An Post Tracking

Please enter the An Post tracking number to check the latest shipping status.

https://www.anpost.com/

TRACK

About An Post

An Post is Ireland’s designated national postal operator and a parcel carrier for domestic Irish delivery, outbound international post and inbound postal last-mile delivery in Ireland. In tracking, An Post may be the origin carrier, the destination delivery operator, or the carrier that holds a parcel only after a partner postal operator or commercial shipper has physically handed it over.

Core Profile

Field	Verified information
Official name	An Post
Official website	https://www.anpost.com/
Carrier type	National postal operator, domestic parcel carrier, outbound international postal carrier and inbound last-mile postal delivery operator in Ireland.
Primary region	Republic of Ireland, with international postal exchange through partner postal operators and delivery partners.
Tracking page	An Post Track & Trace
Parent organization	An Post is the Irish State-owned postal service provider; current governance details should be checked on An Post corporate pages.
Founded	1984, after the postal and telecommunications functions of the former Department of Posts and Telegraphs were separated into An Post and Telecom Éireann.
Headquarters	Dublin, Ireland.

Carrier Entity Relationships

Entity

Relationship

An Post

An Post is the canonical carrier entity for Irish postal tracking.

View all details for An Post

Entity type	Designated postal operator and parcel carrier.
Why it matters to tracking	Users should search under An Post when the item is posted in Ireland, delivered by An Post in Ireland, or shown in An Post Track & Trace.
Official evidence	An Post official website and An Post Track & Trace.

Post and parcel services

Registered Post, Express Post, parcels, international post and business delivery services are services operated or sold by An Post.

View all details for An Post services

Entity type	Service entities.
Why it matters to tracking	The service determines scan coverage, signature or compensation options, and whether international delivery depends on a destination postal operator.
Official evidence	An Post post, parcels, business and international service pages.

An Post Track & Trace

An Post Track & Trace is the official consumer tracking tool provided by An Post.

View all details for An Post Track & Trace

Entity type	Tracking product.
Why it matters to tracking	It is the primary official source for An Post scans, delivery attempts, collection notices and delivered events.
Official evidence	An Post Track & Trace page.

Postal exchange and customs entities

International mail may pass through export processing, air or line-haul transport, destination exchange offices and customs authorities.

View all details for postal exchange entities

Entity type	Network and regulatory entities.
Why it matters to tracking	A customs or exchange-office event does not mean doorstep delivery is imminent; clearance and handoff can create scan gaps.
Official evidence	An Post customs guidance, Irish Revenue import guidance and UPU postal framework.

Destination postal operators

A destination postal operator may deliver an An Post outbound international parcel after international handoff.

View all details for destination postal operators

Entity type	International or last-mile partners.
Why it matters to tracking	After export from Ireland, later events may come from USPS, Royal Mail, La Poste, Deutsche Post, Australia Post or another destination operator, depending on country and product.
Official evidence	An Post international service information and UPU postal exchange model.

17TRACK

17TRACK aggregates available An Post and partner-carrier tracking events but does not transport, reroute or refund shipments.

View all details for 17TRACK relationship

Entity type	Independent multi-carrier tracking platform.
Why it matters to tracking	17TRACK helps users identify carriers and normalize events, especially for cross-border parcels, but customer service decisions remain with An Post, the sender, the marketplace or the destination carrier.
Official evidence	17TRACK API documentation and 17TRACK carrier tracking service.

Quick Answer

To track An Post packages, enter the tracking number from the receipt, label, dispatch email or delivery notice on An Post Track & Trace or use 17TRACK to compare available events across An Post and international partner carriers. If no result appears, first check that the number is a tracking number rather than an order number, remove spaces and punctuation, and allow time after label creation for An Post or the partner carrier to perform the first physical acceptance scan.

Pro Tip: 17TRACK is independent from An Post. 17TRACK can show tracking events and carrier detection, but only An Post, the sender, the marketplace seller or the destination delivery operator can change delivery instructions, start an investigation, approve compensation or issue a refund.

How to Track An Post Packages

Use the official An Post tracking page for authoritative An Post scans and use 17TRACK when a cross-border parcel may involve multiple postal operators. The same parcel may show a pre-advice event before An Post physically receives it, so the first visible event does not always prove the parcel is already moving in the An Post network.

Tracking path

Best use

Official An Post Track & Trace

Use for official An Post events, delivery attempts, collection information and delivered status in Ireland.

View all details for official An Post tracking

Steps	Open An Post Track & Trace, enter the tracking number exactly as shown, submit the search, then review the latest event location, date and delivery action.
Where to find the number	Post office receipt, shipping label, An Post account, marketplace dispatch email, merchant order page or attempted-delivery notice.
If it fails	Remove spaces, check for letter-number confusion, confirm the carrier, and ask the sender for the carrier-issued tracking number rather than the shop order number.

17TRACK multi-carrier tracking

Use when the parcel has an international handoff, an origin-post number, or an unknown partner carrier.

