Australia Post provides services to many Australians, and regularly visit over 12.7 million delivery points across the country offering more than just a postal service. Australia Post is reknowned for their nationwide coverage and reliable network with several delivery options to meet the growing needs of customers & consumers.
Services available
✓ EParcel Domestic Standard
✓ EParcel Domestic Express
✓ EParcel International Standard
✓ EParcel International Express
✓ EParcel OnDemand
✓ EParcel Metro
Compatibility
Check our our Carrier Overview Matrix for full compatibility, limitations & restrictions.
Suitable for:
✓ Satchels, cartons & small consumer goods
✓ Foods & beverages
✓ Alcohol - with prior approval
✓ Dangerous good - limited with prior approval only. Check which DG goods are accepted in the network with our Dangerous Goods Matrix
✘ Heavy bulky freight or pallets
✓ Consolidated freight (un-palletised)
✓ Surcharges. Australia Post surcharges will be included in the API quote at the time of booking
✘ Complimentary carrier insurance. Enable Shippit Transit Protection to cover your orders for loss & damage
Services explained
Service | Serviceability | Integration | Max dead | Max cubic | Max length | Freight profile |
EParcel Standard | Australia wide
| API | <22kg | <0.25m³ | <1.05m | ✓ Satchels & cartons
✓ Consolidated freight
✘ Pallets
✓ Alcohol
✓ Food & beverages
✓ Perishables
✓ Limited dangerous goods |
EParcel Express | Australia wide
| API | <22kg | <0.25m³ | <1.05m | ✓ Satchels & cartons
✓ Consolidated freight
✘ Pallets
✓ Alcohol
✓ Food & beverages
✓ Perishables
✓ Limited dangerous goods |
EParcel International Standard | Australia wide
| API | <20kg | 140cm girth | <1.05m | ✓ Satchels & cartons
✓ Consolidated freight
✘ Pallets
✓ Alcohol
✓ Food & beverages
✓ Perishables
✘ Dangerous goods |
EParcel International Express | Australia wide
| API | <20kg | 140cm girth | <1.05m | ✓ Satchels & cartons
✓ Consolidated freight
✘ Pallets
✓ Alcohol
✓ Food & beverages
✓ Perishables
✘ Dangerous goods |
EParcel OnDemand | Limited serviceability
| API | <25kg | L50cm x W50cm x H50cm | L50cm x W50cm x H50cm | ✓ Satchels & cartons
✓ Consolidated freight
✘ Pallets
✓ Alcohol
✓ Food & beverages
✓ Perishables
✘ Dangerous goods |
EParcel Metro | Metro cities only | API | < 22 kgs | < 0.25 m3 | < 1.05m | ✓ Satchels & cartons
✓ Consolidated freight
✘ Pallets
✓ Alcohol
✓ Food & beverages
✓ Perishables
✘ Dangerous goods |
Activation
With an eligible Shippit subscription, you have the ability to bring your own BYO Australia Post rates to our platform.
What do I need to do to connect my own account?
Please email [email protected] with the below account information:
Account Number
API Key
Secret Key
If you do not have it on hand, you can follow the steps below to obtain them.
Please note: it can take between 1-3 weeks to activate your account.
Obtaining Australia Post API Credentials
To generate an API key, you will need the following:
An eParcel or Australia Post account, along with an Australia Post business credit account
Your account number
If you do not currently have an account with Australia Post, please phone 13 11 18 and arrange to open a business credit account and include eParcel. Alternatively, you can contact Australia Post here.
Steps to setting up API keys in developer centre
Step 1. Setup a developer centre account
Complete all fields on the registration page and make sure to activate your account once you have received a confirmation email from Australia Post.
Note: if you have a MyPost account that is registered under your business email address, you can use the same credentials to access the Developer Centre.
Register for the Shipping & Tracking APIs at https://developers.auspost.com.au/apis
Click the Register link and Complete Registration to continue.
Register for the Shipping and Tracking APIs
https://developers.auspost.com.au/apis/st-registration
Click on the ‘Register your interest today’ link.
Ensure you specify your account number(s), separated by commas (you can specify a large list in the comments field in the last step)
If you are adding account(s) to an existing key, please specify this including the key you wish the account(s) to be added to, in the comments field in the last step
Specify your platform partner in the second step of the registration process
Wait for the confirmation email and then follow the steps provided
For any issues, please contact AusPost's Lodgement Support team: https://auspost.com.au/lodgement-techsupport
Step 2. Activate shipping and tracking API
Make sure to specify that you are looking for an API key that has access to tracking, product pricing, lodgement and label printing, then enter the Australia Post account to be linked to the key.
Important Note: Ensure you specify your account number(s), separated by commas, you can enter up to 20 account numbers here.
Step 3. Specify platform partner
Specify Shippit as your Platform Partner and indicate that you are willing to give us consent to access your account by checking the box below the partner list.
Important Note: This is an important step as it allows our team to troubleshoot any issues on your behalf.
In this last step, before hitting Send, choose your state territory. You can also specify a large list of additional account numbers in the comments field.
Please wait for the confirmation email and then follow the steps as advised. This should be received within 1 business day.
