DHL tracking status

DHL “Exception”: what it means

The short answer

Keep an eye on it

DHL has flagged that something affected your package's progress, such as a refused delivery or a bad address. 'Exception' is a general label, so the reason is in the line beneath it or under 'Show details', and your next step depends on it.

When to act: If the Exception is still the latest line after 3 days, file a complaint and we send it to DHL.

Also shown as: “Mis-shipped” · “DHL Mis-shipped” · “Further Consignee Information Needed” · “Your parcel has been delayed by 24hrs” · “Your parcel has been delayed due to adverse weather conditions” · “Your driver has been delayed but is still expected to be with you today”

What to do now

Read the line under 'Exception' and press 'Show details'. That is where any reason appears.
On DHL Express, if it is about your address or your details, update them in On Demand Delivery. DHL says this resolves a line caused by missing information very quickly. DHL eCommerce in the US and Canada says it cannot change an address once the package has left the merchant.
If it is about customs, have your invoice ready and check whether duties are waiting to be paid.
On a DHL eCommerce UK delay message, use 'Track & divert your parcel' to choose a safe place, a neighbor or another day.
Save screenshots of the Exception line and any details, 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 “Exception” mean?

DHL's guide to its event statuses says an Exception means checkpoints indicate the shipment's progress has been impacted, and gives shipment refusal and a bad address as examples. It is a broad label, so it covers very different situations. My Baggage, a shipper that uses DHL, says it can show during routine customs checks. It is not a sign of a lost package.

Some lines have a clear meaning. 'Further Consignee Information Needed' means DHL needs more details from the receiver. DHL eCommerce UK files its delay messages under exception notifications, such as 'Your parcel has been delayed by 24hrs'. 'Mis-shipped' appears on DHL eCommerce in the US, sometimes under an Exception heading. DHL does not define it publicly. People flagged as DHL employees on Reddit's DHL forum say the package was moved or sorted to the wrong place and has to be put back on track, and histories people share show it in the wrong city or at a post office.

Why does DHL show it?

The address is wrong, incomplete or cannot be found
The receiver refused the shipment
DHL needs more details from the receiver
A routine customs check
Bad weather or a road accident on the route
The package was sorted to the wrong place ('Mis-shipped')

How long does it last?

It depends on the reason. After a customs check, look for 'Clearance processing complete'. After a delay on DHL eCommerce UK, its next message says the package is out for delivery. After 'Mis-shipped', the package has to be put back on track: in posts people share, one arrived about 2 days later and another showed no movement for a week. If a bad address or a refusal is not resolved, DHL Express's terms say it tries to return the package to the shipper at the shipper's cost. DHL publishes no fixed time for an Exception.

Other DHL statuses

Shipment on holdKeep an eye on it
Clearance EventKeep 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 “Exception”

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'.

How long does a DHL Exception take to clear?

DHL publishes no fixed time, because it depends on the reason. A customs check or weather delay can clear by itself, while an address problem waits until someone corrects it. If it is still the latest line after 3 days, file a complaint on Complain.biz and we send it to DHL.

What does 'Mis-shipped' mean on DHL?

DHL does not define it publicly. People flagged as DHL employees on Reddit say the package was moved or sorted to the wrong place, and that how long it takes to put right depends on the facility. It shows on DHL eCommerce in the US. Watch for a new 'Arrival' or 'Tendered' line closer to you.

Will my package be returned after a DHL Exception?

Not automatically. DHL Express's terms say it tries to return a package when the receiver cannot be identified or located, or refuses delivery or charges. On DHL Express, correcting your details in On Demand Delivery can keep it moving.

Based on

DHL Express: Proview guide, shipment event statuses
DHL: Shipment Tracking Status Explained
DHL Express US: tracking help, missed delivery and returns
My Baggage: What does Clearance Event mean?
DHL eCommerce UK: Delivery Notifications guide
DHL Express Terms and Conditions of Carriage (UK)
r/dhl: Why does my package say mis-shipped (shared tracking history)
r/dhl: mis-shipped? (shared tracking history, replies from DHL employees)
r/dhl: mis shipped package? (Exception heading on the tracking page)
r/dhl: DHL MIS-SHIPPED and nothing has happened in a whole 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