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FAQ
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Private clients
E-mails and/or text messages are repeatedly sent out, pretending to be messages from Austrian Post. These points will help you determine if it is a so-called phishing message (i.e., a message sent with fraudulent intent):
In the SB Area of the Austrian Post, you can package, frank and dispatch around the clock. If you need any help, you can reach our SB-hotline via the following number:
+43 800 01 01 01 Mon-Fri 07:00 – 20:00 Uhr Sat 08:00 – 20:00 Uhr Public holiday: no Service
When your item is at a distribution center, it means that
In the event of a death, kindly use our contact form to send us the death certificate. Our customer service will also provide information about forwarding the deceased person's mail.
Private
The following criteria must be met for PostPay:
For the time being, PostPay is only available on shöpping.at. We will expand the offer on a continuous basis - stay tuned!
You can pay for PostPay items online using one of the available payment methods (e.g., credit card or immediate transfer) until your item’s status in the tracking service changes to “in delivery” or until your PostPay item is ready for pick-up at one of our Austrian Post service locations. In addition, you have the option to pay the delivery person when the parcel is delivered or pick it up at one of our Austrian Post service location and pay using cash or card.
When the items are shipped, the seller provides us with your e-mail address. We send a payment invitation to this e-mail address, including a link that directs you to an Austrian Post information page for payment. Here, you can complete your payment in a convenient and secure process. Online payment in advance is possible until the item status in the tracking system changes to "in delivery". You can also pay in cash to the delivery person when receiving the package. If the item is already deposited at one of our Austrian Post service locations, you can pay either online using the payment invitation or in person using cash or card.
For a successful refund process at one of our Austrian Post service locations, you need to show us the refund QR code sent to you by e-mail as well as your personal ID. The refund does not necessarily have to be picked up by the person who received the refund QR code via e-mail.
Online payment in advance is available until the status of the item in the tracking system changes to "in delivery". You can pay in cash when the package is delivered by the delivery person. If the item has already been deposited at one of our Austrian Post service locations, you can pay online via the payment invitation or in person using cash or card. Please note that the online payment window for your item will automatically close 14 days after the item data is provided by the seller.
For return items, we are instructed by the seller to issue a refund once the returned goods have been inspected. If you want to check the status of your return, please use the tracking service for the package you sent.
In general, all partial amounts will be refunded in the same way we received them from you (cash to cash, card to card, etc.). If a clear allocation is not possible, an alternative arrangement may be made.
PostPay is an upgrade of the traditional cash-on-delivery service offered by Austrian Post. Austrian Post collects the cash-on-delivery amount on behalf of and for the account of the seller. There is no contractual relationship between Austrian Post and you.
Austrian Post does not provide any payment services but only services related to cash-on-delivery. The payment services offered on the payment side are solely provided by the respective payment service providers. Austrian Post assumes no liability for any damages caused by the use of these payment services.
As a general rule, letter mail (except Business letters) is part of universal services and as such is exempt from VAT.
Domestic letters: Delivery usually takes 2 to 3 business days. Letters can be posted in all public letterboxes and at all Austrian Post service locations. Postage can be paid using stamps.
Premium additional service: For urgent mail, it’s best to use the Premium additional service. At least 95% of letters sent with the Premium service reach their destination by the next business day.
For domestic letter mail, we offer a range of additional services:
For detailed information please visit: Send letter mail: tips and tricks - Austrian Post
PRIVATE CLIENTS
Austrian Post delivers based on addresses, making accurate and up-to-date labeling of letterboxes essential—especially in multi-occupancy buildings. Each letterbox should be clearly marked with the door number, ideally also including the recipient’s name. Proper labeling of doorbells is equally important, particularly for the delivery of official letters, registered mail, or parcels. This allows our delivery staff to ring the correct recipient directly. At a minimum, the door number should be displayed on the doorbell. If an item cannot be clearly assigned to an address, it must be returned to the sender. Proper labeling saves time, hassle, and unnecessary costs.
Fewer letters are being sent in Austria. Every year, the volume of mail decreases by 6%. The main reason for this is the growing use of e-mails, messaging services, and social media. Additionally, authorities and large companies—such as banks, insurance providers, energy suppliers, and telecommunications companies—are increasingly shifting to online communication. Although Austrian Post’s delivery staff are on duty from Monday to Friday, there are some addresses where there are no letters, advertisements, or newspapers to deliver every day.
Austrian Post plans its delivery based on days, not specific hours of the day. Depending on your spot on the delivery route, delivery may take place early or later in the day.
