DHL tracking
DHL tracking statuses explained
Most people waiting on a DHL package are dealing with one of two networks. DHL Express moves packages door to door across borders through its own gateways and couriers, and its tracking reads 'Shipment Picked Up', 'Clearance Event' or 'Shipment is on hold'. DHL eCommerce carries online orders for merchants through distribution centers and shows fewer scans, and it hands the package to USPS in the US, or to a postal service or delivery partner in Canada, for the last stretch. In the UK, DHL eCommerce UK has merged with Evri, which now offers Evri Premium, a network of DHL, while DHL's own UK pages and tracking still say DHL eCommerce, so you may see either name.
Every DHL tracking status explained
| Status | What it means | Should you worry? |
|---|---|---|
| Shipment on hold | Your DHL package has stopped at a checkpoint and needs more processing before it can move on. | Keep an eye on it |
| Clearance Event | Your DHL package is going through customs clearance, and a step in that process was just recorded. | Keep an eye on it |
| Exception | DHL has flagged that something affected your package's progress, such as a refused delivery or a bad address. | Keep an eye on it |
| Departure Origin DHL eCommerce Facility | Your package has left the DHL eCommerce facility at the start of its journey and is moving on. | Normal |
| En route to DHL eCommerce Distribution Center or awaiting processing | DHL has your order's details, but the package may not have been scanned at DHL yet. | Keep an eye on it |
| On Hold Awaiting for Payment of Shipment Related Fees | DHL is holding your package until the duties, taxes or related fees on it are paid. | Take action |
| Tracking not updating | DHL tracking shows scans only at key points, so a gap does not mean your package has stopped moving. | Keep an eye on it |
| Delivered but not received | DHL recorded your package as delivered, but you do not have it. | Take action |
| Delivery attempted | A DHL driver tried to deliver your package and could not, often because nobody answered. | Take action |
| Awaiting Collection by Consignee | Your package is at a DHL location and is waiting for you to pick it up. | Take action |
| Returned to Shipper | DHL is sending your package back to the sender, or already has. | Take action |
| Collection event | Your DHL eCommerce package is recorded at a collection depot and has not been scanned onward yet. | Keep an eye on it |
DHL delays
DHL says tracking can pause during customs clearance because it shows milestones only, and that a shipment flagged for review can take several days to clear. DHL eCommerce's US and Canadian help names weather, public holidays, customs and strikes, and says delays of up to 10 days are possible. DHL eCommerce UK lists weather warnings, road closures and system outages on its live service updates page, and its delivery messages mention adverse weather and road traffic accidents.
Is your package from DHL late or missing?
Who is responsible for a late or missing package from DHL?
When you buy online from a business, DHL is the seller's courier and the seller is DHL's customer, so putting a late, lost or missing order right, with a replacement or a refund, is in most cases for the seller. DHL's own documents fit that: its eCommerce FAQ calls the merchant its contract partner and says only the merchant can claim for a lost or damaged package, and its Express claims guide says that in almost all situations only the shipper can claim. If you are in the UK, the Consumer Rights Act (section 29) also keeps the goods at the seller's risk until they reach you or someone you named, unless you booked the courier yourself and the seller did not offer it as an option.
If you sent the package yourself, your contract is with DHL, under the terms you accepted when you booked. DHL Express's US domestic terms limit its liability to $100 or the package's actual value, whichever is lower, and its international terms set a limit per kilogram unless you arranged more cover. Both say DHL is not liable for loss caused by delay, apart from a limited money back guarantee on some international services, and that claims must reach DHL in writing within 30 days of the date it accepted the package. Those are DHL Express terms. Sending through DHL eCommerce UK or Evri Premium falls under that service's own terms.
Questions about DHL tracking
Why is my DHL shipment on hold?
DHL lists nobody home, a clearance delay, incomplete contact details, missing customs paperwork, and weather or flight delays. Unpaid duties and taxes show as their own hold line. Press 'Show details' on the tracking page to see any reason DHL recorded.
What does 'Clearance Event' mean on DHL tracking?
DHL lists it as a shipment in the customs clearance process. It usually marks a routine step, such as a paperwork check or an inspection, not a problem. The package has not cleared until you see 'Clearance processing complete'.
What does 'Exception' mean on DHL tracking?
It means something has affected your package's progress. DHL's examples are a refused shipment and a bad address, and a shipper that uses DHL says it can also appear during customs checks. The reason is in the line beneath it or under 'Show details'.
What does 'Departure Origin DHL eCommerce Facility' mean?
Your package left the first DHL eCommerce facility on its route and is heading to the next one. DHL does not define the scan, but in shared tracking histories it comes before 'Arrival Destination DHL eCommerce Facility'. It is normal, and it does not mean out for delivery.
What does 'En route to DHL eCommerce Distribution Center' mean?
DHL knows about the package, and it is on its way to a DHL eCommerce center or waiting to be processed there. DHL does not define the line, but it sits at the very start of the journey. It does not mean delivery is close.
Based on
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 29
- DHL eCommerce: Tracking and Shipment Status FAQ (US)
- DHL Express Claims Guide (UK)
- DHL Express U.S. Domestic Terms and Conditions of Carriage
- DHL Express Terms and Conditions of Carriage (UK)