How to prepare your item

Objects or documents whose circulation is prohibited by the applicable national or international laws for reasons of safety, public health, general usefulness, and the protection of the universal postal service.

The packaging must be appropriate for the shape and type of content, ensuring it does not present any risk for professionals handling it, it is not dangerous when transported, and it will not damage or leak onto other items.

There are different types of prohibitions applicable to objects sent via Correos:

• Universal prohibitions www.upu.int/keepitsafe
  The prohibitions of individual countries arising from national import regulations;
  Prohibitions applicable by the postal services in different countries (relating to goods whose importation is authorised by law but prohibited by postal regulations).

Remember, if Correos accepts a prohibited item this does not exempt you from your responsibility.

To help you, we’ve prepared a list of items that are not accepted, regardless of their destination. Remember that each country can have more prohibited items that are not included in this list, so don’t forget to check the regulations of the country you are sending your goods to. 

List of prohibited objects:

• Products subject to reservation and with no special authorisation to circulate in the Postal Network.
• Opium and its derivatives, cocaine, and other illegal drugs, unless sent for medical purposes and accompanied by official authorisation.
• Items whose packaging or cover contains text or illustrations that violate fundamental human rights.
• Weapons, as established in Royal Decree 137/1993, of 29 January, approving the Weapons Regulations.
• Explosives, inflammables, and other hazardous materials, except for perishable biological materials sent between officially recognised laboratories, and radioactive materials sent by duly authorised issuers.
• Live animals, unless they have special authorisation or are sent between officially recognised institutions.
• Items whose traffic is an offence.
• Those determined by international agreements to which Spain is a party.

Correos accepts no liability for errors or omissions on this list. 

Unacceptable hazardous goods:

Items containing any of the products or substances listed below are prohibited from circulation on the postal network

• Explosives: fireworks, firecrackers, ammunition, gunpowder or flares.
• Compressed gas: lighters, diving tanks, camping gas, aerosols or extinguishers.
• Flammable liquids: petrol lighters, lighter fluid, oil paint, adhesive substances or flammable perfumes.
• Flammable substances: matches or charcoal.
• Oxidant substances: oxygen-generating chemicals, peroxides or bleaching powders.
• Toxic or infectious substances: pesticides, agricultural chemicals, mercury compounds, bacteria or viruses.
• Radioactive materials.
• Corrosive materials: wet batteries, mercury (thermometers) or hydrochloric acid.
• Others: magnetised products, motors or solid carbon dioxide (dry ice).

Acceptable hazardous goods:

• Ion or lithium batteries: installed in equipment (ONU 3481) according to packaging instruction 967. Maximum 4 batteries (=< 20wh) or 2 batteries (=<100wh) in a single parcel.
• Lithium metal batteries: installed in equipment (ONU 3091) according to packaging instruction 970. Maximum 4 disposable batteries (=<1 gr.) or 2 batteries (=<2gr.).

Particular restrictions linked to the sensitive nature of the goods:

Regardless of origin or destination, some goods are subject to circulation restrictions due to their sensitive nature. Customs is responsible for applying the relevant national and international regulations, collaborating with other administrations.

These goods must be accompanied by specific documents:

• Licences.
• Certificates.
• Import or export authorisations.

These documents must be presented to the administration at the time of customs clearance or any unscheduled inspection by the customs authorities. Clearance for shipments containing goods subject to restrictions or any other specific formality must be carried out by the sender or a representative.

You choose your perfect packaging.  If you have packaging at home and want to give it a second life, we can help you to reuse it. To make your shipment sustainable,  just follow these recommendations:

1.    Remove any old labels from your box, and make sure that  the contents of your shipment are secure by checking the packaging  for cracks or damage that could  pose a  risk to the shipment.

2.    Adapt the contents and use cushioning if needed, e.g. used newspaper, to prevent it from moving around inside and to protect it during transport.

3.    Finally, it is time to secure your shipment with a good seal and write the sender's and recipient's details on the flap.

But don't worry, if you don't have packaging to reuse... We have plenty of environmentally friendly packaging in our Online Shop and at all post offices!

Please also note that, in any case, we need the size to fit these measurements:

Maximum:

• Box: Length + Height + Width = 210 cm, with no measurement being more than 120 cm.
• Roll or tube: Length = 120 cm and Diameter = 30 cm.

If you want to send something larger, don’t worry, add a Maximum Extra for just a little more:

• Length + Height + Width = 270 cm for 35% more. 
• None of the measurements can exceed 170 cm for 35% more.

Or add the two extra dimensions for 70% more.

Minimum:

Box: 15 x 10 cm.

Roll or tube: dimensions that allow a 10 x 14.5 cm label to be attached.

And it should weigh no more than 30 kg! 

We calculate the volumetric weight .

That only leaves you to tell us where you would like us to send it:

• Home: two delivery attempts with signature. If delivery can't be made, it will be available for 15 days at the closest Post Office. Delivery option for Individual customers and those with a Contract, and the only one possible for shipments to mainland Portugal.
• Chosen Post Office: send to the Post Office of your choice that has a parcel delivery point, where it will be available for 15 days. We notify the recipient of its arrival via the Correos app, e-mail and/or SMS, and send various reminders if it is not collected.
• Closest Post Office: delivery to the Correos Post Office nearest the indicated home address, where the recipient will have 15 days to collect it. We send up to two arrival notifications via the Correos app, e-mail and/or SMS (the second after 5 days).
• Citypaq delivery to one of the smart Correos collection points located throughout the city and available at any time of day. 

Remember: It is important that your details and those of the recipient are clearly visible on the packaging. 

Remember that you can generate the label and pay for the shipment to speed up processing.