Christmas 2026 last posting dates for Royal Mail, Evri, DPD and Parcelforce
The Christmas 2026 last posting dates are out. For UK delivery before Christmas, Royal Mail's last dates are Friday 18 December for 2nd Class, Saturday 19 December for Tracked 48, Monday 21 December for 1st Class and Tracked 24, and Wednesday 23 December for Special Delivery Guaranteed. Evri, DPD and Parcelforce cut-offs fall between 18 and 23 December.
Key facts
- Platform
- UK delivery
- Do I need to act?
- Yes
- Deadline
- 18 December 2026 (36 days left)Add to GoogleApple / Outlook
- Who it’s for
- founders, ops, marketers
- Announced
- 13 November 2026
- Source
- royalmail.com ↗
Does this affect you?
- UK online shops sending orders to UK customers for Christmas
- International deliveries, which have their own dates
Why it matters
Christmas Day is a Friday this year, so the cut-offs come a little earlier in the week than shoppers might expect. If your website promises Christmas delivery after your carrier's last date, you'll be dealing with late parcels and refund requests in the busiest week of the year.
These are the carriers' recommended dates for UK delivery. If you have a business account, check your own collection times and contract cut-offs, as they can differ.
What to do
- 1Set your last order date for ChristmasYour ops team
Work back from your carrier's last posting date, allowing for your own picking and packing time, and decide the last day customers can order for Christmas delivery.
- 2Show the cut-off on your websiteYour marketing team
Add the last order date to your announcement bar, product pages and delivery page, and update it as each date passes.
- 3Offer a faster option for late ordersYou or your finance team
If you can, offer a next-day or Special Delivery option for orders placed after your standard cut-off, priced so it covers the cost.
Questions
What is the last posting date for Christmas 2026?
Royal Mail's last recommended dates for UK delivery are Friday 18 December (2nd Class), Saturday 19 December (Tracked 48), Monday 21 December (1st Class and Tracked 24) and Wednesday 23 December (Special Delivery Guaranteed).
What are the Evri Christmas cut-off dates for 2026?
Evri's dates are Friday 18 December to book a courier collection, Saturday 19 December by 11am for standard delivery from a ParcelShop or locker, and Monday 21 December by 11am for Next Day.
What are the DPD and Parcelforce Christmas dates for 2026?
At Post Office counters, DPD's dates are Saturday 19 December for 2 Day, Monday 21 December for Next Day and Wednesday 23 December for DPD Gold. Parcelforce's are Monday 21 December for express48 and Tuesday 22 December for express24, expressAM and express10.
Found by our AI agent and checked by Peter Screeton, Founder of Create8. He confirmed the original source is genuine and that this summary matches what it said when published.
Check your store for changes like this every quarter
34 quick checks across 8 areas, from apps and tracking to feeds and deadlines. Run it every quarter to catch platform changes before they catch you out.
Get the free checklist