Complying with our sending standards

We know how important it is to get your parcels delivered first time, so we want to help you understand and comply with our sending standards.

The following guidelines will help you get your parcels ready for sending:

Addressing guidelines & data injection standards

Things to keep in mind when addressing parcels

By using the correct address format, you’re helping us process and deliver your parcels accurately and within our service standards.

Download our Data Injection standards (PDF - 255KB).

Address format and details

For prepaid tickets and Courier Packs, addresses written onto parcels should be clear and accurate, following the tips provided below. A handy way to check addresses is by using our Address Services Tool

When using eShip, or integrated labelling, address details should, where possible be validated against an address database such as the type-address drop down list in eShip. This will help us deliver your parcels on time and to the correct location.

Integrated senders, or those using Shopify should consider Google Places, NZ Post Parcel Address API, or the NZ Post Shopify address plugin. Some of these options may require IT development, so speak to us or your provider unsure.

All addresses should either be a valid Street address that consists of a Unit/building number, street number, street name, suburb and town or a valid PO Box address which will consist of PO Box/Private Bag number, suburb and town.

The NZ Post address validation web-service is available to most customers and can often be integrated into customer systems.

Examples

Street address

Street number + name Suburb Town/City + Postcode

PO Box

PO Box’ + Box number Box lobby Town/City + Postcode

Rural address
(Mail only, ignore for courier items)

Street number + name ‘RD’ + Rural Delivery number Mailtown + Postcode

Street address with unit

Unit number + ‘/’ + Street number + name Suburb Town/City + Postcode

Private Bag

‘Private Bag’ + Bag number Town/City + Postcode

Rural address with unit

Unit number + ‘/’ + Street number + name ‘RD’ + Rural Delivery number Mailtown + Postcode

Street with building name

Floor + Building name Unit number + ‘/’ + Street number + name Suburb Town/City + Postcode

 

Rural address with building name

Building name Unit number + ‘/’ + Street number + name ‘RD’ + Rural Delivery number Mailtown + Postcode

Addressing tips

Street addresses

PO Box and Private Bag addresses

Rural addresses

Use the street number in preference to a building’s name. However, if you only have a building name, put it by itself on the line immediately above the street name and put any unit or floor above the building name.

Don’t use corner addresses (eg. ‘corner Main and High Streets’) or street number ranges (e.g. ‘4-12 Main Street’).

If the street number includes a letter, leave out the space (e.g. ‘21A Main Street’, not ‘21 A Main Street’).

Use the suburb if it is in common use. You can leave out a central city suburb (e.g. ‘Auckland Central’).

If you’re using a PO Box or Private Bag address, don’t include a street address as well.

PO Box and Private Bag numbers are space-free (e.g. ‘PO Box 23226’, not ‘PO Box 23 226’).

‘PO’ is space-free (e.g. ‘PO Box 23226’ not ‘P O Box 23226’).

‘PO’ is also punctuation-free – leave out the full stops.

You can leave out the box lobby name if it is exactly the same as the town/city name.

Private Bag addresses do not need a box lobby name.

Use ‘RD’ plus the RD number where the suburb would normally appear.

‘RD’ is space and punctuation free (e.g. RD 1 not R D 1 or R.D.1)

Include the recipient’s name and where a Street Number is available, use it.

The mailtown on rural addresses does not relate to the physical location of the property, but rather where the rural delivery round for the address is based. e.g. rural addresses in Piha are serviced from New Lynn, therefore the mailtown and postcode would be New Lynn 0772.

If you have an integrated service with NZ Post, you need to provide us with the right data in the right format. Learn more about our Data Injection standards (PDF - 255KB).

Packaging standards

We want to help you get your parcel to its destination safely, so we’ve put together some simple guidelines. By following these easy steps, you can help us to:

  • Protect your parcel against damage while it is being transported and delivered.
  • Protect other customers’ parcels – you could be liable for damage to other items if it’s caused by inadequate packaging.
  • Protect our people and equipment against injury or damage.

Your responsibility

By accepting your item, we do not acknowledge that your packaging is sufficient to ensure the item is delivered undamaged.

Wrap to allow for a 1.2m drop

Please ensure that any item is well packaged to endure a 1.2 metre drop. On occasion parcels could be dropped, have items dropped on them, be nudged, placed sideways and/or upside down, so it is important that the parcel is packaged safely. We recommend cushioning the corners and consider whether your items would be best protected by the use of an inside and/or outside container.

We recommend packaging materials such as:

  • Handi Bubble Wrap
  • Polychips
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Shredded or rolled paper
  • Polyethylene foam sheeting

When sending heavy items, please make sure they can’t move within the parcel during delivery to avoid damaging the outer packaging.

Learn more about how to package items.

Size & weight limitations

Parcels

When sending a parcel, you will need to make sure that there are enough tickets to cover the cost of sending, so it’s important that you consider both size and weight to avoid under-ticketing your parcel. The greater of the actual or volumetric weight is used to determine the number of parcel tickets required.

Under-ticketed parcels will be charged the difference between the correct chargeable weight and the ticketed weight, plus an administration fee of $5.50 excluding GST.

Below are the maximum size and length restrictions when sending within New Zealand with NZ Post. Please be aware that for health and safety reasons, we may not pick up items that are above these maximum restrictions.

Maximum scale/actual weight

Maximum size

Maximum length

25 kg

0.125 m3

1.5 m

For more information, see our two step guide to ticketing (PDF - 605KB)

Courier Packs

When sending an item using our Courier Pack range there is a 25kg weight limit. Contents must not extend beyond the edges of the Courier Pack or be of a weight or shape that may burst the Pack or tear the perforated zip.

Below are our maximum size restrictions, either when using our Courier Pack range, or your own bag or envelope with the appropriate Courier Pack Label.

Under-ticketed courier packs will be charged the difference between the correct size and the ticketed size, plus an administration fee of $5.50 excluding GST.

Size

Courier Packs (approximate internal bag dimensions)

DLE

130 x 240mm

A5

185 x 280mm

A5 Bubble

185 x 280mm

A4

250 x 325mm

A4 Bubble

250 x 325mm

Foolscap

275 x 380mm

Lineflow

395 x 440mm

Extra Large

445 x 440mm

Purchase your Prepaid Courier Parcel Labels and Courier Packs from our Courier Shop

Prohibited & Restricted items

Not all items are suitable for sending by post or courier. Please check that your item is safe to send.

  • Some pose a risk to the safety and security of our people and equipment and are therefore prohibited.
  • Others pose a risk if certain conditions are not met and are therefore restricted.
  • You must check your item is safe to send.
  • Not checking may increase your liability exposure.

Your responsibilities and a list of items that are prohibited or restricted can be found here (PDF - 1.5MB).

Sending Dangerous Goods

It’s important you understand your legal obligations as a sender of Dangerous Goods and the approval processes required for us to transport Dangerous Goods on your behalf.

While we are permitted to carry Dangerous Goods on your behalf and have robust systems and procedures in place, we can only do so if you comply with the obligations set out in the Land Transport Rule Dangerous Goods 2005 (PDF - 300KB) and meet the conditions in our Dangerous Goods policy. For this reason, you must seek approval from us before sending Dangerous Goods.

For any Dangerous Goods parcel we receive with incorrect or incomplete documentation, packaging or labelling, or if any compulsory requirement hasn’t been followed, an admin fee of $9.50 (excl. GST) will be charged. This is to cover our costs to either correct the error ourselves, or to return or dispose of items that don’t comply.

Learn more about our Dangerous Goods policy.