Step 4. Provide credentials
Once your API key is generated, please share the API key and password along with your 10-digit Australia Post account number with Support.
Provide all relevant account numbers and the name of the matching store(s) in Shippit.
Any specific Startrack product preferences like Pack and Track and SafeDrop enablement or disablement
If any issues arise prior to receiving your API keys from AusPost/Startrack, please contact the AusPost/Startrack Customer Connectivity team or your AusPost/Startrack account manager and copy in Support.
How to start shipping with Australia Post
1. Go to Settings in your account
2. Select Carriers
3. Select "Link Account" next to either Australia Post and/or Australia Post Express
4. Input credentials provided by Australia Post (Instructions on how to obtain them below).
5. Upon submission of the complete information enumerated above, the configuration may take a day to set up.
* Please note: After connecting your account Shippit will display the default product preference to connect your account. If you require specific product preference defaults to be used, please contact [email protected] to update this setting immediately.
Shipping high volumes or special goods?
Dangerous Goods can be shipped via eParcel and eParcel Express, with prior authorisation only.
Once you have the approval and requirements agreed on with Australia Post, Shippit can then help configure your account to support the relevant DG.
For an overview of Australia Post's accepted DG classes and limitations, click here.
Australia Post On Demand
Australia Post On-demand has four service types (below) offering same-day service from metropolitan to metropolitan available for a sub-set of postcodes.
Check postcode availability here.
NOW (or any time today)
AFTERNOON (deliver between 1 pm and 5 pm)
TONIGHT (deliver between 6 pm and 9 pm)
SATURDAY (deliver Saturdays between 1 pm and 6 pm).
Things to note:
The On-demand service does not operate on public holidays
There are minimum volume quotas so please check with your Australia Post account manager for further clarification
The On-demand service only operates in metro Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. Check availability here.
The Tonight and Saturday services can only deliver to residential addresses so will exclude business addresses, parcel lockers and PO Boxes
The maximum dead weight for orders is 25 kg
The maximum dimensions for orders are 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm
No dangerous goods are accepted.
Service Times
The Australia Post On-demand service manifest, collection and delivery times are summarised in the table below.
Explanation of terms:
Last manifest time for same-day bookings: The latest Australia Post will accept a manifest in order to execute the same day delivery.
Manifest time: Manifest at least "X" prior collection time, e.g. if a merchant has an 11:00 am pick up for their AFT orders, Australia Post will accept a 10:00 am manifest as AFT orders are expected to be manifested 1 hour prior to pick up.
Service Availability: When the service is available for bookings of orders.
Pick-up time: The scheduled/last pick-up time for each of the services.
Delivery Window: The windows that each service is completed.
To integrate the Australia Post On-demand service into your fulfilment system the following steps need to be taken:
Register your new On-demand service by signing up to the Australia Post Developer Centre and register for the Shipping and Tracking API.
Meet with your Australia Post On-demand implementation team to discuss your onboarding requirements
Contact Shippit to integrate your fulfilment system. *See what we need from you below.
Update your website and operational process to cater for On-demand. Verify your setup and you're ready to launch!
What we need from you
Once you receive your Australia Post’s On-demand credentials, please email this information to [email protected] so we can help configure your Shippit settings.
NOTE: If your subscription plan has assigned an account manager to you, please send the below details to them directly.
Shippit Store Name: The name of your merchant account
Account Number: Your unique Australia Post On-demand account number
API Key: The API key provided by Australia Post
Secret Key: Your Australia Post On-demand API key password
FTP Username: Your FTP username setup with AusPost
FTP Password: The password for the FTP username
Service Code/s: The codes that you will be using i.e. NOW, AFT, TON and/or SAT
Australia Post Account Manager Details: Name, email and contact number
Upon submission of complete information enumerated above, configuration may take 2 to 3 days and depending on how quickly you can check and approve the built rate card.
Considerations to implement Australia Post On-demand with Shippit
Step 1: Update your shopping cart to show On-demand
Ensure to cater for valid postcodes, cut-off times and parcel size limitations.
Step 2: Integration with Shippit
There are two ways to integrate your Shippit account with the Australia Post On-demand service, with your Shippit supported cart or direct API integration.
Step 2 a: Shippit Cart Integration
Merchants with cart integrations please refer to your specific platform for the integration guidelines.
Step 2b: Direct API Integration
For API integrations please refer to the Shippit API specifications (priority order request) for more details.
Merchants with a direct API integration will be required to make use of the following parameters in the Shippit Order API to create orders with their Australia Post On-demand service. The Order API courier_type parameter with a specific delivery_date and delivery_window must be included e.g.
The Australia Post On-demand specific delivery windows must be used to select the correct service type, their four service types are:
Step 3: Authority to Leave
Please note that ‘Authority to Leave’ is mandatory for the Australia Post On-demand service.
Step 4: Complete your Australia Post On-demand integration testing
Place test orders, one per service, with a delivery date 10 days in the future and provide your test labels and consignment numbers to your Australia Post account manager for approval. Once approved, please arrange pickups with your Austalia Post account manager as they require 3 days' notice prior to service launch.