Tracking opens in a new tab on the carrier's official website. We don't store your tracking number.
Carriers operating from United Kingdom
How to track a parcel from the United Kingdom
Paste the tracking number from your shipping email or receipt into the box above. The page compares it with the number formats used by Royal Mail, Parcelforce, and DHL first, and only if none of those fit does it try every carrier it knows. Press Track (or Enter) and the carrier's own tracking page opens in a new tab with your number already filled in — the scans you see there come straight from the carrier, not from us.
If the number is not recognised, choose the carrier yourself from the list, or use “Track as international parcel”, which searches an aggregator that covers most postal services and couriers.
Tracking numbers in the United Kingdom
Royal Mail tracked and signed-for items that use the international format end in GB, for example AB123456785GB. Heavier and larger parcels often go with Parcelforce Worldwide, which is part of the same group but has its own tracking numbers and website, so a Parcelforce number will not show up on Royal Mail's tracker.
What each carrier's number looks like
These are format examples, not real parcels. Spaces are ignored, and upper or lower case does not matter.
| Carrier | Example format |
|---|---|
| Royal Mail | AB123456785GB |
| Parcelforce | AB1234567 |
| DHL | 1234567890 |
Reading an international postal number
Registered mail, EMS and tracked small packets sent through national postal services use one shared 13-character format: two letters, nine digits, then the two-letter code of the country where the item was posted. An item posted in the United Kingdom ends in GB, as in RR123456785GB.
The first letter usually tells you the service — E for EMS, R for registered mail, C for parcels, and L for tracked letter-post packets. The last of the nine digits is a check digit, so one mistyped digit usually makes the whole number invalid. The same number normally keeps working after the parcel crosses the border, on the destination country's postal website.
When the tracking stops updating
The delivery times shown above (1-3 business days within the United Kingdom, 5-10 business days internationally) are typical ranges, not promises. International parcels often show no new scans for several days between leaving the origin country and arriving at customs in the destination; that gap is normal. If nothing changes for well beyond the upper end of the range, contact the sender first — they hold the shipping contract and can open an investigation with the carrier.
FAQs about shipping from United Kingdom
Why does Royal Mail tracking only show "we have your item" with no further updates?▾
Standard Royal Mail services (1st/2nd Class, Tracked 24/48) only scan at the start and end of the journey, not in transit. If you've had no "out for delivery" scan after 5 working days for 1st Class or 7 for 2nd Class, you can raise a Missing Item enquiry on royalmail.com.
Will my package be charged VAT or import duty after Brexit?▾
For shipments leaving the UK to the EU or USA, the destination country applies its own VAT/duty rules — the UK side does not collect anything outbound. For shipments coming into the UK, parcels over £135 are subject to VAT (20%) plus possible customs duty, collected by the carrier with a handling fee before delivery.
What does "It's on its way to your local delivery office" mean on Parcelforce?▾
It means the parcel has cleared the national hub (usually Coventry) and is on a line-haul trailer to the regional depot serving your postcode. Delivery to your address is typically the next working day after this scan. Parcelforce does not deliver on Sundays.