DHL tracking status

DHL “Clearance Event”: what it means

The short answer

Keep an eye on it

Your DHL package is going through customs clearance, and a step in that process was just recorded. It is usually routine. Press 'Show details' on the tracking page: DHL says that is where you see if customs needs more information.

When to act: If there is still no 'Clearance processing complete' after 3 days, file a complaint and we send it to DHL.

Also shown as: “Customs clearance status updated” · “Custom status updated” · “Custom status updated from the destination” · “Processed for clearance”

What to do now

Press 'Show details' on the line in DHL tracking and read any 'Further Detail' and 'Next Step' text.
Look in your inbox and spam folder. DHL's tracking text, as My Baggage quotes it, says a representative will try to reach the importer or shipper if required, and clearance can wait on the answer.
Have your invoice or order confirmation ready, with an exact description of the goods and the price you paid. Those are what customs checks.
If duties are due, pay them through DHL On Demand Delivery. DHL says clearance continues until all checks are done and duties are paid.
Save a screenshot of each Clearance Event line with its date, and keep your tracking number.
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to DHL, so you do not have to chase it yourself.

Start my complaint

What does “Clearance Event” mean?

'Clearance Event' is the status DHL Express lists for a shipment in the customs clearance process. It marks a step, such as a review of the paperwork or a physical inspection. DHL says 'Customs clearance status updated' shows the same kind of progress, with the shipment not cleared yet, and that 'Processed For Clearance' means customs has checked the shipment and reviewed the documents. DHL says most packages clear on documents alone. None of these lines means the package has cleared: that one reads 'Clearance processing complete'. They also do not mean there is a problem, unless the details say so.

The useful wording sits under 'Show details'. My Baggage, a shipper that uses DHL, quotes examples such as 'Clearance is pending completion of Customs examination of shipment paperwork' and 'additional details required for clearance'. A related line, 'Custom status updated from the destination', can appear when the package has only just left the origin country. DHL says it gives an indication of the clearance process at the destination. On Reddit's DHL forum, people post this line repeating for over a week, and alternating with 'Shipment on hold', in one case for 3 weeks after paying the import fee.

Why does DHL show it?

Customs is reviewing the invoice and shipping documents
Customs picked the package for a physical inspection
Customs is checking the declared value and working out duty
More details about the goods or the importer are needed
The goods need a permit or special document
An early update from the destination, before the package lands

How long does it last?

The next useful line is 'Clearance processing complete', then a delivery scan such as 'Arrived at Delivery Facility'. DHL says clearance is in most cases completed on arrival, and that a shipment flagged for review can take several days. It also warns of periods with no tracking activity while customs works, so a quiet day or two is not by itself a bad sign.

Other DHL statuses

Shipment on holdKeep an eye on it
ExceptionKeep an eye on it
Departure Origin DHL eCommerce FacilityNormal
En route to DHL eCommerce Distribution Center or awaiting processingKeep an eye on it
On Hold Awaiting for Payment of Shipment Related FeesTake action
Tracking not updatingKeep an eye on it
Delivered but not receivedTake action
Delivery attemptedTake action
Awaiting Collection by ConsigneeTake action
Returned to ShipperTake action
Collection eventKeep an eye on it

All DHL statuses →

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 “Clearance Event”

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'.

Why do I have several Clearance Events in a row?

Each one marks a step in clearance, and people also report them repeating with no visible progress. Read 'Show details' on the newest line. If there is still no 'Clearance processing complete' after 3 days, file a complaint on Complain.biz and we send it to DHL.

How long does a DHL Clearance Event take?

DHL gives no fixed time. Clearance is in most cases completed on arrival, and a shipment flagged for review can take several days. It depends on the country, the goods and whether the paperwork is complete.

Does a Clearance Event mean customs opened my package?

Not necessarily. DHL says customs may review documents, open the package, verify the value and assess duty, but that most packages clear on documentation alone. 'Show details' may say which step applies.

Based on

DHL Express: Proview guide, shipment event statuses
DHL: Customs Clearance and Customs Declaration FAQ (US)
DHL Express US: tracking help, shipment in transit
DHL Express: Payment and Shipment Release FAQ
My Baggage: What does Clearance Event mean?
Ship Sticks: International Shipment Scans
DHL Express: FAQs on tracking and monitoring (Denmark)
DHL: Shipment Tracking Status Explained
r/dhl: Clearance Event, Shipment on Hold loop
r/dhl: Repeated Clearance Event status for over a week
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)