How we can help

At An Post we want to deliver a service to the highest standard. See how we can help you address some of your queries, refer to our list of frequently asked questions or contact us at our online customer service department

Step by step

• How do I access An Post services?
• How do I track an item I posted?
• How do I check a signature?
• I have a query about An Post services
• I want to redirect my post
• I want to have my mail minded while I am away
• I need an application form
• Where can I find terms and conditions?
• Feedback on a member of An Post staff or treatment of your complaint
• I have a complaint not listed above (e.g. return to sender, PO Box, Caller Service, Collection Service, underpaid mail, Registered Post items, mistreatment of mail, pricing) or if you need more help contact us

My post is late/delayed

An Post processes up to 3 million items daily. About 90 per cent of these are delivered the following working day, 99 per cent are delivered within 48 hours.

A post person’s delivery is spread over the course of the day, usually between 8am & 4pm.  The time your mail is delivered generally depends on whether your address lies at the beginning or end of the route.

However, there are rare occasions when items are delayed or lost. If an item you posted or are expecting has been lost or delayed we'd like to know about it.

First, check the list of questions below. Your query might be answered here.

Is your mail incorrectly addressed?

Was the address checked before posting? An incomplete or incorrect address can cause problems.

Please double check addresses before you send letters or parcels. If this information is incorrect, the items will be delivered to the wrong address. Items with incorrect addresses may need to be sorted by hand instead of by our automated sorting machines.

In future, make sure whoever sends you post:

• Knows your full address, including the post town
• Writes the address clearly and in the correct place on the letter or parcel.  

Has your mail been delayed recently?

We aim to deliver Standard Post items within one to two days.

Your item may still be in transit and will hopefully be with you within the next day or so. If you still haven't received your item after 5 working days from the date of posting (or 15 working days for international items) complete our online enquiry form or download a the enquiry form (pdf new window) and post to

An Post
Customer Services
Ground Floor
GPO
Freepost
Dublin 1

alternatively forward all the relevant details to our customer services department.

Possible explanations for delay: 

• Was the address clearly legible and dark ink used?
• Have we left a card to tell you we tried to deliver the item?
• Was the item a standard size - no smaller than a postcard or no larger than A4 size?
• Size affects the ability to process post mechanically or to get it through your letterbox

Have you recently redirected your mail?

Post that is redirected to your new address requires our extra attention, which can delay its arrival.

However, we aim to provide an efficient service for our customers. Redirecting mail is a hassle-free way to ensure that you receive important post even after you've moved home or business.

• Please allow an extra day in addition to the usual posting times for redirected mail to arrive.
• If your redirection involves an overseas postal service, things may take a bit longer.
• It takes a minimum of five working days before you will start to receive mail through our redirection service.
• You will receive a confirmation letter, which will inform you of the start date for receiving mail at your new address.
• Incorrect addresses can result in you not receiving all of your redirected mail. Please check that your addresses are correct on the confirmation letter we sent you. If they're not correct, just let us know.
• If it has been more than ten days since you applied, please let us know and we will investigate. The most common reason for this delay is incorrectly completed application forms.
• Another reason for mail not arriving is that the redirection period has expired.

Refer to our Business or Residential Redirection service for full details

Delays
Is your mail taking longer than normal to get to its destination?

• You’ll need to get your post to us in time for our last collection of the day.
• If not your mail probably won’t be processed until the following working day.
• Collection times should be clearly marked on each Post Box or displayed in the Post Office.

Mail sent abroad

When you send post to another country, it is handled by more than one Postal Service. Unfortunately this means that there is more chance of delivery problems.

• When items are sent abroad, the delivery of your items is the responsibility of the postal service in the destination country.
• To estimate delivery times for international mail check our delivery timetable in the An Post Guide to Postal Services. Estimated delivery times are also available through the Calculate the Postage tool.
• It may also be delayed by customs; make sure you’ve completed the customs documents before sending mail abroad.

Prohibited materials
Unfortunately we are unable to deliver everything you post. We cannot deliver:

• Flammable, toxic or poisonous liquids, including most paints.
• Items that could be harmful to employees or members of the public.
• Items that are prohibited by law.
• Check first before you send your next letter or parcel.