View all details for 17TRACK tracking

Steps	Enter the tracking number in 17TRACK, let carrier auto-detection run, select An Post or a partner carrier if needed, and compare origin and destination events.
Where to find the number	Use the postal tracking number, partner tracking number or marketplace shipment ID if it is mapped to a carrier tracking record.
If it fails	Wait for first carrier ingestion after label creation, verify the merchant actually shipped the item, and contact the seller if only an order reference exists.

Sender or marketplace portal

Use when the shipment was bought through an ecommerce seller and the seller controls shipment data, customs data or refund decisions.

View all details for sender tracking

Steps	Open the order page, compare the order number with the tracking number, check the dispatch date and request the carrier tracking number if it is missing.
Where to find the number	Shipping confirmation email, marketplace order page, invoice or merchant support message.
If it fails	Ask the seller whether the label was only created, whether the parcel was handed to An Post, and whether a different last-mile number exists.

Tracking Number Formats and Examples

An Post tracking identifiers can be issued by An Post, by an origin postal operator, by a marketplace logistics partner or by a business shipping platform. A number that An Post can display is not necessarily a number issued by An Post; inbound international parcels often keep the origin postal S10 identifier until final delivery in Ireland.

Tracking Number Format

Identifier family

Normalized pattern

An Post domestic parcel tracking

Usually alphanumeric or numeric carrier label identifier; remove spaces and hyphens before searching.

View all details for An Post domestic parcel tracking

Length/structure	An Post does not publish a single universal public format for all domestic parcel labels; examples can vary by retail, online and business label systems.
Issued by	An Post or an An Post-integrated business shipping system.
Typical service/use	Domestic parcel delivery and tracked post within Ireland.
Who sees it and where	Sender sees it on the post office receipt or label; recipient sees it in a merchant dispatch email or An Post notification.
Tracking scope	Visible after label creation or first scan, with stronger confirmation after An Post acceptance.
Important caveat	Do not infer the exact service only from the prefix unless An Post or the sender confirms the service.

UPU S10 outbound from Ireland

AA ######### IE, where letters are service indicators and IE is the Ireland country code.

View all details for UPU S10 outbound from Ireland

Length/structure	13 characters: two letters, nine digits including a check digit, and two-letter origin country code IE.
Issued by	An Post when the item is posted from Ireland through an international postal service using S10.
Typical service/use	Tracked, registered, parcel or express postal items moving from Ireland to another country.
Who sees it and where	Retail sender sees it on the receipt and label; marketplace buyer may see it in the shipping confirmation.
Tracking scope	An Post export events, international handoff events and destination postal operator events where exchanged.
Important caveat	Service indicator letters help identify mail class but do not replace checking the purchased service and official tracking result.

Inbound postal S10 number

AA ######### CN, GB, US, DE or another origin country code.

View all details for inbound postal S10 numbers

Length/structure	13-character S10 postal identifier issued by the origin postal operator.
Issued by	Origin post such as China Post, Royal Mail, USPS, Deutsche Post or another designated postal operator.
Typical service/use	International parcels or registered items imported into Ireland for An Post delivery.
Who sees it and where	Online buyer sees it from the foreign seller; An Post may display it once the item is advised, arrived or accepted in Ireland.
Tracking scope	Origin post scans before export, possible airline gap, Irish import/customs events and An Post last-mile events.
Important caveat	An Post can track or deliver an inbound S10 item without being the issuer of the original number.

Registered Post identifier

Often S10-style for international registered items; domestic registered identifiers depend on label channel.

View all details for Registered Post identifiers

Length/structure	International registered postal identifiers commonly use R as the first service indicator, followed by another letter, nine digits and the origin country code.
Issued by	An Post for Irish-origin registered international mail or an origin post for inbound registered mail.
Typical service/use	Items requiring proof of posting, tracking and signature or delivery confirmation according to the purchased service.
Who sees it and where	Sender sees it on the registered receipt; recipient may see it in the seller’s dispatch message.
Tracking scope	Acceptance, processing, international handoff and delivered or attempted delivery events where available.
Important caveat	Domestic registered labels and international registered S10 identifiers should not be treated as one single format rule.

Courier or partner number

Partner-issued alphanumeric reference; structure depends on the logistics partner.

View all details for courier or partner numbers

Length/structure	No universal An Post format; may be mapped to an An Post last-mile number after handoff.
Issued by	Marketplace logistics provider, consolidator, commercial courier or shipping platform.
Typical service/use	Cross-border ecommerce shipments where An Post performs Irish final delivery or receives an international postal item.
Who sees it and where	Buyer sees it on the marketplace; sender’s fulfilment system may store both partner and postal IDs.
Tracking scope	May show partner pre-alerts before An Post gets the parcel; An Post events appear after physical or electronic handoff.
Important caveat	A partner scan does not prove An Post has physically received the parcel.

Order, invoice or reference number

Merchant-defined number; not a carrier tracking number unless mapped by the merchant.

