Parcel · Netherlands, Belgium
DPD Nederland claim deadlines, liability and evidence
DPD requires a written claim within 7 calendar days of receipt. Compensation is the purchase value excluding VAT up to EUR 520 per shipment including shipping costs.
Tightest deadline
7 calendar days
Standard cap
EUR 520 incl. shipping
Liability regime
AVC 2002
DPD runs one of the shortest parcel claim windows in the Dutch market, and it is a written-notice requirement rather than a phone call. Seven calendar days over a weekend and a public holiday is a genuinely tight operational deadline, which is why DPD claims are so often lost on timing rather than on merit.
Claim windows
DPD's Dutch Classic and Express conditions sit on AVC 2002 domestically and CMR for cross-border road movements, with DPD's own compensation ceiling layered on top.
Damaged parcel delivered to the consignee
7 calendar days
Counted from receipt.
Must be notified to DPD in writing.
Loss or non-delivery
7 calendar days
Counted from the point the parcel should have been received.
Same written-notice requirement as damage.
Insured versus uninsured
No additional cover
DPD compensates the purchase value excluding VAT of the shipment up to EUR 520, including the shipping costs. Shipping costs are refunded on loss, and on damage where the claim is approved.
With cover bought
DPD offers additional insured shipping (Verzekerd Verzenden) which raises cover above the standard ceiling. Cover must be arranged before the parcel is handed over.
Delay and late delivery
Not compensated on standard parcel services.
Evidence required
- Parcel number of the shipment
- Sales invoice, and a purchase invoice where available since compensation is on purchase value
- Photographs of the damaged goods and the packaging
- A written statement of the claim within the 7-day window
Exclusions
- Consequential loss
- Goods on the DPD excluded and prohibited list
- Insufficient packaging
- Claims notified after 7 calendar days
Filing the claim
- Who files
- The sender of the parcel, not the recipient. DPD settles only with its contracting party.
- How to file
- In writing to DPD, through the business account or the claims route in the DPD complaint-handling procedure for senders.
- Processing time
- Not published as a fixed service level.
What quietly kills DPD claims
Seven calendar days, not working days. A parcel delivered on the Friday before a long weekend leaves very little room.
Compensation is on purchase value excluding VAT, so a retail-price invoice will be discounted down to cost. Keep supplier invoices accessible.
The sender must file. Webshops that ask the customer to contact DPD directly generally lose the window while the request bounces around.
The EUR 520 ceiling includes the shipping costs, so it is not EUR 520 of goods plus carriage.
FAQ
How long do I have to file a DPD claim?
7 calendar days from receipt of the parcel, in writing. The same window applies to damage and to loss, and DPD counts calendar days rather than working days.
What is the maximum DPD compensation?
EUR 520 per shipment, calculated on the purchase value excluding VAT and inclusive of the shipping costs. Additional insured shipping raises that ceiling but has to be bought before the parcel ships.
Who files a DPD claim, the sender or the recipient?
The sender. DPD's contract is with the party that shipped the parcel, so a recipient has to route the claim back through the webshop, which is often what causes the 7-day window to expire.
Does DPD refund shipping costs on a claim?
Yes on loss. On damage, the shipping costs are refunded provided the claim is approved.
Sources
- DPD NL, Algemene Voorwaarden Classic/Express
- DPD, klachtenafhandeling procedure voor verzenders
- DPD, Pakket verzekerd verzenden
Verified 28 July 2026. This page summarises publicly published conditions for reference. A negotiated carrier contract, a rate-card annex or a service-specific annex can override any of it. Always check the deadline in your own agreement before relying on a figure here. Spotted a figure that has changed? Tell us and we will correct it.
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