Packstation address: which detail goes in which field
Updated · Rotomal
A Packstation address has four parts: the recipient's name, the personal Postnummer in the address addition field, the word Packstation with the three-digit Packstation number in street and house number, and the postcode and town of the Packstation, not the customer's home. Name and Postnummer must belong to the same DHL account; otherwise the courier cannot put the parcel in the Packstation, and it usually goes to a post office or parcel shop for pickup. In DHL's shipping API the Postnummer has 6 to 10 digits.
What the address looks like
| Field | Content | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Name | First and last name as in the DHL account | Erika Muster |
| Address addition | Personal Postnummer, 6 to 10 digits | 12345678 |
| Street and house number | Packstation and the three-digit number | Packstation 123 |
| Postcode and town | Location of the Packstation | 12345 Musterdorf |
DHL says direct addressing to a Packstation requires a registered customer account. If a shop offers Packstation delivery without registration, the customer simply enters the chosen Packstation address when ordering. DHL says delivery to family members using a shared Postnummer is not possible.
The most common mistakes in shop orders
- Postnummer missing or in the street field instead of the address addition.
- Packstation without a number, or the number placed after the name.
- Home postcode and town instead of the Packstation location.
- Postnummer with spaces or letters, or fewer than 6 digits.
- Name differs from the DHL account, such as a company name or a relative.
What a shop can check before the label prints
| Check | Possible without DHL data? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Postnummer present, 6 to 10 digits | Yes | Format rule |
| Packstation with three-digit number | Yes | Format rule |
| Postcode matches town | Yes | Official municipality register, open data |
| Street exists in the postcode | Mostly | OpenStreetMap under ODbL; new streets are sometimes missing |
| Postnummer belongs to the name | No | Only DHL; validation via the DHL shipping API with your own account |
Which data you may use
DHL's APIs are meant for your own shipments: the terms forbid storing content beyond what is technically necessary, passing it to others or reselling DHL services. For postcode, town and street, open data such as the Federal Statistical Office's municipality register and OpenStreetMap (Open Database License, attribution required) are suitable.
Zustellklar checks these points on every new order from €19 a month, with a €5 trial run. This is not legal advice on data use; for licence questions, ask a lawyer.
Questions
How many digits does a DHL Postnummer have?
DHL's business shipping API describes the Postnummer for Packstation and post office deliveries as 6 to 10 digits. The Packstation number itself has three digits.
What happens if the Postnummer is wrong?
If name and Postnummer do not doubtlessly belong to the same account, DHL says the courier cannot put the parcel in the Packstation. When Packstation delivery is not possible, the shipment goes to a post office or DHL Paketshop for pickup.
Sources
- DHL: Receiving with the Packstation Source: dhl.de
- DHL Developer: Parcel DE Shipping API Source: developer.dhl.com
- DHL Developer: Terms of use Source: developer.dhl.com
- OpenPLZ API: data sources Source: openplzapi.org
- OpenStreetMap: copyright and licence Source: openstreetmap.org