View all details for order or reference numbers

Length/structure	Any merchant format, often shorter than postal identifiers or prefixed by an order system.
Issued by	Seller, marketplace or ecommerce platform.
Typical service/use	Customer service lookup, invoice matching and order management.
Who sees it and where	Buyer sees it in the order confirmation; An Post normally cannot trace a parcel from this alone.
Tracking scope	No direct carrier tracking scope unless the merchant portal resolves it to a carrier number.
Important caveat	Ask the sender for the An Post tracking number if only an order number was provided.

Tracking Statuses and Meanings

An Post statuses should be read by lifecycle stage. “Information received” or a similar pre-advice event means data exists; “accepted” or a processing scan is stronger evidence that An Post or a partner carrier has the physical item.

Status Quick Lookup

Status

What it means

Information received / pre-advice

Shipment data was created, but the item may not yet be physically with An Post.

View all details for pre-advice

Lifecycle stage	Pre-shipment.
Current responsible party	Sender, merchant or shipping platform until physical handover occurs.
What happens next	The item is posted, collected or inducted and receives an acceptance or processing scan.
What you should do	Wait for first physical scan; contact the sender if it remains in pre-advice after the promised dispatch window.

Accepted / item received

The parcel was received by An Post or by the relevant postal operator.

View all details for accepted

Lifecycle stage	Accepted.
Current responsible party	An Post for Irish-origin items or the origin postal operator for inbound foreign items.
What happens next	Sorting, transport and next facility scanning.
What you should do	Monitor tracking and verify address details if the sender can still edit shipment information.

In transit / processed

The item is moving through sorting, transport or partner network stages.

View all details for in transit

Lifecycle stage	In transit.
Current responsible party	An Post, a line-haul provider, or a destination postal operator depending on the latest scan location.
What happens next	Arrival at the next sorting centre, export office, import office or local delivery unit.
What you should do	No action unless the service standard is exceeded or a new exception appears.

Customs / held for customs

The parcel is under import or export customs processing and may need data, payment or inspection.

View all details for customs status

Lifecycle stage	Customs/handover.
Current responsible party	Customs authority, An Post customs processing, sender or recipient depending on missing information or charges.
What happens next	Assessment, payment request, release, return or seizure according to customs rules.
What you should do	Check An Post payment notices and official customs guidance; do not assume arrival at customs means clearance is complete.

Out for delivery

The parcel is with the local delivery route for attempted delivery.

View all details for out for delivery

Lifecycle stage	Out for delivery.
Current responsible party	An Post delivery unit in Ireland or destination carrier abroad.
What happens next	Delivered, attempted delivery, collection notice or exception.
What you should do	Make sure someone can receive it if signature or payment is required.

Delivered

A final delivery scan was recorded, sometimes to a household member, reception point, safe place or collection point.

View all details for delivered status

Lifecycle stage	Delivered.
Current responsible party	Delivery carrier has completed the delivery scan; sender remains responsible for seller refund decisions.
What happens next	No further movement unless a correction or investigation is opened.
What you should do	Check mailbox, safe place, neighbours, reception, proof of delivery and local delivery office before escalating.

Attempted delivery / available for collection

Delivery was not completed and the item may be held for pickup or redelivery action.

View all details for attempted delivery

Lifecycle stage	Pickup or exception.
Current responsible party	An Post delivery office or listed collection point.
What happens next	Recipient collects, arranges redelivery where available, or the item may later be returned under service rules.
What you should do	Follow the delivery notice and bring required identification if collection is requested.

Returned to sender

The shipment is being sent back because delivery, collection, customs clearance or address validation failed.

View all details for returned to sender

Lifecycle stage	Return.
Current responsible party	An Post, destination carrier or origin carrier depending on current location.
What happens next	Return transport and delivery back to the sender or return processing centre.
What you should do	Contact the seller or sender immediately; recipient-side interception may no longer be possible.

Services and Delivery Times

An Post services include domestic mail and parcel delivery, registered and express options, international post and ecommerce/business services. Published delivery standards are service standards, not universal guarantees; actual delivery can change because of cut-off times, customs, address quality, weather, holiday peaks and partner handoffs.

Service Comparison

Service

Best for

Standard Post within Ireland

Everyday letters and packets where full parcel tracking is not required.

View all details for Standard Post within Ireland

Service type	Domestic postal service.
Coverage	Ireland.
Tracking level	Limited or not available unless a tracked add-on or parcel service is used.
Key size/weight condition	Check current An Post size, weight and price guides before posting.
Included protection/extra service	Basic postal handling; registered or insured options require separate service purchase.
Main limitation	Not appropriate when proof of delivery or detailed event visibility is required.

Registered Post

Valuable or important items needing proof of posting and stronger delivery evidence.

View all details for Registered Post

Service type	Tracked and signed postal service, domestic or international depending on product purchased.
Coverage	Ireland and selected international destinations.
Tracking level	Acceptance, processing and delivery or signature-related events where supported.
Key size/weight condition	Service-specific limits apply and should be checked before posting.
Included protection/extra service	Proof of posting and compensation conditions according to An Post terms.
Main limitation	International visibility depends on the destination postal operator’s event sharing.