If you send prohibited items through the post we will:

• Return them to the sender
• Dispose of them ourselves
• Contact the relevant authorities.

Is your mail taking longer than normal to get to you?

Is there something stopping the Postperson from reaching your letterbox?

• New security door?
• Recent building work?
• Overly protective pets?

Please report delays using our online missing, damaged or delayed enquiry form or download and complete a pdf version of the - missing, damaged or delayed items form

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My post is damaged

Wrapping and packaging

Incorrect packaging can sometimes result in damage to your item.

• Sometimes packaging is of poor quality or the wrong size.
• If we spot a damaged item we will place it in a plastic bag to try and prevent further damage.
• Please read our wrapping and packaging advice.

How was it damaged?

The envelope was damaged

• We use machines to sort mail
• Sometimes this can result in your mail being damaged.
• We’re very sorry if your mail has been ripped or torn in this way.

My mail arrived wet
We use a range of waterproof delivery equipment to help protect your mail.

• Adverse weather conditions can sometimes cause damage.
• If your mail frequently arrives damaged from the rain, please let us know
• We will try to prevent it happening in the future. 

I think my mail was opened
We take the security of your mail very seriously. Please let us know if you think your mail has been tampered with:

• Remember, it may be caused by machine damage.
• However, check if anything is missing.
• Keep the envelope; it may be needed during our investigation.
  

Reporting a damaged item to us
The process for reporting a damaged item may include an inspection for insurance purposes.
Please make sure you hold on to the damaged item and its packaging for inspection if required.

Please use our online enquiry form or download a pdf version of the enquiry form to report damaged mail.

I have a problem with deliveries

What problem are you experiencing?

Some days I get no delivery
If you receive mail one day but no mail the following days (when you are expecting mail), there may be a straightforward explanation.

Not everyone receives mail every day.

It may be possible that you don’t receive mail every day.
Before contacting us, please make sure that there is a pattern of missed mail deliveries.

Access to your property

One reason for delay may be the access to your building.
Your Postperson may have difficulty getting through a security door.
There may be building work that’s preventing delivery.
Even overly protective pets can sometimes interrupt a delivery.

Delays in delivery to your business address
 
This could be because of a difficulty in accessing the property
There may be delays in your post room.

Please report delays to your mail using our online enquiry form or download a pdf version of the enquiry form to your mail.

How do I access An Post services?

You can send Standard Post items in any post office or post box. Each post box has the last time of posting for next day delivery and other useful information displayed on it. Products carrying service guarantees (e.g. Registered Post) must be handed to an An Post official.  

I missed a delivery

Why would you miss a delivery?

If you were out when we tried to deliver your mail and the item:

• It’s too big to get through your letterbox,
• It needs a signature,
• It needs a payment.

What now?

• We’ll leave a delivery notice at the address.
• This card gives you the address and opening hours of the office where the mail is held,
• You can drop in and pick it up,
• You can telephone Customer Service on 1850575859 or fax the Delivery Service Unit and ask for your mail to be redelivered to a neighbour.
• If you can’t pick up your mail, someone else can do it for you - all they need to do is take proof of identity and the delivery notice to the Delivery Services Unit.

How long do I have to collect it?

• We keep it for five working days 
  3 working days if it’s been sent by Registered Post 
  16 working days if received from abroad
• After that, we have to return it to the person who sent it, if there’s a legible address on the outside.
• If we have to return anything, we’ll attach a sticker explaining why we couldn’t deliver.

What if there is no return address on the envelope?

• We send mail to the National Returned Letter Centre.
• Mail from abroad is sent directly to the country of origin.
• They’ll open the mail and return it if the name and address of the sender is inside, as long as it’s not a newspaper, magazine or advertising.

What if there is no return address inside?

• If the contents, on examination, appear to be of sentimental, legal or financial value, we’ll hold it for three months.
• If it’s not claimed within that time, we’ll have to dispose of it.

My mail is delivered to the wrong address

Mail can be sent to the wrong address or person for a number of reasons:

Problem: You have moved but your mail hasn’t

Have you changed jobs or moved house? Is some of your mail still going to your old address? By law, An Post must deliver mail to the address that is shown on the item. 

