Purpose: This article helps you understand why a shipping label cannot be created in Sendcloud and how to fix the most common causes.
đź’ˇ What's causing this?
If you cannot create a label, the issue is usually one of the following. Use this list to go straight to the right step.
- your billing account needs attentionÂ
- the create label button is grayed out or not availableÂ
- shipment details are missing, incorrect, or too longÂ
- required customs information is incompleteÂ
- the carrier or shipping method is not availableÂ
- the destination is not supportedÂ
- the carrier returned a technical or contract-related errorÂ
Exact errors can differ depending on the carrier, shipping method, destination, and contract setup. If you are unsure which situation applies, start with step 2.
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đź’°1. Check your billing status
Label creation stops automatically when your account has a billing issue, even if your shipment details are correct. Go to Account > Billing and check for the following:
Open or overdue invoice
In the Invoicing tab, check if any invoice has the status Payment due or Payment overdue. If so, pay it using the blue Pay button. Your account reactivates automatically once the payment is processed.
Credit limit reached
In the top right of your Billing page, check the Accumulated costs box. If the number has turned red, you have reached your credit limit and label creation is paused. Pay the outstanding invoice by using the blue Pay button to continue shipping.
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Still blocked after paying?
Payments are usually processed within a few minutes. If your account is still blocked after paying, check that your VAT number and Chamber of Commerce number are filled in correctly under Account > Settings > Addresses. A missing or incorrect entry can keep your account blocked even after a successful payment.
If your account is still blocked after checking, please contact Support so they can help you unblock your account.
🔎 2. Check what is happening
Start by identifying which situation applies to you, as this will help you go straight to the right step.
The shipping method does not appear
This usually means the method is not available for the shipment details you entered. Check the origin, destination, parcel weight, parcel dimensions, and whether the method is enabled for your account or contract.
The shipping method appears, but label creation fails
This usually means the shipment data is invalid, required customs information is missing, your billing account needs attention, or the carrier rejected the label request.
The create label button is grayed out or shows a forbidden symbol
This usually means one of the following: your account is blocked due to a billing issue (see step 1), a default return method is required before labels can be created, or your user account does not have the correct permissions. Check your billing status first, then go to Returns > Return defaults to confirm a default return method is set. If neither applies, ask your account administrator to check your user role.
📏 3. Check if shipment details are missing, incorrect, or too long
One of the most common reasons a label cannot be created is that one or more shipment details are incomplete, invalid, or exceed the carrier's accepted format.
Review the following fields:
- recipient name;
- street name and house number;
- postal code and city;
- country;
- email address or phone number( if required by the carrier);
- parcel weight and dimensions;
- sender address;
- return address;
Common examples
The house number is missing or placed in the wrong field
Some carriers validate address fields very strictly. If the house number is missing or placed incorrectly, the label may fail.
The postal code and city do not match
If the combination is invalid, the carrier may reject the shipment data.
The sender address is incomplete or too long
If the sender details are incomplete, or if one of the fields exceeds the carrier's character limit, the label may not be created.
The parcel weight or dimensions are missing
Some shipping methods only work when the shipment weight and dimensions are filled in correctly.
The recipient name or address contains unsupported characters
Some carriers reject special characters or Non-Latin Scripts in the name or address fields.
The error says "some required information is missing" but no field is named
If the error message does not specify which field is causing the issue, use the browser Developer Tool to find the exact cause. Open the Network tab, reproduce the error, and check the response of the failed request. It will usually contain the specific field name or validation error. See step 8 for instructions on how to do this.
🌎 4. Customs for international shipments
If you are creating a label for a shipment outside the EU, all customs information must be complete before the label can be created. Missing or incorrect customs details are one of the most common reasons label creation fails for international shipments.
Check whether the following details are filled in correctly:
- product descriptionÂ
- quantityÂ
- itemÂ
- value (cannot be 0.00)Â
- country of originÂ
- HS codeÂ
- EORI number, if requiredÂ
- VAT number, if requiredÂ
- other tax information required for the destination
Shipping to the United Kingdom
Shipments to the UK using Sendcloud rates require both a GB VAT number and a GB EORI number saved in your sender address. Entering them only in the shipment form is not enough, they must be stored under Account > Settings > Addresses.Â
Note that a Dutch or EU EORI number is not accepted. You need a UK-specific EORI number starting with GB.
Common examples
Commercial invoice errorsÂ
Once a label is created, the commercial invoice cannot be changed in Sendcloud. If you made a mistake in the item description or declared value, cancel the label and recreate it with the correct details before the shipment is handed to the carrier.
HS code is missing or invalid
The HS code must be filled in and in the correct format. A code that is too short, too long, or incorrectly formatted will cause label creation to fail. Use the Sendcloud HS Code Finder if you are unsure which code applies to your product.
