Your shipment has been placed on hold by DHL awaiting payment of related fees. This can be a worrying situation if you don’t know why it is happening or what to do next. This article will provide an overview of what it means when a DHL shipment is on hold awaiting payment, reasons it may occur, and steps you can take to get your package moving again quickly.
What Does “On Hold Awaiting Payment” Mean For Your DHL Shipment?
When DHL places a parcel “on hold”, it means they have stopped the shipment at some point between pickup and delivery. The package is being held until an outstanding payment related to the shipment is made.
This could be customs duties and taxes that must be paid before the package can be released from customs. Or it could be an issue with payment of the shipping fees themselves. Either way, no further transportation or delivery will happen until these fees are paid.
Common Reasons a DHL Shipment Goes “On Hold”
There are a few main reasons why your DHL express parcel or package may be put on hold awaiting payment:
- Unpaid Customs Charges – If importing items across borders, customs taxes and duties often apply. If these aren’t pre-paid, the shipment will be held until they are.
- Incomplete Paperwork – Items need proper documentation for international shipping. If any paperwork is missing or filled out incorrectly, it can cause a hold.
- Outstanding Shipping Fees – If you owe money from a previous shipment or there is an issue collecting payment for the current shipment, DHL will place a hold.
- Security Concerns – A package may be flagged if it raises security questions or concerns for customs officials. More screening will cause a hold up.
What To Do If Your DHL Parcel Is “On Hold”
Don’t panic if your DHL package status shows as “on hold” – there are steps you can take to get it moving again:
- Contact DHL To Investigate – Your first step is to directly contact DHL and find out why the package is held up. They can tell you what specific fees are owed or documents are missing.
- Pay Any Required Fees Promptly – Once you know what the hold up is, quickly pay any customs duties, taxes, or shipping fees that are outstanding. This will release the package.
- Provide Missing Paperwork – If documents are missing, work promptly to provide the proper invoices, export declarations or other paperwork needed to meet regulations.
- Confirm Security Questions are Resolved – If flagged by customs for screening, ensure all requested information is provided to resolve security concerns about the parcel contents.
- Track Progress After Actions Taken – After taking the needed actions, continue monitoring the DHL tracking to confirm when the parcel is released and resumes shipment.
What to Remember With a DHL “On Hold” Package
Having a parcel placed on hold can cause stress and delay, but there are ways to get it back on track:
- Contact DHL to find out exactly why it is held up.
- Quickly take any actions needed to pay fees or provide paperwork.
- Follow up to confirm when resolved and shipment resumes.
- Monitor tracking closely for status updates on release from hold.
- Remain patient but persistent and proactive in getting the required issues resolved.
With the right approach, you can get your DHL shipment released from “on hold” awaiting payment status to continue smoothly to its destination. Being aware of the potential reasons for a hold up can help you prevent this from happening again in the future.