Solution:  Sign up for our Redirection Service. 

• You can redirect mail from three months, six months or one year.
• At the end of that time you can renew your redirection for up to two years.
• We redirect mail both within Ireland and to addresses overseas.

Problem: Your mail is correctly addressed, but sent to the wrong address

Solution: If your mail is correctly addressed but is being delivered to one of your neighbours instead, please let us know.

We will ensure your local Delivery Services Unit is told about the problem.

Problem: Your business mail was sent to someone else

Solution: If it is inconvenient for you to collect the mail yourself, please let us know and we will send somebody to collect it for you.

Please report delivery problems using our online mails enquiry form or you can download a copy of the mails enquiry form (pdf new window).

I am receiving someone else's mail

If you are receiving mail for someone else, please let us know and we will try and resolve it. 

Why is this happening?

• There may have been a previous occupant at the address who has not redirected their mail or changed their address.
• By law we have to deliver the mail to the stated address (not the named person).

Solution: Return the item to us.

• Mark the item ‘Return to sender’ and put it into a Post Box.
• If it is convenient, please help us by putting it through the correct letterbox. If this happens frequently, please let us know and we will try to resolve it.
• You can re-post the item in a Post Box, or give it to your Postperson
• If you are a business, we can send out an An Post Postperson to collect bags of mail.
  

Please report delivery problems using our online mails enquiry form or you can download a copy of our mails enquiry form (pdf new window).

How do I track an item I posted?

Refer to our online Track Your Item service. Enter the ID number from your receipt or your customer reference number from the postage label and the status of your item will then be shown.

Is tracking available on all items?

An Post offer 4 distinct services across all categories of mail.

How do I check a signature? 

A signature is available online for all services that require a signature within the Republic of Ireland.

An Post offer 3 distinct services across all categories of mail that require signature at the time of delivery.

I want to redirect my post

Post that is redirected to your new address requires our extra attention, which can delay its arrival.

However, we aim to provide an efficient service for our customers. Redirecting mail is a hassle-free way to ensure that you receive important post even after you’ve moved home or business. 

• Please allow an extra day in addition to the usual posting times for redirected mail to arrive.
• If your redirection involves an overseas postal service, things may take a bit longer.
• It takes a minimum of five working days before you will start to receive mail through our Redirection service.
• You will receive a confirmation letter, which will inform you of the start date for receiving mail at your new address.

I’m only getting some of my redirected mail

• Incorrect addresses can result in you not receiving all of your redirected mail.
• Please check that your addresses are correct on the confirmation letter we sent you.
• If they’re not correct, just let us know.
• If it has been more than ten days since you applied, please let us know and we will investigate.
• The most common reason for this delay is incorrectly completed application forms.
• Another reason for mail not arriving is that the redirection period has expired.
  

Have you moved?

• If so, you may have set up a redirection service from your first to your second property.
• If you then need another redirection service to a third property, you will have to cancel the redirection service from the first to the second, and set up a new redirection service from the first to the third property.
• Running two redirections is likely to severely delay the delivery of your mail.
  

Setting up redirected mail:

• Allow enough time for it to be set up.
• It takes about five working days from the time we receive your application before you will start receiving redirected mail.
• You will receive a confirmation letter telling you when your redirection will start.
• If you are running two redirection services from your first property to the second property as well as one from the second to the third property it is likely to severely delay the delivery of your mail
  

Check your application:

• An Post staff at your local Post Office can check to make sure you have filled in all the relevant information.

Want to extend your redirection?

• Extend it for up to two years. You will receive a letter from us, explaining how to renew your redirection before it runs out.

Find out more about our Business or Residential Redirection services.

Feedback on a member of An Post staff

We take great pride in the service we provide all our customers. Our staff are trained to the highest standards and their performance is monitored on an ongoing basis. If you have experienced exceptional customer service we would like to hear about it. However, have you had a poor customer service experience, please accept our apologies and forward the details to us to help ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Please ensure to include the following detail (where appropriate)

Your name, address and contact details. Date, place, details and any witnesses to your experience. An Post staff details (if known).

Feedback on Staff