Express · Europe, International
FedEx claim deadlines, liability and evidence
FedEx requires notice of damage within 21 days and claims for non-delivery within 9 months of the shipment date. Liability is the higher of the applicable treaty amount, EUR 22 per kilogram, or USD 100 per shipment.
Tightest deadline
21 days
Standard cap
Higher of treaty, EUR 22/kg, or USD 100
Liability regime
Montreal
FedEx is the mirror image of DPD: a generous nine-month window for a missing shipment, and a short one for damage. The liability formula is also worth reading carefully, because it is a "higher of" test across three different bases, and for a light shipment the flat per-shipment floor is often the one that actually applies.
Claim windows
FedEx applies the Warsaw or Montreal Convention where they govern, and otherwise its own published European ceiling.
Damage, including concealed damage
21 days
Counted from the shipment date.
Written notice is required.
Non-delivery or missing shipment
9 months
Counted from the shipment date.
Insured versus uninsured
No additional cover
Unless the sender declares a higher value for carriage on the (air) waybill and pays the required fee, liability is limited to the higher of: the amount provided by the applicable international treaty or local law; EUR 22 per kilogram; or USD 100 per shipment. Under the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions the cargo limits are 17 and 22 SDR per kilogram respectively.
With cover bought
Declaring a higher value for carriage on the waybill and paying the corresponding charge raises the ceiling above the standard formula.
Delay and late delivery
Where a money-back guarantee applies to the service, it is a commercial refund of the carriage charge rather than compensation for loss, and it is separate from the liability limits.
Evidence required
- Air waybill or tracking number
- Completed FedEx claim form
- Commercial invoice evidencing the value of the goods
- Photographs of the damage and the packaging
- The damaged goods and packaging retained for inspection
Exclusions
- Consequential loss
- Goods on the FedEx prohibited items list
- Damage notified outside the 21-day window
Filing the claim
- Who files
- The sender, the recipient or a third party, depending on who holds the interest in the goods and who contracted with FedEx.
- How to file
- Using the FedEx claim form for the market, attached to the air waybill number.
- Processing time
- Not published as a fixed service level.
What quietly kills FedEx claims
Both windows run from the shipment date, not from delivery. On a slow international movement, that quietly consumes part of the 21-day damage window before the parcel has even arrived.
The liability formula is a "higher of" test. For a 1 kg parcel, EUR 22 per kilo is worse than the USD 100 per shipment floor, so check all three bases before accepting an offer.
FedEx can require the damaged goods and packaging to be available for inspection. Disposing of them early undermines the claim.
TNT volume in Europe now sits inside the FedEx network, so legacy TNT shipments should be checked against the FedEx conditions applicable to the service actually used.
FAQ
How long do I have to file a FedEx claim?
21 days from the shipment date for damage, including concealed damage, and 9 months from the shipment date for a non-delivered or missing shipment. Both run from the shipment date rather than from delivery.
What is the FedEx liability limit in Europe?
Unless a higher value for carriage is declared on the waybill and the fee paid, liability is the higher of the applicable treaty amount, EUR 22 per kilogram, or USD 100 per shipment. Under Warsaw and Montreal the cargo limits are 17 and 22 SDR per kilogram.
Does FedEx pay for late delivery?
Where a money-back guarantee applies to the service used, FedEx refunds the carriage charge. That is a commercial remedy and is separate from the liability limits, which address loss and damage.
Sources
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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