Express - our premium tracked service with signature
Use our fastest international Express service to send parcels, important letters and documents to 220 countries for arrival within 1-5 working days.
Express - our premium tracked service with signature
Use our fastest international Express service to send parcels, important letters and documents to 220 countries for arrival within 1-5 working days.
Send up to $10,000
If your item goes missing or gets damaged, you're covered up to NZ$10,000.
Signature on delivery
Door to door tracked service with signature on delivery included.
Send up to 30 kg*
Send letters up to 1 kg and parcels up to 30 kg*.
Home pickup available**
Book before 12:00pm for same day pickup or drop at an NZ Post store.
Things to know before you send
International delivery updates
For the latest delivery targets to your destination country, please see our International delivery updates.
Prohibited & restricted items
Before you send, check restrictions on items to your destination country.
Make sure your item is safe to send by checking our Prohibited and restricted items page.
Packaging your item
Find out how to package your items correctly to ensure they arrive safely and securely.
Check our helpful packaging hints for certain items like sharp objects. fragile items, and electrical equipment.
*This may vary depending on destination, weight, and size of item. Maximum weights are lower for some destinations.
**Courier ticket required for pickup. Don't have a courier ticket? Use our online sending tool to pay and print your label.
Size limits & pricing
For accurate international Express prices, weight limits to your destination country, and to print your sending label, use the Send a parcel tool. Prices online may vary from those in store. Please note a $3 fee applies in store when sending overseas.
The cost of delivery to send by Express is based on the size and weight of your document.
| Weight range | 0-500g | 500g-1 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Zone A) | $61.29 | $74.72 |
| South Pacific (Zone B) | $95.89 | $111.28 |
| Asia (Zone C) | $95.89 | $111.28 |
| Canada, UK, & Europe (Zone D) | $111.28 | $138.23 |
| United Sates of America (Zone US) | $111.28 | $138.23 |
| Rest of the world (Zone E) | $111.28 | $138.23 |
Size restriction
| Maximum size (length+ girth) | Maximum length of any side | Minimum size of the envelope for document |
|---|---|---|
| 2m | 1.05m | A4 size (210x297mm) |
Documents weighing more than 1kg are classified as parcels.
Maximum size and weight restrictions include packaging
The cost to send a parcel by Express is based on its size, destination and weight. You are charged by the greater of actual or volumetric weight, rounded up to the next 50g increment.
Calculating volumetric weight
Volumetric weight (kg) = Height (m) x Length (m) x Depth (m) x 200
Example: A parcel with dimensions 15cm (height) x 40cm (length) x and 60cm (depth) (0.15m x 0.4m x 0.6m) x 200 = 7.20kg.
If the actual weight on the scales for this parcel is 4kg, then you would be charged at 7.20kg as the volumetric weight is greater than the actual weight of the parcel.
Size restriction
| Maximum size (length+ girth) | Maximum length of any side | Minimum chargeable weight | Max weight # |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2m | 1.05m | 500g | Up to 30kg |
Maximum size and weight restrictions include packaging.
Maximum weights are lower for some countries.
Customs requirements
Sending an item UNDER $1,000
You'll need to complete 2 documents: a consignment note and an Export invoice.
Sending an item OVER $1,000
You'll need to complete 3 documents: a consignment note, an Export invoice and an Export entry.
Please note items sent via Express International services are subject to additional security checks, which may include a physical examination of the contents, as part of New Zealand's export process. These checks are carried out by DHL Express, our Express delivery partner.
Gift-wrapped items may be unwrapped or opened to complete these inspections. Where this occurs, best efforts will be taken to ensure gift-wrapped items are rewrapped; however, this may not always be possible.