No. However, a steadily increasing share of items is being sent as standard letters which is our slower delivery option.
Since April 2024, Austrian Post has been offering two registered mail options: "Registered mail" and "simple registered mail". Senders can choose the service that best suits their needs. With "registered mail", Austrian Post confirms both the mailing and delivery, and the recipient must sign upon receipt. "Simple registered mail" is a more affordable option. While the mailing is confirmed, the item is delivered directly to the recipient’s letterbox with a scan event—no signature is required. Both types of registered mail can be tracked using the item number.
Items with the additional service "simple registered mail" or "registered mail" are insured against loss, theft, and damage up to 100 euros.
Our additional service "simple registered mail" allows you to track your item from the time of posting in Austria all the way to delivery in the country of destination. You can follow the item status by going to post.at. For more information, please click here.
For international letter mail, we offer a range of additional services:
For detailed information please visit: International letter mail: rates for international letter mail - Austrian Post
We have many additional services to fit your shipping needs. Additional information is available here:
The following applies for delivery in Austria and abroad:
Information that appears in the track and trace section includes correct details about your item. If item information that you have received from third parties does not match the data in Austrian Post’s track & trace section, please contact the company in question.
Were you not able to receive your item personally? In this case, the delivery person has left a notification in your postbox. The collection period begins the following day and lasts until the third following Monday. An exception applies to online retailers who may specify a shorter storage period of 5 business days. To make sure you do not miss the deadline, the delivery person will note the last day you can pick up your item on the notification.
The item could not be delivered to the addressee due to incomplete or incorrect address information. The item will be returned to the sender. In addition to name, postcode, city/town and street name, the street number, door number and, if available, staircase number are important. The sender alone can change or complete the address.
The item has been forwarded to the country of destination. For items sent to destinations in Austria, the item status will be updated as soon as the item has been recorded in one of our logistics centres. For items to international destinations, the next update of the item status will be performed by the carrier in the respective country.
The item was delivered to the addressee. Items returned to the sender were delivered to the sender.
If the item is sent to a destination in Austria, it was handed over to Austrian Post. The item will be shipped to one of our logistics centres and as soon as the item has been scanned there, your item’s status will change. Should the status not change over a longer period of time, please contact the sender. For items from abroad, this status means that the item has been handed over to the carrier in the respective country.
No, you can use the RE-ZIP app without creating an account. However, please note that without an account, you will not be able to save your vouchers in case you want to delete the app or switch to a new device. If you need to reinstall the app, for example, we recommend that you create an account or take a screenshot of your existing vouchers. If you create an account, your vouchers will always be stored on it.
Yes, please scan the QR code on the flap once you are at a return point. As soon as you have scanned the flap, you can return the Post Loop packaging.
If the packaging you received is damaged, please return the packaging as described in the instructions. We will ensure that it is properly disposed of. Since we record the life cycle of all Post Loop packagings, it is essential that they are returned to us.
You will receive your voucher in the RE-ZIP app after you scan the flap at a return point and post the packaging for returning.
The app allows you to see the closest return points while giving you an overview of all returned packages. In addition, the app is where you will be receiving your vouchers. As an alternative, you can return your packaging without using the app at all Austrian Post return points (letterboxes, self-service areas and Austrian Post service locations). However, if you do not use the app, you will unfortunately not receive any voucher for your next order.
The RE-ZIP app uses your GPS for two purposes:
This can only be done with your GPS location data.
Post Loop is a service by Austrian Post that allows for the use of reusable packaging. Online shops use these reusable packages to ship their goods, you remove the goods and then return the empty packaging to any Austrian Post return point. The packaging is then inventoried and processed so that it can be resent, making it reusable up to 30 times. This saves a lot of resources, effectively protecting the environment.
You can use the Post Loop packaging to return a product to the online shop. Simply place the product in the reusable packaging following the instructions printed on the packaging. Then follow the online shop's returns process. Please note: if you use the Post Loop packaging to return a product, please make sure that you do not scan the QR code on the flap and that the flap is not visible during shipping.
If that happens, please contact the online shop because they are in charge of the vouchers.
On the flap of the Post Loop packaging, you will find a QR code with the packaging ID. After scanning this code at the return point, you will receive a voucher as a token of appreciation for successfully returning the Post Loop packaging.
Post Loop is a complete cycle for reusable packaging. Thanks to our collaboration with our partner RE-ZIP, we offer easy and low-threshold packaging return at return points operated by Austrian Post (letterboxes, self-service areas, and Austrian Post service locations).