Express Post

Faster domestic delivery and time-sensitive postal items within the service conditions.

View all details for Express Post

Service type	Domestic express postal service.
Coverage	Ireland, subject to acceptance times and local delivery conditions.
Tracking level	Tracked according to the specific Express Post product and label.
Key size/weight condition	An Post’s current packaging, weight and acceptance rules apply.
Included protection/extra service	Service-specific proof and compensation conditions may apply.
Main limitation	Cut-off time and correct addressing strongly affect next-day performance.

International Standard and International Tracked

Sending documents, packets and parcels from Ireland to other countries.

View all details for international post

Service type	Outbound international postal service.
Coverage	International destinations listed by An Post, subject to service availability and restrictions.
Tracking level	Varies from limited visibility to tracked delivery depending on the purchased product and destination.
Key size/weight condition	Destination and product-specific limits apply.
Included protection/extra service	Depends on selected product; registered or tracked options provide stronger evidence than ordinary post.
Main limitation	Customs and partner-post scanning can create long visibility gaps.

Business parcel and ecommerce services

Irish sellers needing labels, returns, delivery reporting and higher-volume parcel workflows.

View all details for business parcel services

Service type	Commercial parcel and ecommerce logistics service.
Coverage	Ireland and international markets depending on contract and service.
Tracking level	Business portals and tracking feeds may provide shipment-level visibility.
Key size/weight condition	Contract, product and label conditions apply.
Included protection/extra service	Contract-dependent support, returns or reporting features.
Main limitation	Public consumers may need the seller to investigate because the commercial account holder controls the shipment.

Delivery Time

Service

Published delivery standard

Domestic letters and parcels in Ireland

Often next working day for many domestic services when posted before the cut-off; confirm by product and posting channel.

View all details for domestic delivery time

Business or calendar days	Working days unless An Post states otherwise.
Guarantee status	Service standard; not a universal money-back guarantee unless the specific purchased service states one.
Starts counting from	Acceptance by An Post, not from online order creation.
Main delay factors	Late posting, incorrect address, rural route timing, weather, public holidays and service disruption.
Official source date/validity	Check the current An Post sending guide and service page before relying on a deadline.

Registered Post

Domestic timing normally follows the underlying domestic network; international timing depends on destination and customs.

View all details for Registered Post delivery time

Business or calendar days	Working days for domestic standards; international transit is variable.
Guarantee status	Tracking and proof service, not a blanket guaranteed arrival date.
Starts counting from	Acceptance scan or receipt date.
Main delay factors	Signature availability, customs, partner-post processing and recipient collection delays.
Official source date/validity	Use current An Post Registered Post and terms pages.

Express Post

Designed for faster domestic delivery, commonly next working day where conditions and cut-off times are met.

View all details for Express Post delivery time

Business or calendar days	Working days.
Guarantee status	Product-specific standard; verify current terms for any compensation or refund condition.
Starts counting from	Correct acceptance before the stated cut-off.
Main delay factors	Late posting, address problems, route exceptions, peak volumes and local disruption.
Official source date/validity	Use An Post Express Post service page and current price guide.

International outbound services

Varies by destination, product, customs and destination postal operator.

View all details for international delivery time

Business or calendar days	Usually expressed as working-day ranges or estimates; destination processes may use local working days.
Guarantee status	Not guaranteed unless explicitly stated for the purchased product.
Starts counting from	An Post acceptance and export processing, not the ecommerce order date.
Main delay factors	Customs declarations, duties or VAT, airline capacity, security screening, destination strikes, remote areas and missed scans.
Official source date/validity	Check An Post international sending guide and country restrictions before posting.

Destination Country Delivery Times

Destination Country / Region

Estimated Delivery Time Range

Ireland domestic

1–3 working days for many tracked domestic flows after acceptance.

View all details for Ireland domestic

Primary Service Type	Domestic parcels, Registered Post, Express Post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 1–2 working days for well-addressed urban domestic parcels.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	An Post.
Customs & Clearance Tips	No customs for domestic Irish movements; address quality and Eircode are the main preventable issues.

United Kingdom

3–10 working days for many postal parcels; longer with customs or remote delivery.

View all details for United Kingdom

Primary Service Type	International tracked, registered or standard postal parcel.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 5–7 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on product and size.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Post-Brexit customs data and VAT handling can affect release; ensure HS code, value and recipient data are accurate.

United States

7–20 working days for postal parcels; peak or customs cases can exceed this.

View all details for United States

Primary Service Type	International tracked or registered postal service.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 10–14 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	USPS for postal items.
Customs & Clearance Tips	US customs and USPS inbound processing can create scan gaps between flight arrival and domestic processing.

Canada

7–22 working days.

