DHL Delivery Attempted — What to Do Next
What It Means
"Delivery attempted" (or 'Recipient not available' or 'Could not deliver') means the DHL courier went to the delivery address but was unable to complete delivery — typically because no one was home to accept the package or provide a required signature.
DHL leaves a paper delivery notice (door tag or card) at the delivery address with instructions and a waybill number for retrieval. The notice includes options: schedule a redelivery, collect from a DHL Service Point, or authorize release for future attempt.
DHL Express typically makes up to three delivery attempts. After failed attempts, the package is held at a DHL facility for a defined period (usually 5–7 business days) before being returned to the sender.
What To Do Next
- 1Check the physical delivery notice left at your door — it contains your waybill number and specific instructions for your country
- 2Use DHL On Demand Delivery (odd.dhl.com) to schedule a redelivery, redirect to a DHL Service Point, or authorize safe drop
- 3Contact DHL customer service with your tracking number if you didn't receive a physical notice
- 4For urgent shipments, arrange to pick up directly from the DHL facility using the address on the tracking page
- 5Act within 24–48 hours — the package will move to a pickup hold location and you have a limited window before return to sender
Frequently asked questions
Related Tracking Statuses
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