PostNL Parcel Tracking

PostNL tracking uses your shipment barcode to show the available delivery information. Enter the number in the field at the top of this page to check the latest events. On PostNL’s own tracker, the recipient’s postcode is also part of the search.

Check the destination as well as the barcode, especially for international parcels. A shipment handled through the Netherlands may be travelling onward to another country, so it should not automatically be treated as a parcel awaiting delivery to a Dutch address.

How to track a PostNL parcel

1. Find the barcode on the shipping receipt or in the online shop’s dispatch email. Ask the sender if you cannot find it.
2. Enter the shipment number in the tracking field above to check the latest available events.
3. For PostNL’s official tracker, type the barcode without spaces and use the recipient’s postcode.
4. For an international shipment, choose the destination country and enter the barcode in the international tracking service.

PostNL barcode and missed-delivery code

Keep the original shipment barcode with your dispatch details. PostNL says it can be found on the shipping receipt or in the shop’s email. If you lose it as a recipient, its guidance is to check email and the app, then request the code from the sender.

After a missed delivery you may receive a separate notice code, called a niet-thuiscode. PostNL says this code begins with KG and can be used to find collection information. Use the code actually provided in your notification rather than constructing a new reference from the original barcode.

International and gateway shipments

PostNL provides international tracking using the destination country and barcode. When a shipment travels from another country through the Netherlands to a further destination, PostNL calls it a gateway shipment. Its guidance directs users to the gateway tracking route or to the sender for information.

Check which destination and service your sender booked before interpreting an update in the Netherlands. Keep the original reference available when asking about an onward journey. For cross-border e-commerce parcels, a local delivery handover may also produce another tracking number.

Delivery options and collection details

PostNL’s own tracking environment shows the delivery time or place options available for the particular parcel. If you miss the courier, the parcel may be delivered to a neighbour or a PostNL point. Check the notification for the actual location and collection instructions.

Use the current record when planning to receive the parcel. PostNL says it cannot specify an exact courier arrival time because parcel volume, weather and traffic can affect the route. An expected delivery time should be read as an estimate.

PostNL tracking not working

Recheck the barcode, remove spaces and make sure you are using the recipient’s postcode. Verify the destination country if the item is travelling internationally. If the reference is missing altogether, ask the sender for the code after checking the dispatch email and app.

Frequently asked questions

Can I track a parcel passing through the Netherlands?

Yes, PostNL identifies this onward-transit arrangement as a gateway shipment. Use the gateway route or ask the sender for the relevant shipment details.

Which postcode does the official tracker need?

Use the postcode of the recipient. Keep it with the shipment barcode when checking PostNL’s official tracking record.