View all details for Canada

Primary Service Type	International tracked or registered post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 12–16 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Canada Post.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Provincial delivery distance and import assessment can extend the final leg.

Germany

5–15 working days.

View all details for Germany

Primary Service Type	International post, tracked where purchased.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 7–10 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Deutsche Post or DHL Paket for postal parcels.
Customs & Clearance Tips	EU destination from Ireland usually avoids import customs for free-circulation goods, but restricted goods and incomplete data can still delay handling.

France

5–15 working days.

View all details for France

Primary Service Type	International tracked or standard postal parcel.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 7–10 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	La Poste or Colissimo depending on product.
Customs & Clearance Tips	For EU movements, delivery variation is more often sorting, address or local delivery capacity than customs.

Spain

6–18 working days.

View all details for Spain

Primary Service Type	International tracked or standard postal parcel.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 9–12 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Correos.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Mainland Spain is usually straightforward for EU goods; Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla can involve different customs handling.

Italy

6–18 working days.

View all details for Italy

Primary Service Type	International post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 10–13 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Poste Italiane.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Address completeness, province codes and local delivery capacity can affect final delivery scans.

Netherlands

5–14 working days.

View all details for Netherlands

Primary Service Type	International post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 7–9 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	PostNL.
Customs & Clearance Tips	EU delivery is usually dominated by sortation and last-mile timing rather than import clearance.

Belgium

5–14 working days.

View all details for Belgium

Primary Service Type	International post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 7–10 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	bpost.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Use a complete postal code and locality to avoid failed route matching.

Switzerland

6–18 working days.

View all details for Switzerland

Primary Service Type	International tracked or registered post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 9–12 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Swiss Post.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Switzerland is outside the EU customs area; accurate value and contents declarations are important.

Australia

10–25 working days.

View all details for Australia

Primary Service Type	International tracked or registered post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 14–18 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Australia Post.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Biosecurity and remote-area routing can add time after arrival.

New Zealand

10–28 working days.

View all details for New Zealand

Primary Service Type	International post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 15–20 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	NZ Post.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Biosecurity checks and island routing can create post-arrival gaps.

Japan

8–22 working days.

View all details for Japan

Primary Service Type	International tracked or registered post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 12–15 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Japan Post.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Clear and translated commodity descriptions reduce manual review risk.

China

10–30 working days.

View all details for China

Primary Service Type	International postal parcel or registered item.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 16–22 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	China Post or local partner according to product.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Chinese import checks and local address formatting can be major causes of delay.

Singapore

8–20 working days.

View all details for Singapore

Primary Service Type	International post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 10–14 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Singapore Post.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Import GST and restricted item controls may apply depending on contents and value.

United Arab Emirates

8–24 working days.

View all details for United Arab Emirates

Primary Service Type	International post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 13–17 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Emirates Post or local delivery partner.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Phone number and address detail are especially important for local delivery coordination.

Brazil

15–45 working days.

View all details for Brazil

Primary Service Type	International registered or tracked post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 25–32 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	Correios.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Tax assessment and recipient CPF or import data requirements can cause long holds.

South Africa

15–45 working days.

View all details for South Africa

Primary Service Type	International post.
Average Delivery Days	Average about 25–35 working days.
Last-Mile Partner / Handoff Carrier	South African Post Office or local postal partner where available.
Customs & Clearance Tips	Import processing and local network constraints can create extended post-arrival gaps.

The country ranges above are planning estimates based on postal network behavior, customs risk and last-mile handoff patterns; they are not An Post guaranteed delivery promises. Always confirm current An Post service availability, restrictions and destination notices before posting.

Common Tracking Problems and Solutions

Most An Post tracking problems come from one of four boundaries: the number is not a carrier number, the label was created before physical handoff, customs or partner delivery has caused a scan gap, or a delivery attempt needs recipient action.

Problem & Solution

Problem/status shown

Likely cause

Invalid number

Order number, typo, missing characters, wrong carrier or not yet loaded into tracking.

View all details for invalid number

Check first	Remove spaces, compare with receipt, confirm it is not an order reference.
Immediate action	Try official An Post tracking and 17TRACK carrier detection.
When to escalate	If the sender says it shipped but cannot provide a carrier tracking number.
Who to contact	Sender or marketplace first; An Post if you have a valid An Post tracking number.

No tracking after dispatch email

Merchant created a label but the parcel has not been scanned by An Post.

View all details for no tracking

Check first	Dispatch date, cut-off time and whether the seller uses a collection service.
Immediate action	Allow for first scan after collection or posting.
When to escalate	When the seller’s dispatch promise has passed without acceptance.
Who to contact	Sender or seller.

Stuck in transit

Sorting delay, missed scan, transport backlog, partner handoff or customs queue.

View all details for stuck in transit

Check first	Latest country, latest carrier and whether the item has crossed a border.
Immediate action	Compare An Post, 17TRACK and the destination postal operator if international.
When to escalate	After the relevant service estimate is clearly exceeded or An Post indicates an exception.
Who to contact	Sender for investigation; An Post or destination carrier according to latest custody.

