Carrier SLA reference · Spain
Spain carrier claim deadlines and liability limits
Claim windows, compensation rates and required evidence for Correos and Correos Express, transcribed from their own published cover and transport conditions.
The product decides the deadline, not the damage
Spain has the same floor as Poland in a different shape, and a ceiling that moves with the product rather than with what happened. A lost Correos parcel cannot be reported until a minimum of three days for Paquete Premium or four for Paquete Estandar have passed since admission, five for carta certificada and six for paquete azul. At the other end, damage on those same parcel products closes at 7 calendar days, while damage on carta certificada and paquete azul stays open for 6 months. Two shipments damaged the same way, on the same carrier, on the same day, can have windows that differ by nearly six months.
The liability regime behind the numbers
Most disputes about carrier compensation are really disputes about which regime applies. A carrier applying a statutory cap is not lowballing, and knowing which one governs your shipment tells you whether a low offer is negotiable or simply the law.
LCTM
Ley 15/2009, de 11 de noviembre, del contrato de transporte terrestre de mercancias · Domestic road carriage of goods within Spain.
One third of the IPREM per day, per kilogram
Art. 57.1 caps compensation for loss or damage at one third of the Indicador Publico de Renta de Efectos Multiples per day, for each kilogram of gross weight lost or damaged. The IPREM is reset annually, so unlike the fixed EUR 3.40 of the AVC this ceiling moves; carriers publish the resulting per-kilogram figure themselves and it is on each carrier page here. Delay is capped separately at the price of the carriage under art. 57.2, and art. 56 requires the loss from delay to be proven rather than presumed. Art. 60 sets the notice periods that Spanish carriers restate almost verbatim: written reservations at delivery, within 7 calendar days for loss or damage that is not apparent, and a separate 21 days from the day after delivery for delay. Without reservations the goods are presumed delivered in the condition described in the consignment note. A declared value under art. 61 replaces the art. 57.1 limit where it is higher, and art. 62 removes the limits entirely for wilful misconduct.
Ley 15/2009, art. 56, 57, 60, 61 and 62 (BOE consolidated text)Claim deadlines at a glance
The shortest published deadline per carrier, and what each pays with no additional cover bought. Where a carrier publishes nothing, the table says so rather than guessing.
| Carrier | Type | Regime | Tightest deadline | Standard cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correos | Parcel | Postal | 3 daysLoss (Paquete Premium): earliest, from the date of admission | EUR 6.67 per billed kg, plus tariff refund |
| Correos Express | Express | Mixed | At deliveryExternally apparent damage or loss, from delivery | CMR 8.33 SDR/kg road, 22 SDR/kg air; LCTM domestic |
"Tightest deadline" is the shortest published window the sender has to meet, which is usually a damage window rather than a loss window. Carrier response commitments are excluded here and shown on the carrier pages instead. Deadlines differ per event: open a carrier page for the full breakdown.
Every Spanish carrier, in detail
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to report a damaged Correos parcel?
For Paquete Estandar and Paquete Premium, at the moment of delivery or within the following 7 calendar days. Carta certificada and paquete azul have a much longer window of 6 months from the date of admission, on the same carrier.
When can I report a Correos parcel as lost?
Not immediately. Paquete Premium opens after a minimum of 3 days from admission and Paquete Estandar after 4, both closing at 1 year. Carta certificada opens after 5 days and paquete azul after 6, both closing at 6 months.
What does Correos pay per kilogram?
EUR 6.67 per billed kilogram for deterioration or loss of Paquete Estandar and Paquete Premium, plus a refund of the tariff. A EUR 40 minimum applies to Premium for non-contract customers only, so contract shippers do not get it. With a declared value or full-risk insurance up to EUR 6,000 it is the tariff refund plus the declared sum instead.
Other markets
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.