An Post has launched a new service enabling customers to send small parcels through 2,600 postboxes across Ireland, combining traditional postal infrastructure with digital check-in technology to simplify parcel posting nationwide.
The Postbox Drop-off service, announced on 10 November 2026, allows customers to send postage-paid small parcels by checking in their items through the An Post mobile application and confirming the posting location before dropping parcels into participating postboxes.
Key facts
- 2,600 of An Post’s 5,300 postboxes nationwide now accept small parcels
- Maximum parcel dimensions are 240mm x 45mm, approximately the size of a cereal box top
- A major postbox refurbishment programme will begin across the country in 2027
- