--- title: "Christmas 2026 Last Posting Dates for UK Sellers" url: "https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/blog/christmas-2026-last-posting-dates-uk/" type: "post" modified: "2026-11-03T04:23:20-06:00" --- Knowing which services are still available, and until when, can determine whether a Christmas order arrives on time. Use these dates to set your checkout cut-offs, so you only promise what your carriers can deliver. The dates below are the carriers’ own recommendations, checked on 28 October 2026. They’re recommendations, not guarantees, and they’re subject to change, so check your carrier’s own page before you rely on a date. Last posting dates at a glance ------------------------------ Last recommended posting dateServiceFriday 18 DecemberRoyal Mail 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed ForSaturday 19 DecemberRoyal Mail Tracked 48; DPD 2 Day; InPostSunday 20 DecemberEvri Standard (by 23:59)Monday 21 DecemberRoyal Mail 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, and Tracked 24; Evri Next Day (by 23:59); DPD Next Day; Parcelforce express48 and express48largeTuesday 22 DecemberParcelforce express10, expressAM, and express24Wednesday 23 DecemberRoyal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed; DPD Gold; UPS next-day services (delivered on 24 December)Evri, UPS, and InPost dates are the dates those carriers have given ShipStation. For DPD Next Day labels bought through ShipStation, the last date to drop parcels at a DPD store is Monday 21 December. The other DPD dates are the Post Office’s recommended dates for parcels handed in at a Post Office branch. Royal Mail ---------- ServiceLast recommended posting date2nd Class, 2nd Class Signed ForFriday 18 DecemberTracked 48Saturday 19 December1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, Tracked 24Monday 21 DecemberSpecial Delivery GuaranteedWednesday 23 DecemberSaturday 19 December is also the last posting date for Royal Mail Tracked Returns 48 to reach the sender before Christmas. International dates depend on the destination and service, so check Royal Mail’s country guides. [Royal Mail’s last posting dates for Christmas 2026 →](https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates) Parcelforce ----------- ServiceLast recommended posting dateexpress48, express48largeMonday 21 Decemberexpress10, expressAM, express24Tuesday 22 DecemberThese are Parcelforce’s UK inland services. Royal Mail publishes them on the same page as its own dates. [Royal Mail and Parcelforce last posting dates →](https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates) Evri ---- ServiceLast posting dateEvri StandardSunday 20 December, by 23:59Evri Next DayMonday 21 December, by 23:59These are Evri’s dates for labels bought through ShipStation. Evri doesn’t deliver on Friday 25 December, Saturday 26 December, or Friday 1 January 2027. It’s also running extra standard delivery days on Sundays 29 November, 6 December, and 13 December. DPD --- ServiceLast recommended posting dateDPD 2 DaySaturday 19 DecemberDPD Next DayMonday 21 DecemberDPD GoldWednesday 23 DecemberFor DPD Next Day labels bought through ShipStation, the last date to drop parcels at a DPD store is Monday 21 December. The other dates are the Post Office’s recommended dates for parcels handed in at a Post Office branch, and remote postcodes should be sent earlier. [Post Office last posting dates 2026 →](https://www.postoffice.co.uk/last-posting-dates) UPS --- UPS’s last day for next-day services in the UK is Wednesday 23 December, and parcels collected that day are delivered on Christmas Eve. For international parcels, UPS estimates the last day for UPS Standard at between Friday 18 and Monday 21 December. These are the dates for UPS from ShipStation. UPS doesn’t deliver or collect on Friday 25 December or Monday 28 December, the substitute bank holiday for Boxing Day. For service-specific timings, UPS points customers to its Calculate Time and Cost tool, so use it for your route. [UPS holiday shipping schedule →](https://www.ups.com/gb/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-services/holiday-shipping-schedule) InPost ------ InPost’s recommended last date to send parcels for Christmas is Saturday 19 December. It applies to parcels sent with ShipStation and with your own InPost account. Other carriers -------------- If you ship with DHL eCommerce UK, Amazon Shipping, APG eCommerce, or Fin Mile, check your carrier’s official website or customer portal for its Christmas dates, or ask your account manager. Don’t assume they match the carriers above. If you ship with FedEx Express on your own account, [FedEx’s UK holiday