Additional information
Recent changes to global Customs clearance requirements means that if the Customs declaration form is not filled out correctly for EAD purposes, your parcel could be delayed or returned. To ensure your item arrives safely the first time, you must:
- Write in English and BLOCK capitals
- Make sure that all the information is entered in the correct field
- Write the sender and receiver names, addresses & phone numbers
- For each individual item within your parcel, add its weight, quantity and value, as well as the total parcel weight
- Provide an accurate and complete Goods Description
- For sending to a number of countries, you must provide at least the 6-digit tariff code for the item/s you are sending overseas. Ireland requires a 10-digit TARIC tariff code on items. We strongly recommend all customers sending parcels overseas provide a tariff code, in case your parcel is diverted to a country with these requirements on the way to its destination.
Please note: Customs declaration form (CN 22) coded as OS008A should be used when sending parcels overseas.
The information below is for items sent via Economy and Economy Plus service. Customs documentation is not required if you’re sending a letter or document via Economy or Economy Registered service.
Items sent via Economy and Economy Plus can be lodged at your local NZ Post Store or from home via Print Postage Online.
All Economy and Economy Plus items lodged at NZ Post store require:
- A green Customs declaration (CN22) for Economy service and a white consignment note (CN 300) for Economy Plus service, available in store.
- A copy of the commercial invoice or an Export Invoice (NCPI025) (PDF - 49KB), if the items being sent are part of a commercial transaction
- A completed Export Entry (for items valued over NZ$1,000). NZ Post can complete this on your behalf for an additional cost.
Sender, receiver and parcel content information that you provide on the Customs declaration form or on Print Post Online will be shared in advance, to the destination postal administration and national government agencies (such as Customs) for fiscal, risk, security and border clearance purposes, in line with national and international legislation. Learn more about Electronic Advance Data (EAD).
To find your HS Tariff code, go to the Tariff Finder.
Tariff codes allow international customs offices to safely and easily classify anything being brought into their country. Harmonised System, or HS Tariff codes are published by the World Customs Organisation, as a standardised system across all countries.
New European shipping regulations mean that parcels being sent to the EU must have accurate HS Tariff codes. However, we strongly recommend that even parcels being sent to countries outside of Europe still meet these guidelines, in case the package is diverted through Europe on the way to its destination.
Failure to provide an accurate HS Tariff code could mean your parcel gets delayed or returned. NZ Post does not have control over whether this happens, and cannot take responsibility for parcels which are delayed or returned because of missing or incorrect HS Tariff codes.
For commercial parcels, please see our Business page.
If you have documentation, such as shipping labels (including electronic labels and manual consignment notes, invoices, or other certificates) that are not adhesive, you will need to put them into a clear plastic pouch and attach it securely to your parcel. Please ensure the shipping label is facing out. You can get clear pouches at NZ Post stores or at our online shop.
When sending overseas, writing the address in the correct format ensures the successful delivery of your item without delay.
Follow these guidelines to address your items correctly:
- Write the country name in CAPITALS on the last line by itself.
- The address should be no more than five lines.
- Always write the address in pen, and never use a pencil.
- Check the addressing conventions for your destination country on the Universal Postal Union's website.
Terms and Conditions
The standard terms and conditions of the products and services offered by NZ Post Limited, including information on the extent of our liability, are set out in the Public Contract and the Postal Users' Guide. They are also available for reference at selected NZ Post stores.
Delivery Targets
For the purposes of delivery targets, the day in which the item is accepted by us is day zero. If you post an item, or hand it over the counter in an NZ Post store after that day’s final clearance, or on Saturday or Sunday, day zero will be the next working day.
You can expect that items will usually arrive at their destination within the delivery target specified. Because NZ Post does not directly control all parts of the delivery chain, we cannot guarantee that your item will always reach its destination within the delivery target. Delivery to areas outside major cities, or where your item is dutiable or held in Customs, may take longer. For information on our delivery targets for international destinations, view our guide to World Zones.
Required postage
The required postage is the value of postage required for NZ Post to carry the item. Actual price paid may vary instore. The required postage and specifications are subject to change.