Le­gal reg­u­la­tions on postal ser­vice pro­vi­sion

• Universal service
• Prices

Universal service

Deutsche Post AG has undertaken to ensure provision of the legally required universal service.

Letters

Letters must be delivered at least once every working day, including Saturday. Provided no other form of collection has been agreed, letters must be posted through the letterbox or handed to the addressee. If this is not possible, letters may be left with another person, unless the addressee has issued instructions to the contrary.

On average over the year, at least 80% of letters posted in Germany must be delivered on the following working day, and 95% must be delivered within two working days. There is no legal right to have a letter delivered within these time limits.

Parcels

Parcels must be delivered at least once every working day, including Saturday. Parcels must be delivered to the addressee personally or handed to someone from the same household or to a neighbour, unless the sender or addressee has issued instructions to the contrary. Many postal operators leave items that cannot be handed over personally at a post office or parcel locker.

On average over the year, at least 80% of parcels posted in Germany must be delivered by the second working day.

Newspapers and magazines

Newspapers and magazines must be delivered once every working day. Delivery should be made on the day of publication.

Post offices and postal retail outlets

There must be at least 12,000 post offices throughout Germany. A post office can also be operated as a postal retail outlet within a retail store. There must be at least one post office in municipalities with more than 2,000 inhabitants.

In any urban area with more than 4,000 inhabitants, there must be a post office within 2,000 metres.

Postboxes

In urban areas, a postbox may not be farther than 1,000 metres away.

Mail must be collected from postboxes every working day. Collection times must take business and economic needs into account. Mail collection must take place as needed on Sundays and holidays.

Prices

Letter pricing

The letter stamp prices charged by Deutsche Post AG, a company with a dominant market position, must receive prior approval from the Bundesnetzagentur. The Bundesnetzagentur defines the scope for price changes for various products (such as postcards, standard letters, compact letters, registered delivery) for a specific time period, taking current costs and the inflation rate into account. Price changes requested by Deutsche Post AG are approved if they fall within the scope permitted.

Parcels pricing

Prices for parcels in Germany do not require prior approval. Companies are free to set their own prices.
For companies with a dominant market position whose parcel prices may infringe legal requirements, the Bundesnetzagentur can examine the parcel prices retrospectively.

Books and goods items

Prices for mailing books and goods items are not subject to approval by the Bundesnetzagentur. They can be set by Deutsche Post AG without prior review by the Bundesnetzagentur.