schedule](https://www.fedex.com/en-gb/about/holiday-schedule.html) lists pickup and delivery holidays by country or territory. How to set your checkout cut-offs --------------------------------- A last posting date isn’t the last day a customer can order. Work backwards from the carrier’s date. Subtract the time you need to pick and pack, plus any lead time for a collection. For example, Royal Mail Tracked 48’s last posting date is Saturday 19 December. If you need a day to pack, and you don’t post at weekends, your last posting day is Friday 18 December, so your checkout cut-off for that service is Thursday 17 December. Switch each service off at its own cut-off, and show the date at checkout. Customers are far more forgiving of a clear cut-off than of a missed delivery. If you ship to remote postcodes, set an earlier cut-off for those addresses. If a customer misses the date ----------------------------- The later services are the fallback. UPS next-day services run until Wednesday 23 December, and Parcelforce express24 runs until Tuesday 22 December. DPD Gold and Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed also run until 23 December, but ShipStation doesn’t list them for UK accounts, so you’d buy them at a Post Office counter. They cost more, so tell customers before they pay for them, and make clear that these dates are recommendations, not promises. International parcels --------------------- International posting dates are earlier, and they depend on the destination and the service. Royal Mail publishes delivery aims by country, and has a separate page for parcels to the USA. Our guides to shipping from the UK to the USA, to Europe, and internationally explain the duty and customs rules that can slow a parcel down. How ShipStation helps --------------------- ShipStation lets you compare services across [Royal Mail](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/royal-mail/), [Parcelforce](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/parcelforce/), [Evri](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/evri/), [DPD](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/dpd-uk/), [UPS](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/ups-uk/), and [GlobalPost](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/globalpost-uk/) in one place, and automate which service each order uses. You can also connect your own accounts with carriers, including [DHL eCommerce UK](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/dhl-parcel-uk/), [InPost](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/yodel/), [Amazon Shipping](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/amazon-shipping-uk/), and [APG eCommerce](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/partners/apg-ecommerce/). With automation rules, you can route orders to the right service and stop offering a service once its cut-off passes. [Create automation rules →](https://help.shipstation.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026158331-Create-Automation-Rules) Get Your Christmas Cut-Offs Sorted ---------------------------------- Set your cut-offs now, and let your checkout and your carriers do the rest. [ Start a Free Trial ](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/start-a-free-trial/) Common Questions ------------------ ### What is the last posting date for Christmas 2026? It depends on the service. Royal Mail 2nd Class is Friday 18 December, 1st Class and Tracked 24 are Monday 21 December, and Special Delivery Guaranteed is Wednesday 23 December. ### What is the last day to send a parcel with Evri for Christmas? For labels bought through ShipStation, Evri Standard is Sunday 20 December and Evri Next Day is Monday 21 December, both by 23:59. ### What is the last day to send a parcel with DPD for Christmas? For DPD Next Day labels bought through ShipStation, the last date to drop parcels at a DPD store is Monday 21 December. ### When is the last day for UPS next-day delivery before Christmas? Wednesday 23 December. Parcels collected that day are delivered on Christmas Eve. ### Are last posting dates guaranteed? No. They’re recommended dates, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change. Posting earlier is always safer. ### Do remote postcodes need earlier dates? Yes, as a precaution. The Post Office advises sending Evri and DPD parcels to remote postcodes earlier than its listed dates. ### Does UPS deliver on 25 and 28 December? No. UPS has no delivery or collection services on either day. ### Where do I find dates for DHL eCommerce UK, Amazon Shipping, APG eCommerce, or Fin Mile? On your carrier’s official website or customer portal, or from your account manager.