Item value is missing or set to 0.00
Every product in the shipment must have a value greater than 0.00. If any item value is missing or set to zero, some carriers will reject the shipment.
EORI or VAT number is missing
For certain destinations, customs or tax numbers are required at the sender level. If they are missing or saved in the wrong place, the label will fail even if the rest of the shipment details are correct.
GB VAT and EORI error persists after entering the numbers
This usually means the numbers are entered in the shipment form but not saved in your sender address settings. Go to Account Settings Address Business details and save them there. The error should resolve on the next attempt.
Shipment to Switzerland requires total order value
For shipments to Switzerland, the total order value is required before you can proceed. Make sure all product details including value and weight are filled in under the customs information section.
Customs information is incomplete for an existing order
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đźšš 5. Check if the carrier and shipping method are available for this shipment
A label can only be created if both the carrier connection and the selected shipping method are available for the shipment you are trying to create.
If you ship with Sendcloud rates
Go to Shipping > Carriers and confirm that the carrier is enabled. Then check whether the shipping method is available for the shipment details you entered.
If you ship with your own carrier contract
Check that your Sendcloud subscription supports own contracts, the contract has been added correctly, the carrier connection is active, the contract credentials are valid, and the selected shipping method is supported under that contract.
How to check which methods are available
- Go to Shipping > Shipping Prices
- Enter the shipment details you want to test
- Click Load prices
- Check whether the method appears and whether it can be enabled
If you see More info instead of an enable button, the method requires manual activation by Support. Contact Support to request this.
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📌 6. Check whether the destination is supported
Not every carrier or shipping method is available for every destination. A label cannot be created if the selected method does not support the shipment's origin, destination, weight, or parcel type.
This can apply when the method is only available domestically, the destination country is excluded, the parcel exceeds the allowed weight or dimensions, the service is not offered for that route, or the carrier has temporary restrictions for certain destinations.
Use Shipping > Shipping Prices to check which methods are available for your specific origin, destination, and parcel details.
Shipping to the United Kingdom
Shipments from the EU to the UK are international shipments that require customs clearance, even if you have a shipping rule pointing to a domestic method. Make sure you have a method that supports the UK route and that your GB VAT and EORI numbers are saved in your sender address. See step 4 for customs requirements.
Shipping to the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are treated as a separate destination in Sendcloud with country code IC, not as part of Spain. Not all carriers that ship to Spain will also ship to the Canary Islands. Check availability in Shipping Prices using IC as the destination.
Shipping to the USA
Some shipping methods to the USA are temporarily suspended due to import regulations. Availability changes, so always check the current status in Shipping Prices before creating the label. For the latest updates on carrier suspensions, check our carrier disruptions page.
Shipping to Monaco
Monaco uses postal code 98000, which some carriers do not accept. If you encounter a postal code validation error for Monaco, check whether the carrier or shipping method supports the destination. Not all methods available for France will work for Monaco.
❌ 7. Common carrier or technical errors
Sometimes the label request fails even when the shipment details look correct. In that case, the carrier is returning a technical error. These errors appear in the label panel and sometimes contain a specific message from the carrier.
Check the Sendcloud status page first to rule out any ongoing incidents before troubleshooting further.
An unknown error has occurred
This is a generic error returned by the carrier with no specific cause. Wait a few minutes and try again. If it keeps appearing, check the status page for ongoing incidents. If there are none, contact Support and include the shipment ID and a screenshot of the error.
503 Service Unavailable
The carrier's system is temporarily unavailable. This is not caused by your shipment details. Wait a few minutes and try again. If it persists, check the status page. If no incident is reported, contact Support.
Processing queue failed
This error appears during label generation and usually means a temporary issue on the carrier's side or in the Sendcloud system. Check the status page for ongoing incidents and try again after a few minutes. If the error persists, contact Support with the shipment ID.
Announcement failed / Déclaration échouée
This error appears when the carrier rejects the label announcement. It can affect both outbound and return labels. Common causes are a temporary carrier issue, a shipping method not supported for that route, or a contract setting that is not configured correctly. Try again after a few minutes. If the error persists for more than a day, contact Support with the shipment ID and the carrier name.
Routing not possible
The carrier could not validate the delivery address. This is a carrier-side rejection, not a Sendcloud validation error. Check the street name, house number, postal code, and city carefully. Some carriers also reject addresses that contain special characters or have a postal code that does not match the city. Correct the address and try again.
Recipient street name is incorrect
The carrier rejected the address even though it appears correct. This can happen when the carrier's database does not recognise the street name format. Try adjusting the street name slightly, for example by removing punctuation or abbreviations, and create the label again. If the address is correct and the error persists, contact Support.
