Delivery confirmation means that Large Letter or larger services sent using Royal Mail 2D barcode labels will be scanned at the point of delivery.
Senders will then be able to confirm whether their parcel has been delivered or had a failed delivery online, using Royal Mail's Track and Trace website.
- Understand what Online Delivery Confirmation is
Online Delivery Confirmation means that Large Letter or larger items sent using Royal Mail 2D barcode labels will be scanned at the point of delivery. Once scanned, senders can confirm whether their parcel has been delivered or had a failed delivery online, using Royal Mail's Track and Trace website.
- Check which services are supported
Online Delivery Confirmation works with specific Royal Mail services. For small parcels or larger, it covers 1st Class STL and 2nd Class STL. For Large Letter services or larger, it covers 24 hour CRL and 48 hour CRL. Make sure you are using one of these services to benefit from delivery confirmation.
- Understand the difference between Tracked and Delivery Confirmation
Tracked services — such as Royal Mail Special Delivery Guarantee, Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 — let you follow a parcel's progress throughout the entire delivery journey, including live location updates and a signature on delivery. Online Delivery Confirmation is different: you cannot track the item in transit, but the barcode is scanned at the point of delivery so you can confirm it was delivered or that a delivery attempt was made.
- Confirm delivery using Royal Mail's Track and Trace
Once your item has been delivered, visit Royal Mail's Track and Trace website and enter the barcode number from your 2D barcode label. You will be able to see whether the item was successfully delivered or if a delivery attempt failed. This gives you a simple, free way to verify delivery without needing a fully tracked service.
- Confirm there are no extra charges
Online Delivery Confirmation is provided at no extra cost on all supported services. There is nothing additional to enable or pay for — as long as you are using a supported service with a Royal Mail 2D barcode label, delivery confirmation is included automatically. If you are unsure whether your account is set up correctly, check with your Royal Mail account manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Online Delivery Confirmation let me track my parcel in transit?
No. Online Delivery Confirmation only confirms whether a parcel has been delivered or had a failed delivery attempt — it does not provide live tracking throughout the delivery journey. If you need to track a parcel's progress in transit, you will need to use a fully tracked service such as Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Tracked 48.
Is there an extra cost for Online Delivery Confirmation?
No, Online Delivery Confirmation is free on all supported services. It is automatically included when you send items using a supported Royal Mail service with a 2D barcode label. If you have any doubts about your account setup, it is worth checking with your Royal Mail account manager.
Which Royal Mail services support Online Delivery Confirmation?
Online Delivery Confirmation is available on 1st Class STL and 2nd Class STL (small parcel or larger), as well as 24 hour CRL and 48 hour CRL (Large Letter or larger). It does not apply to all Royal Mail services, so check that your chosen service is on the supported list.
Do I need a 2D barcode label to use Online Delivery Confirmation?
Yes. Online Delivery Confirmation relies on Royal Mail 2D barcode labels being scanned at the point of delivery. If your labels do not include a 2D barcode, the delivery confirmation feature will not work. Zenstores generates Royal Mail 2D barcode labels automatically when you print through the platform.
What happens if a delivery attempt fails?
If a delivery attempt is unsuccessful, the barcode will still be scanned and the failed attempt will be recorded. You can check this on Royal Mail's Track and Trace website using the barcode number from your label. This allows you to confirm that a delivery was attempted even if the item was not successfully received.
