Express · Netherlands, Europe, International
UPS claim deadlines, liability and evidence
UPS requires notice within 14 days of receipt for damage, 21 days for delay, and 60 days from hand-over for loss. All claims are time-barred unless written notice is given and proceedings brought within 8 months.
Tightest deadline
14 days
Standard cap
Regime cap unless declared value bought
Liability regime
Mixed
UPS publishes a three-tier notice structure that catches people out, because the three deadlines are very different lengths and are counted from different events. On top of that sits an 8-month long-stop: even a properly notified claim dies if it is not pursued within that period.
Claim windows
UPS applies AVC 2002 to carriage within the Netherlands other than by air, and the CMR Convention to international road carriage.
Damage, including partial loss
14 days
Counted from receipt.
Delay
21 days
Counted from the date the goods were placed at the disposal of the person entitled to take delivery.
Loss
60 days
Counted from the date the goods were consigned to UPS for carriage.
Long-stop: written notice and legal proceedings
8 months
Counted from delivery, or from the scheduled delivery date where the goods were never delivered.
All claims against UPS are barred by expiry of time after this period.
Insured versus uninsured
No additional cover
Governed by the applicable regime: AVC 2002 at EUR 3.40 per kilogram for non-air carriage within the Netherlands, and CMR at 8.33 SDR per kilogram for international road carriage.
With cover bought
UPS offers declared value / additional protection against loss or damage for an additional charge, which raises the ceiling above the regime cap.
Delay and late delivery
Where UPS offers a service guarantee, a guarantee refund is a separate commercial remedy from liability. Under CMR and AVC, delay damage is capped at the carriage charge.
Evidence required
- Tracking number
- Commercial invoice evidencing the value of the goods
- Photographs of the damage and the packaging
- Written notice within the applicable window
Exclusions
- Consequential loss
- Goods on the UPS prohibited articles list
- Claims outside the 8-month long-stop, regardless of merit
Filing the claim
- Who files
- The shipper of record, or the party UPS contracted with.
- How to file
- Through the UPS claims portal for the Netherlands, or in writing to UPS.
- Processing time
- Not published as a fixed service level.
What quietly kills UPS claims
Three different clocks: 14 days for damage, 21 for delay, 60 for loss. Each also runs from a different event, and the loss clock runs from hand-over rather than from the expected delivery date, which makes it shorter in practice than it looks.
The 8-month long-stop requires proceedings to be brought, not merely a claim to be filed. A claim sitting open in the portal does not preserve the position.
Within the Netherlands, non-air carriage falls under AVC, so the EUR 3.40 per kilo cap applies to domestic UPS road movements too.
Declared value is a per-shipment purchase made at booking. There is no retroactive route to it.
FAQ
How long do I have to file a UPS claim?
It depends on what went wrong: 14 days from receipt for damage including partial loss, 21 days for delay, and 60 days from the date the goods were consigned to UPS for loss. Separately, all claims are time-barred unless written notice is given and proceedings brought within 8 months.
What is the UPS 8-month rule?
All claims against UPS in connection with a shipment are barred by expiry of time unless legal proceedings are brought and written notice given within 8 months of delivery, or of the scheduled delivery date where the goods were never delivered.
Which liability regime applies to UPS in the Netherlands?
For carriage within the Netherlands other than by air, the Algemene Vervoercondities 2002 apply, capping liability at EUR 3.40 per kilogram. International road carriage falls under the CMR Convention at 8.33 SDR per kilogram.
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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