PostNL tracking
Track a PostNL parcel
Enter your PostNL tracking number to follow your item from pre-advice to delivery. Below, we explain every status, the 3S number format, why an international parcel can switch to a local carrier, and how businesses track PostNL deliveries the moment they reach the building.
Track a PostNL parcel
Enter your tracking number to see the parcel's journey.
About PostNL
PostNL is the national postal and parcel operator of the Netherlands, delivering letters and parcels across the country and handling a large share of cross-border e-commerce into and out of the Netherlands and wider Europe. Its parcels regularly reach UK and European offices, campuses and residential buildings through international webshops.
Because so many PostNL shipments cross borders, an international item is often carried by PostNL for the first leg and then handed to a local carrier in the destination country for final delivery - something worth keeping in mind when reading the tracking history.
PostNL tracking number formats
International tracked PostNL items usually begin with 3S, followed by a mix of letters and digits - for example 3SAA123456789. Registered items may instead use the universal S10 format: two letters, nine digits and the country code NL. You will find the number on the sender's dispatch email or the parcel label.
PostNL tracking statuses explained
- Shipment announcedPostNL has received the shipment data (pre-advice) but does not yet physically hold the parcel.
- SortedThe parcel has arrived at a PostNL sorting centre and is being routed toward its destination.
- Out for deliveryThe parcel is in delivery with a PostNL courier and should arrive that day.
- DeliveredHanded over at the address, or delivered to neighbours if no one was in. For businesses this means reception or the mailroom received it - not yet the named recipient.
- At a PostNL pointHeld at a nearby shop or locker for collection, usually after a missed delivery. Bring ID and the reference or collection code.
- Handed to local carrierFor international items, PostNL may pass the parcel to a carrier in the destination country, which then completes delivery - sometimes under a new tracking number.
PostNL tracking FAQs
How do I track a PostNL parcel?
Enter your PostNL tracking number into the tracker above. You'll see each scan from the moment the shipment is announced, through sorting and delivery. Most international tracked items start with 3S, like 3SAA123456789, and the number is on the sender's dispatch email or the label.
What does a 3S / PostNL tracking number look like?
International tracked items typically begin with 3S followed by letters and digits, such as 3SAA123456789. Registered items may use the universal S10 format - two letters, nine digits and the country code NL, like RR123456789NL. Both are valid PostNL numbers.
Why did my PostNL parcel switch to another carrier?
For cross-border deliveries, PostNL often hands the parcel to a local carrier in the destination country for the final leg. The tracking may then continue under a new number issued by that carrier, so check with the sender for the onward reference.
Where do I collect a PostNL parcel?
If a parcel can't be delivered to the address, PostNL usually leaves it at a nearby PostNL point - a shop or locker - for collection. The tracking shows the location, and you'll normally need ID and the reference or a collection code.
Can Traizr track PostNL deliveries into my building?
Yes. PostNL tracking ends when the parcel reaches reception or the mailroom. Traizr takes over from there: staff scan each item in, the recipient is notified automatically, and a signature is captured on collection.
Common PostNL tracking problems
Handed to a local carrier
On international routes, PostNL often passes the parcel to a carrier in the destination country. Tracking can continue under a new number - ask the sender for the onward reference if updates stop.
Collection from a PostNL point
After a missed delivery, the parcel may wait at a nearby shop or locker. The tracking shows where; bring ID and the reference or collection code to pick it up.
Delivered to neighbours
If no one is in, PostNL may leave the parcel with a neighbour. The tracking usually notes this, so check nearby addresses or reception before assuming it's lost.
Long gaps in transit
International shipments can go quiet for a while between the origin and destination countries. A gap between scans is normal during cross-border transit.
What happens after “Delivered”?
For a home address, delivery is the end of the story. For an office, university, hospital or apartment building, it's only halfway: PostNL (or its local delivery partner) has reached the door, but the parcel still has to travel from reception to the person it's actually for. That internal leg is invisible to PostNL - and it's where parcels most often go missing.
Traizr picks up exactly where the PostNL scan ends, giving your building the same visibility for the internal journey that PostNL gives for the external one.
How Traizr tracks PostNL deliveries inside your building
Most tracking stops at “Delivered”. Traizr continues the journey - from the front desk to the recipient's signature.
- CourierPostNL arrives
- ReceptionScanned in
- MailroomLogged & sorted
- NotificationRecipient alerted
- CollectionHanded over
- SignatureProof captured
- Audit trailFull history
Explore Traizr's features or see it applied to office mailrooms, universities and student accommodation.
Track other couriers
Never lose a PostNL parcel in the building again
Traizr is internal mail & parcel tracking for reception teams and mailrooms - scan-in, instant recipient notifications, and a signature-backed audit trail for every item.
Book a free demo Track another parcel