Customs hold

Incomplete customs data, duties or VAT payment, inspection or restricted contents.

View all details for customs hold

Check first	An Post customs payment notice, sender declaration and official Revenue guidance.
Immediate action	Pay legitimate charges only through official channels and provide requested data.
When to escalate	If official tracking asks for action but no notice was received.
Who to contact	An Post customs support for Irish imports; sender for missing declaration data.

Delivery failed

Recipient unavailable, address issue, access problem, signature required or unpaid charges.

View all details for delivery failed

Check first	Delivery notice, tracking page, address and collection location.
Immediate action	Arrange redelivery or collection where offered by An Post.
When to escalate	If the address is correct but repeated attempts fail.
Who to contact	An Post for Irish delivery attempts; seller if address was entered incorrectly at order time.

Delivered but not received

Safe-place delivery, household receipt, neighbour, reception, wrong address scan or scan error.

View all details for delivered but not received

Check first	Mailbox, porch, safe place, family, neighbours, building reception and proof of delivery.
Immediate action	Contact the local delivery office quickly and ask the sender to open a trace if needed.
When to escalate	If no delivery location explains the scan after checking all likely locations.
Who to contact	An Post for delivery scan details; seller for refund or replacement decisions.

Lost or damaged

Network loss, mis-sort, damage in transit or insufficient packaging.

View all details for lost or damaged parcels

Check first	Service used, latest scan, item value, photos, packaging and proof of posting.
Immediate action	Keep packaging and contents, take photos and ask the account holder or sender to start the correct claim route.
When to escalate	When An Post service terms allow a claim or when the marketplace buyer-protection window is approaching.
Who to contact	Sender or account holder for claims; An Post for official investigation where eligible.

International Shipping, Customs and Carrier Handoffs

For international parcels, An Post may hand an outbound parcel to a destination postal operator or receive an inbound parcel from an origin post for Irish last-mile delivery. Electronic data, physical handoff, customs release and first local scan are separate events.

International Flow

Stage

What is happening

Label and electronic data

The sender creates a label and customs data may be transmitted before the item is posted.

View all details for label and electronic data

Physical custodian/responsible entity	Sender or shipping platform.
Typical tracking event	Information received, pre-advice or label created.
Can the tracking number change?	Yes, partner and postal identifiers may be associated later.
Normal visibility gap	Until first acceptance scan.
What the customer should do	Ask the seller for dispatch confirmation if no acceptance appears.

Origin acceptance and export

An Post accepts Irish-origin mail and routes it through export processing.

View all details for origin acceptance and export

Physical custodian/responsible entity	An Post for outbound Irish items.
Typical tracking event	Accepted, processed, dispatched or sent abroad.
Can the tracking number change?	The S10 number usually remains, but a destination partner may also show a local reference.
Normal visibility gap	Between export dispatch and destination receipt.
What the customer should do	Monitor An Post and the destination post; avoid assuming flight dispatch means customs clearance.

Import customs

The destination customs authority assesses declaration data, restricted goods and taxes.

View all details for import customs

Physical custodian/responsible entity	Customs authority, postal operator and recipient where payment or information is required.
Typical tracking event	Customs, held, pending payment, released or returned.
Can the tracking number change?	Usually no for S10 postal items, but local systems may attach an internal number.
Normal visibility gap	Several days or more during assessment; no universal clearance time can be promised.
What the customer should do	Follow official payment or information requests and ignore unofficial payment links.

Partner handoff and last mile

The destination postal operator or An Post receives the parcel for local sorting and delivery.

View all details for partner handoff and last mile

Physical custodian/responsible entity	Destination carrier; An Post for inbound delivery in Ireland.
Typical tracking event	Arrived in destination country, received by delivery office, out for delivery, delivered.
Can the tracking number change?	Sometimes a local last-mile number is added, but postal S10 items often remain searchable.
Normal visibility gap	Between customs release and first delivery-office scan.
What the customer should do	Use the latest responsible carrier’s tracking page and prepare for signature, payment or collection if required.

Delivery Management and Post-shipment Options

Available An Post delivery actions depend on the service, current scan stage and whether the user is the sender, recipient or business account holder. Not every parcel is eligible for address change, redelivery or collection changes after posting.

Delivery Management

Option

Who can request

Redelivery or collection after failed delivery

Recipient, where the tracking page or delivery notice offers the option.

View all details for redelivery or collection

Eligibility	Requires a failed delivery notice or available-for-collection tracking event.
Deadline/available stage	Before the item is returned under An Post holding rules.
Fee	Check current An Post action page; fees can vary by service.
Guaranteed?	No; depends on service and local delivery unit handling.
Official action link	An Post receiving guidance

Customs charge payment

Recipient for Irish imports when An Post or Revenue requires payment.

