International Signed For™

Size and weight limits

Items in the form of a postcard, letter or parcel
Minimum: One surface at least 90mm x 140mm
No single side must be longer than 600mm.

Items in the form of a roll
Minimum: length plus 2 x diameter should be at least 170mm
No single side can be shorter than 100mm.

There is a weight limit on items of up to 2kg for Small Parcels and up to 5kg for Printed Papers.

Printed Papers

You can send books and pamphlets weighing up to 5kg. You can include a letter relating to the contents, but no other personalised correspondence. When using this service, please write ‘PRINTED PAPERS’ in the top left corner on the front.

Exceptions:

• no items over 2kg (including books and pamphlets) can be sent to Canada and Cambodia
• only books can be sent over 2kg to the Irish Republic.

When we deliver

We aim to deliver your mail to:

• Western Europe within three working days
• Eastern Europe within five working days
• major cities worldwide within five working days and other destinations within seven.

Addressing

Clearly addressing your item will help us deliver it faster. Get advice on international addressing. Don’t forget to write your return address on the back of your envelope or parcel.

Packing

It’s important to wrap and pack your mail securely. We have some guidelines that will help. Get advice on packing your item.

Customs

• EU - In general if you’re posting to an EU country, you don’t need a Customs declaration, but there are a few exceptions. Find out more about paying your customs.
• Rest of the world - if you’re sending parcels to a country outside the EU, you need to sign and date a declaration and include your name and address. Customs forms are available at the Post Office® and online.
• Items worth up to £270 must carry customs declaration CN22. Find out about CN22.
• Items worth over £270 must carry customs declaration CN23 and the SP126 plastic envelope.. Find out about CN23.

Prohibited goods

We have a list of prohibited and restricted goods that you cannot send.

Countries overseas also have their own rules on what they will and will not allow to be sent by post. Please check that you are able to send your item. 

Compensation

You can only claim compensation for loss or damage to the item you’ve sent. We don’t pay compensation for delays or for consequential loss.

• Maximum compensation
  Maximum loss or damage compensation is £50, or the value of the item - whichever is less. You can also buy extra compensation for more valuable items.
• Extra compensation
  You can buy extra compensation of up to £500 - although for some countries this is limited to £250. Compensation for cash is limited to £100.
• Mobile telephones
  You cannot buy extra compensation for mobile telephones (including PDAs, iPhones and Blackberry mobiles). The maximum compensation payable for mobile telephones is £50. If you send a parcel containing a mobile phone and other items, you can buy additional compensation, but this will only cover the other contents.
• Restricted items
  Check to make sure that your destination will accept the items you are sending and if there are any restrictions on sending valuables there. See our country guides for more details.
  Royal Mail will not pay any compensation on items that are prohibited or restricted in the country of destination.
• When to claim
  We allow 20 working days for items to arrive at European destinations and 25 working days for the rest of the world. We can’t accept your claim until after that time. You must submit your claim within six months of posting and include your certificate of post as well as proof of the item’s value. You can make a claim by visiting the Help centre. Or you can complete the P58 form for lost or damaged mail. You an also pick up a P58 from Post Office® branches. Find your nearest Post Office®.

International Signed For is a fixed charge that you add to your Airmail or Surface Mail postage price.

Prices are exempt from VAT

At the Post Office®

You can buy International Signed For™ at any Post Office®. Find your nearest branch.

Online

You can buy International Signed For™ online.

Step 1: Use our Price Finder tool.

Step 2: Using your printer, print postage directly onto envelopes or labels.

Step 3: Take your item to the Post Office® so we can apply the barcode and your Track & Trace information. Find your nearest Post Office®.