DHL Express
General Information
With a presence in over 220 countries and territories across the globe, DHL has one of the most extensive international networks in the world. The DHL Express division is a global market leader in door-to-door courier services. We are proud to offer three premium DHL Express services: DHL Express Worldwide, DHL Economy Select and DHL Domestic Express.
Please see the table below for an at-a-glance comparison of the DHL services we offer:
Service | Suitable for: | Information | UK | Europe | Rest of World |
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| Premium worldwide express service by air to more than 220 countries and territories | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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| Highly economical road-based service to 30 European destinations and territories | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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| UK delivery by the end of the next working day | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
*You can access more accurate transit time estimates by entering your collection and delivery postcodes here.
DHL also publish an overview of transit times per country and service. You can access it here.
Size and Weight Restrictions
Restrictions may vary depending on the destination of your shipment. The following information is provided as a general guide:
- Maximum dimensions per item: 120 x 120 x 150 cm high
- Maximum recommended weight for parcels: 70 kg (DHL are often flexible as to maximum weight, but please be prepared to assist drivers with parcels weighing more than 31.5kg)
- Maximum weight for palletised goods: 1000kg
Volumetric Weight
Your shipment will be charged by either actual weight or volumetric weight – whichever is greater.
Volumetric weight is a value derived from the size rather than the weight of your parcel and may apply if your parcel is particularly large and contains relatively light items.
DHL Express Worldwide and DHL Domestic Express calculates volumetric weight on import services from countries outside of the EU, by multiplying the three dimensions of your parcel together and dividing by 5000.
For example:
Service | Parcel Weight | Actual Weight | Dimensions | Divisor | Volumetric Weight | Chargeable Weight |
![]() | 10kg | 10kg | 50 x 30 x 20cm | 5000 | 6kg | 10kg |
![]() | 10kg | 10kg | 50 x 60 x 40cm | 5000 | 24kg | 24kg |
DHL Economy Select calculate volumetric weight by multiplying the three dimensions of your parcel together and dividing by 4000. The above calculations would apply however the ‘divisor’ in the calculation would be 4000.
Surcharges
Category | Description | Fee |
Remote Area Service | Applied when the delivery destination is defined as remote (e.g. islands, highlands or other postcodes that are difficult to serve). Please check the DHL Remote Area database to see if your delivery address will be affected. | £16 per shipment |
Over Weight Piece | Applied to any piece in a shipment over 70kg in weight | £22 per shipment |
Over Sized Piece | Applied to packages with a single dimension in excess of 120cm or to pallets with a base dimension in excess of 120cm | £16 per shipment |
Address correction | Administered if any part of the delivery address requires amendment | £9 per shipment |
Duty Reversal | Admin charge administered for billing customs duties and taxes to the shipper rather than the receiver | £16 per shipment |
Please note that any surcharges on deliveries to EU countries are subject to VAT.
Prohibited Items
- Our list of hazardous, prohibited and owner’s risk items is available here.
- For up-to-date information specific to DHL, please check their prohibited items page Please note that prohibited items are subject to vary depending on your delivery destination.
- If you’d like advice on whether or not your items are prohibited, please contact us via email Info@bandevotedservices.com or telephone +44 (0) 333 0144 055, Mon – Fri: 9:00 – 17:00 Sat : 10:00 – 15:00.