View all details for customs charge payment

Eligibility	Inbound item assessed for VAT, duty or handling charge.
Deadline/available stage	During import processing before release or return.
Fee	Taxes, duties and An Post handling charges depend on item and current official rules.
Guaranteed?	Payment enables processing but does not guarantee immediate delivery.
Official action link	An Post pay a customs charge

Proof of delivery or delivery evidence

Sender, recipient or business account holder where service supports it.

View all details for proof of delivery

Eligibility	Tracked, registered or signed services where delivery evidence is captured.
Deadline/available stage	After delivered or attempted delivery event.
Fee	Included or service-dependent; verify current product terms.
Guaranteed?	Proof is subject to service and scan capture.
Official action link	An Post help and support

Lost, Damaged, Claims, Insurance and Refunds

A tracking inquiry, a missing-item investigation, a compensation claim, postage refund and marketplace refund are separate processes. The person who paid for postage or owns the seller account often has stronger standing to file a postal claim than the recipient.

Claims and Refunds

Process

Use when

Tracking inquiry

Use when tracking is unclear, delayed or appears wrong.

View all details for tracking inquiry

Who files	Sender or recipient with the tracking number.
Earliest/latest filing time	After the service estimate is exceeded or an exception appears; check An Post support rules for the specific service.
Required evidence	Tracking number, posting date, sender and recipient details, latest scan and service type.
Possible outcome	Status clarification, local delivery check or escalation to investigation.
Official link	An Post help and support

Loss or damage claim

Use when an eligible An Post item is lost, damaged or missing contents.

View all details for loss or damage claim

Who files	Usually the sender, purchaser of postage or business account holder; recipient may need sender cooperation.
Earliest/latest filing time	Varies by service, domestic/international route and terms; verify the current An Post claims page before filing.
Required evidence	Proof of posting, value evidence, photos, packaging, contents, tracking events and correspondence.
Possible outcome	Investigation, compensation according to service limits, rejection or request for more information.
Official link	An Post support and complaints

Marketplace refund or replacement

Use when you bought from a seller and the item has not arrived or arrived damaged.

View all details for marketplace refund

Who files	Buyer through the marketplace or seller support system.
Earliest/latest filing time	Follow the marketplace buyer-protection window.
Required evidence	Order number, tracking number, delivery address, photos if damaged and seller messages.
Possible outcome	Refund, replacement, seller investigation or denial under marketplace rules.
Official link	Use the seller or marketplace help centre; An Post cannot approve seller refunds.

Shipping Restrictions and Special Handling

An Post restrictions affect whether an item can travel, whether it can fly, whether customs can release it and whether compensation is available. Always check the current An Post prohibited and restricted items list before posting.

Shipping Restrictions

Customer Service

Contact An Post with the tracking number, posting date, sender and recipient details, service type, latest scan, contents description, value evidence and photos if damage is involved. For ecommerce orders, contact the seller first when the issue is dispatch, refund, replacement or customs declaration data.

Customer Service

Channel

Verified contact/link

Official tracking

An Post Track & Trace

View all details for official tracking

Best for	Checking current An Post events, delivery attempts, collection status and customs-related updates.
Region/language	Ireland; English website.
Hours and time zone	Online self-service.
Information to prepare	Tracking number exactly as shown on receipt or dispatch notice.
Important limitation	Tracking cannot approve refunds or change a seller’s order data.

Help and support

An Post Help & Support

View all details for help and support

Best for	Delivery questions, customs payment guidance, complaints, service information and official contact forms.
Region/language	Ireland; English website.
Hours and time zone	Check the current An Post page for live channel hours.
Information to prepare	Tracking number, sender, recipient, dates, service, evidence and screenshots.
Important limitation	Some claims must be made by the sender or postage purchaser.

Post office locator

An Post store locator

View all details for post office locator

Best for	Finding post offices, collection points and local service availability.
Region/language	Ireland; English website.
Hours and time zone	Varies by branch; verify on the locator before visiting.
Information to prepare	Delivery notice, tracking number and identification if collecting an item.
Important limitation	A branch may not control an item that is still in transit or held by customs.

Customs payment page

Pay a customs charge

View all details for customs payment

Best for	Inbound Ireland parcels requiring VAT, duty or handling-charge payment.
Region/language	Ireland; English website.
Hours and time zone	Online self-service when a valid charge notice exists.
Information to prepare	Tracking number or customs reference from the official An Post notice.
Important limitation	Use only official An Post links and verify the URL to avoid customs-payment scams.

Ecommerce and Business Tracking

Businesses need different tracking tools from consumers. An Post consumer tracking is best for single shipments; An Post business systems are used by account customers; 17TRACK is useful for multi-carrier visibility, cross-border carrier detection, standardized statuses and exception monitoring across An Post and other carriers.

Developer/API Comparison

Option

Provider

Consumer Track & Trace

An Post

View all details for An Post consumer tracking

Carrier coverage	An Post and postal events available to An Post for the searched item.
Primary use	Single shipment lookup by consumers and support agents.
Authentication	No developer authentication for ordinary web tracking.
Tracking/batch/webhook capability	Manual lookup; not designed as a public batch API.
Current developer documentation	Public tracking API documentation was not confirmed for general use.
Migration/deprecation note	Do not scrape consumer tracking; use approved business integrations where available.