Folding varies depending on the type of packaging. Please follow the instructions printed on the packaging to fold it correctly. Make sure that the flap with the return label for returning the empty packaging is clearly visible. For the packaging to complete as many cycles as possible, please use care when removing items and folding the packaging. We kindly ask you not to cut or tear the packaging.
After you have received your order, fold the packaging to letter size. You will find instructions on the packaging. And this is how you can then return the Post Loop packaging:
Terms and conditions depend on the online shop that offers Post Loop packaging. For detailed information about your voucher, please visit the website of the online shop you ordered from.
Our Post Loop parcels can be reused up to 10 times. Our Post Loop envolopes can go through up to 30 cycles. With detailed environmental analyses, we ensure that the packaging is sustainable throughout its product life cycle. Which is why we ask you to return all Post Loop packaging, so we can make sure that all packaging can be reused as many times as possible. At the end of the product's life, we ensure that the packaging is disposed of properly.
We clean all packaging and perform a quality assessment to ensure that they are ready for the next cycle.
You can redeem your voucher at the same online shop from which you ordered your Post Loop packaging. Voucher conditions may vary depending on the online shop.
To find the closest return point, please use the RE-ZIP app. Go to "Map" and then click on "Find closest return point".
Post Loop packaging is available at online stores that have decided to offer sustainable packaging. If the online shop you are ordering from offers Post Loop packaging, you will be given this option before the check-out.
Please note that the following fees and duties will apply to your items following customs declaration and will be collected upon delivery:
For items with a value over 150 euros, additional customs duties apply. The amount of these duties varies significantly depending on the goods themselves.
A private gift parcel is merchandise sent from one private person from a non-EU country to another private person in the EU, provided that
Private gift parcels are exempt from taxes and duties up to a merchandise value of EUR 45. If a business client/company is involved as a sender, the item cannot be processed exempt from taxes or duties.
The item's content and merchandise value have to be proven via a proof of value that needs to be affixed to the outside of the item and has to be clearly visible. Please note that we cannot accept documents written in Chinese, Cyrillic or other script.
If not all documents required for customs processing are available, Österreichische Post will get in touch with the recipient. This might lead to additional costs.
In the customs declaration that accompanies the item, please make sure to provide the following information if you would like to declare the item as a gift:
Unless all these formalities are met, we cannot process the item without charging taxes and duties.
In the latter case, Österreichische Post will charge an import fee to cover the effort required for recording and providing electronic data. This fee is 6 euros for gift parcels.
Additional costs may apply to items that do not meet all the criteria listed above.
When you placed your order, you paid for the merchandise, but import duties apply as well. All postal items need to be reviewed for customs and tax purposes at the time of import.
Exception IOSS items: if, at the time of the purchase, the Austrian VAT was charged by the online store, it is safe to assume that the retailer has an import-one-stop-shop (IOSS) number and that they pay this tax to the authorities. In this case, no import turnover tax or import fee will be charged at the time of import.
Effective 1 July 2021, the duty and tax-free allowance for merchandise from non-EU countries under EUR 22 no longer exists. This means that all merchandise imported into the EU will be subject to import turnover tax, independently of the merchandise value. For every import item, a customs declaration with duty assessment is required.
In order to prepare the customs declaration for your item, we need a purchase order as well as proof of payment. On the purchase order, the following information needs to be clearly visible:
If you are unsure which articles are included in the item subject to customs duties, compare the item number you received from us via letter mail or e-mail with the number provided by the online shop you ordered from.
As proof of payment, we need an excerpt from the posting line. This can be, for instance, a PayPal invoice, credit card statement or transfer confirmation. Please note that we do not accept documents in other scripts (Chinese, Cyrillic) or pro forma invoices.
There are a few reasons for a customs impediment. Below please find a list. Detailed information is available underneath.
Impediment as indicated on complement to customs declaration
If none of the reasons above applies, you will find the reason on the supplement to the customs declaration. For additional information, please visit the web site of the Austrian customs authorities.
To complete the customs declaration for medicaments, the corresponding import permit pursuant to the 2010 Medicament Import Act as amended is required. The import permit pursuant to the 2010 Medicament Import Act as amended is required unless an exception pursuant to the 2010 Medicament Import Act applies.
Private individuals are not eligible to apply for an import permit. You can find more information at the following link.
Please use the contact form to get in touch with our customer support service. To be able to send you the notice, we will need the CRN number and a valid e-mail address.
The EORI number is needed for business clients. It is used to identify entrepreneurs and other persons in their relations with customs authorities. For additional information, please visit the website of the Austrian Ministry of Finance.