Invalid postal code
The postal code format is not accepted for the selected carrier or destination. Some carriers require specific formats — for example, Latvian postcodes must be entered without the LV- prefix. Check the required format for the destination country and correct the postal code before trying again.
No appropriate shipping methods exist for the provided criteria
The carrier returned no valid shipping method for the shipment details you entered. This is usually caused by the origin, destination, weight, or parcel dimensions falling outside the carrier's accepted range for that method. Check the available methods in Shipping Shipping Prices and select one that matches your shipment.
This service point is invalid or no longer active
The service point selected for this shipment is no longer available. Go back to the shipment and select a different service point. If no service points appear, check that the service point delivery method is still active under Shipping Carriers.
Invalid authentication data / Invalid contract
The carrier rejected the contract credentials. Go to Shipping Carriers and check that the credentials for this carrier match exactly what the carrier provided. If you recently changed your password or contract details with the carrier, update them in Sendcloud as well. If the credentials are correct and the error persists, contact Support.
User not allowed to announce
This error appears when using the Sendcloud API without a payment method set up on the account. Go to Account Billing Payment methods and make sure a valid direct debit or card is linked before creating labels via the API.
Too many requests
The carrier's API is receiving too many requests in a short time. Wait a few minutes before trying again. If you are creating labels in bulk, try creating them in smaller batches.
There is already a shipment registered with this order number
The carrier has already registered a shipment with this reference. This can happen if a label was created but not cancelled correctly before a new attempt. Cancel the existing label first and then try again.
Transport unavailable
The selected shipping method is not available between the origin and destination. This often appears for GLS shipments when the route is not supported. Check the available methods in Shipping Shipping Prices and select a supported method for that route.
Shipping method is not linked to DPD Cloud Service
This error appears when a DPD shipping method has lost its connection to the DPD Cloud Service. It cannot be fixed through the panel. Contact Support as this requires manual intervention at the account level.
Error 140 — Accessory service not included in contract (Poste Italiane)
This error appears when creating a label with a direct Poste Italiane contract and the shipment includes a service that is not covered under that contract, such as a return method. Check that the shipping method you selected is included in your Poste contract. If you are unsure, contact Support with the error details.
Heimatpostamt required (SwissPost)
SwissPost requires a home post office (Heimatpostamt) to be specified in the recipient address for certain shipments. This field is not standard in Sendcloud. Contact Support as this requires specific configuration for your SwissPost contract.
Recipient identity document required (Andorra)
Shipments to Andorra require the recipient's identity document type and number (DOI and CIF/NIF) to be included in the shipment details. Enter these in the customs or recipient information fields before creating the label.
InPost locker: tracking number not recognised at drop-off
For InPost locker shipments in Italy, both the sender and the recipient must have a valid Italian mobile phone number registered. If the phone number is missing or incorrect, the locker will not accept the parcel. Check the recipient's phone number in the shipment details and make sure it is a valid Italian mobile number.
Label creation failing through an integration?
If your labels are being created through a connected webshop such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Odoo, or Shopware, the error may originate from the integration rather than from Sendcloud or the carrier directly. In that case, the steps above may not resolve the issue because the root cause is the connection between your webshop and Sendcloud. If you have checked all the steps above and the error only occurs for orders coming through your integration, see the troubleshooting article for your specific integration before contacting Support.
My shipping method was working before but has now disappeared or stopped working
If a shipping method that previously worked is no longer available or is returning errors, check the following:
- Contract credentials: Go to Shipping > Carriers > My contracts and confirm that the credentials for this carrier are still valid. Some carriers (UPS, DHL, Poste Italiane) periodically require re-authentication. If your password or API key has changed on the carrier side, update it in Sendcloud as well.
- Contract status: Check whether the carrier has changed the service levels or routes included in your contract. If a method has been removed from your contract, it will no longer appear in Sendcloud.
If none of the above applies and the method has disappeared without any account changes, contact Support with the carrier name, the method name, and the date it stopped working.
🥷 8. Advanced troubleshooting: use your browser Developer Tool (Devtool)Â
If the error message is unclear or too general, you can use your browser Developer Tool to identify the exact cause of the issue. When you reproduce the issue with the Developer Tool open, you can see the technical response returned during label creation.
Check the following:
- the Console tab for visible error messages
- the Network tab for the failed request
- the response of the failed request
This can help reveal missing or invalid shipment data, customs-related validation errors, carrier-side rejection messages, contract or authentication issues, and server or browser errors such as 4xx or 5xx responses.
For detailed instructions on how to open and use the Developer Tool, see How to provide visual evidence for troubleshooting.
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🤷 Still not working?
If you have checked all the steps above and still cannot create a label, contact Support.
To help us investigate faster, include the shipment ID, the exact error message, the carrier and shipping method, the destination country, a screenshot or screen recording, and the Developer Tool output if available.