Business shipping systems

An Post

View all details for An Post business systems

Carrier coverage	An Post services covered by the business account or contracted platform.
Primary use	Label creation, manifesting, returns and account-level shipment management.
Authentication	Business account or approved integration access.
Tracking/batch/webhook capability	Capabilities depend on the contracted product and integration route.
Current developer documentation	Check An Post business support and account manager documentation.
Migration/deprecation note	Account integrations may change; rely on current An Post business documentation.

Multi-carrier Tracking API

17TRACK

View all details for 17TRACK API

Carrier coverage	Multi-carrier tracking including An Post when carrier support and carrier code are available.
Primary use	Batch tracking, standardized events, cross-border visibility and ecommerce WISMO reduction.
Authentication	17token header with a 17TRACK API key.
Tracking/batch/webhook capability	Registration endpoint, tracking lifecycle and API capabilities according to 17TRACK documentation.
Current developer documentation	17TRACK API documentation
Migration/deprecation note	Use the current v2.4 endpoint shown in 17TRACK documentation; carrier code should be confirmed in the live carrier list.

FAQ

1. How do I track my An Post package?

Enter the tracking number on An Post Track & Trace or use 17TRACK to view available An Post and partner-carrier events.

2. Where is my An Post tracking number?

The tracking number is usually on the post office receipt, shipping label, dispatch email, marketplace order page or attempted-delivery notice.

3. What does an An Post tracking number look like?

An Post numbers vary by service; international postal items commonly use the 13-character S10 pattern with two letters, nine digits and a country code such as IE.

4. Why is my An Post tracking number not recognized?

The number may be an order reference, may contain a typo, may belong to a partner carrier, or may not have received its first carrier scan yet.

5. When will the first An Post tracking update appear?

The first reliable update usually appears after An Post or the relevant postal operator accepts or scans the item, not necessarily when the seller creates the label.

6. Why has my An Post tracking stopped updating?

Tracking can pause during sorting, export transport, customs processing, airline movement or destination-carrier handoff, especially for international parcels.

7. How long does An Post delivery take?

Domestic delivery is often measured in working days after acceptance, while international delivery varies by destination, service, customs and partner postal operator.

8. What should I do if An Post attempted delivery?

Follow the An Post delivery notice or tracking instructions to collect the item, arrange redelivery where available, or pay any required charge.

9. What if An Post says delivered but I did not receive it?

Check the mailbox, safe place, neighbours, reception and household members first, then contact An Post or the sender with the tracking number and delivery details.

10. How do I report a lost or damaged An Post parcel?

Keep the packaging and evidence, take photos if damaged, and ask the sender or postage purchaser to start the correct An Post claim route when eligible.

11. How does An Post handle inbound international parcels in Ireland?

An Post may receive inbound postal parcels after the origin postal operator exports them and Irish customs or import processing makes them available for last-mile delivery.

12. Can an inbound foreign tracking number be delivered by An Post?

Yes, an S10 number issued by a foreign postal operator can remain the searchable identifier while An Post performs Irish final delivery.

13. Does a customs event mean my An Post parcel has cleared customs?

No, a customs event can mean the parcel entered assessment, is awaiting data, requires payment, is held for inspection or has been released.

14. Who is responsible during an An Post international handoff?

Responsibility follows physical custody: An Post handles Irish-origin export or Irish last-mile import, while transport partners, customs authorities and destination posts handle their own stages.

15. Can An Post change my delivery address after posting?

Address changes are service- and stage-dependent and are not guaranteed; contact the sender quickly because the sender may control the shipment data.

16. Does An Post provide proof of delivery?

Proof of delivery depends on the service purchased, such as registered or signed services; ordinary post may not provide the same evidence.

17. Can businesses track An Post shipments through an API?

A general public An Post tracking API was not confirmed; businesses should use approved An Post account integrations or the 17TRACK API for multi-carrier tracking where suitable.

18. Is 17TRACK affiliated with An Post?

No, 17TRACK is an independent tracking platform and is not affiliated with An Post.

Tracking API

A current public An Post tracking API endpoint for general unaffiliated developer use was not confirmed. For multi-carrier tracking, use the current 17TRACK API documentation and confirm the live An Post carrier code in 17TRACK before production registration.

# 1. An Post official tracking API
# Current public official tracking API not confirmed for general unaffiliated use.
# Use An Post approved business integrations only where An Post grants access.

# 2. 17TRACK API: register an An Post tracking number
# Confirm the current An Post carrier code in the 17TRACK carrier list before production use.

curl -X POST "https://api.17track.net/track/v2.4/register" \
  -H "17token: YourKey" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '[
    {
      "number": "TRACKING_NUMBER",
      "carrier": "CARRIER_CODE"
    }
  ]'