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How long do you have to claim for a lost parcel? UK deadlines by courier

Checked on 27 October 2026 against each carrier's and platform's own pages · General information, not legal advice

Every UK carrier has a different claim window, and each one starts the clock from a different event. Miss it and you can lose the item's value. Here's what each carrier's own terms say, with a link to the page so you can check it yourself.

UK parcel claim deadlines at a glance

Working days: Royal Mail's claim clock counts Monday to Saturday, excluding bank holidays (Royal Mail terms changes). Our checker uses England & Wales bank holidays from GOV.UK.

The shortest windows: InPost and DPD

InPost labels bought on InPost's own website or app have the tightest window we've found: lost-parcel claims "within 7 days", according to InPost's claims form. InPost doesn't say whether the 7 days count from drop-off, from the expected delivery date or from something else, so we can't tell you a date with confidence. Our checker counts from drop-off (the earliest possible start) and labels it "not verified". If you used a Vinted or other marketplace label, InPost says to contact that platform instead (InPost help).

DPD has two sets of terms, and they don't say quite the same thing:

• If you booked on DPD Online (send.dpd.co.uk) as a consumer, the DPD Online terms ask you to tell DPD "within 14 days of the date that you sent your Parcel", and cover is £50 unless you bought Extended Cover. Only the person who booked can claim (DPD Online FAQ). This is what our checker uses.
• DPD's general Standard Terms & Conditions of Carriage (used for account customers) say you must notify DPD "within 14 days of the date of despatch", send evidence "within 28 days of request", and make any claim "within one year from the date of despatch". UK liability there is £100 per parcel unless you buy Extended Cover.

Either way, 14 days from sending is the date to beat.

The middle: Evri and InPost Direct

Evri counts 28 days from the date you booked (the "Order"). Clause 7.3 of the Evri terms makes it a hard cut-off for anyone sending "in pursuit of any business or commercial trade" and a recommendation for consumers. More in our Evri claim guide.

InPost Direct (the service that used to be Yodel Direct) gives 28 days from collection for a lost parcel, but only 14 days from delivery for damage or part-loss (InPost Direct terms, clause 9).

The longest: Royal Mail (but there's a waiting period)

For 1st and 2nd Class, Signed For and Special Delivery, Royal Mail's loss policy says: "Claims for loss must be made within 80 calendar days of the date of posting, or no claim will be entertained." You can't claim straight away, though: the window opens 10 working days after the due date (5 for Special Delivery). For example, a 2nd Class parcel posted on Monday 2 November 2026 can be claimed from Tuesday 17 November 2026 until Thursday 21 January 2027.

Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 work differently. Royal Mail's terms changes page says claims "will only be accepted if 7 working days or more have passed since the item was due to be delivered" and "must be made within 30 calendar days of the eligible claim date". Its damage policy also says Tracked damage claims must be made within 30 calendar days, so our checker shows the earlier of the two dates. For Tracked services, Royal Mail says the sender claims (Royal Mail lost items help).

Parcelforce: not confirmed yet

We've found conflicting deadlines for Parcelforce and haven't been able to confirm one on Parcelforce's own pages:

• Parcelforce's How to submit a claim page doesn't state a deadline.
• Royal Mail's terms changes page says the 7-working-days / 30-days rule above also applies to "all Parcelforce Worldwide products".
• Other sources quote 30 days from despatch, or 80 days. We couldn't check these on an official page.

Until this is settled, please check directly with Parcelforce. Standard cover on express24 and express48 is up to £150 (Parcelforce services).

Sold on Vinted or eBay? Check whose label you used

• Vinted label: Vinted gives the parcel 25 business days to arrive and compensates sellers up to £500 once the carrier confirms loss (Vinted help 1365, Vinted help 1018). Own label: contact the carrier. See the Vinted lost parcel guide.
• eBay Simple Delivery label: the buyer raises the claim with eBay, and buyers have 30 calendar days from the estimated delivery date to report an item that hasn't arrived (eBay Money Back Guarantee). If you bought your own label, claims go to that delivery provider (eBay Simple Delivery).

A buyer can report a missing item weeks after you posted. If you used your own label, the carrier's window may already be closing by then, so note your carrier deadline on the day you post.

Tips that apply to every carrier

• Keep proof of posting: the receipt, drop-off scan or certificate of posting.
• Keep proof of value: what you paid or what the buyer paid. Most carriers pay the lower of their cap and the item's value.
• For damage, keep everything: the item and all the packaging. DPD's standard terms say the parcel and packaging must be held for inspection.
• Claim in writing, and early. No carrier rewards waiting until the last day.

Frequently asked questions

More guides

• Vinted lost parcel as a seller
• Evri lost parcel claim: how long you have