An Post now lets you send small tracked parcels from 2,600 postboxes
An Post launched Postbox Drop-off on 9 November. Learn how to send prepaid tracked parcels at participating postboxes and what happens when your item does not fit.
News / WealthPhoto: William Murphy, An Post pillar box, Dame Street, Dublin, 25 February 2012, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Illustrative image.
An Post has launched Postbox Drop-off for small, prepaid tracked parcels. The service began on Monday 9 November 2026, extending parcel drop-off beyond staffed post offices to around 2,600 participating postboxes across the State, according to the launch announcement. It is designed for small online-shopping returns, marketplace sales and similar parcels that have already been paid for and labelled. An Post’s service page · Launch details
The improvement is convenience, not a new universal free-postage scheme. Customers still need an eligible, prepaid tracked item. A normal stamp, handwritten address or an untracked return is not enough.
How to send a parcel from a postbox
- Buy or obtain the correct prepaid tracked An Post label, then attach it to the parcel. For shopping returns, follow the retailer’s specific label instructions.
- Open the An Post app and select Postbox Drop-off.
- Find a participating postbox in the app. Do not assume the nearest green postbox is enabled.
- Confirm the four-digit postbox number displayed on the box, then scan the item’s barcode or enter the tracking number manually.
- Insert the item into the box, confirm the drop-off in the app and follow its tracking progress.
An Post says the app records the check-in and provides tracking updates. Never leave a parcel on top of, beside, or protruding from a postbox. The check-in process and a barcode are requirements of the new route, not optional steps. Official An Post guide
Which parcels qualify?
At launch, the reported maximum package dimensions for this service are 240mm by 45mm, corresponding to its postbox-opening restrictions. That is not a promise that every object with two measurements below those numbers will fit. Check the parcel’s actual shape, rigidity, thickness and label requirements before travelling. Launch coverage
| Example | Likely route |
|---|---|
| Small prepaid tracked item that fits easily and checks in on the app | Participating postbox |
| Parcel without a printed eligible label | Post office or another supported drop-off point to arrange labelling |
| Package that cannot slide into the slot without force | Post office, PostPoint or supported parcel drop-off |
| Return that needs a stamped or physical proof-of-posting slip | Check whether a staffed drop-off is preferable |
The final decision is subject to An Post’s terms and the specific service purchased. An Post lists post offices, PostPoints and lockers as alternatives, with different printing arrangements.
Is it cheaper than posting at a Post Office?
The launch information establishes a new drop-off route, not a discount on the underlying postage. If an online merchant provides a prepaid tracked return label, you might save a journey or queue, but that does not by itself create a refund or lower the retailer’s return fee. Compare the postage and any retailer-imposed fees before deciding which route to use.
For people selling small goods through online marketplaces, the practical benefits are broader hours and a digital record of dropping off the parcel. However, the tracking record and any compensation rights depend on the An Post service bought. Keep your app confirmation and tracking number until delivery is complete.
What to do today: Update the An Post app, select a participating box, check your prepaid label and make sure your parcel slides freely through the opening. If you cannot confirm all three, use a staffed drop-off point instead.
Cover: William Murphy, archive photograph of an An Post pillar box on Dame Street, Dublin, 25 February 2012, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped for web/social display. The photographed box is not confirmed as a participating drop-off location.
