapes, parcels longer than 120 cm up to 175 cm or wider than 60 cm are also considered non-conveyable goods (NC).
Addition to point 1.) Please note that in addition to the standard package shapes, parcels longer than 120 cm up to 175 cm, wider than 60 cm or with a volume of more than 150 liters are also considered Non-Conveyable (NC) goods
*2) When exceeding max. weight 31.5 kg; max. length 175 cm; max. girth 300 cm (circumference (double width + double height) + length.).
*3) If weight exceeds 40 kg, length 250 cm or girth 330 cm.
*4) Applies only to parcels sent to private addresses without Predict service.
*5) For labels that do not comply with DPD parcel label specifications or are submitted without postal barcoding.
*6) For labels printed in poor-quality print, paper, scaling. If a parcel label cannot be scanned and therefore cannot be processed automatically, the shipment will be processed manually by DPD. In this case, the shipments will be identified again, sorted out, and relabeled.
*7) If the parcel is smaller than 15 x 10 x 5cm, a non-conveyable surcharge will be applied
Please note that toll and diesel surcharges are already included in our prices.
Surcharges for islands and special areas
| Country | Surcharges |
| Island delivery in Germany | €13.20 |
| Island delivery in Europe | €30.20 |
| Corsica, Balearic Islands, Azores, Madeira, Finnish Aaland Islands | €30.20 |
|
Italy: Campione d'Italia, Livigno Norway: Jan Mayen, Spitsbergen Switzerland: Martina, Samnaun *plus costs for island delivery |
€52.20 |
An overview of all areas subject to surcharges can be found here
Customs surcharges
Shipping to UK:
DPD charges a surcharge of €6.65 per shipment for each UK shipment. The indication of the recipient's telephone number on the customs documents is mandatory. If this information is missing, the parcel will be returned with the reason "missing/incomplete documents".
Shipping to Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Iceland
DPD charges a surcharge of €26.20 per shipment for shipments to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. The indication of the recipient's telephone number on the customs documents is mandatory. If this information is missing, the parcel will be returned with the reason "missing/incomplete documents".
You can find more information and the shipping conditions here: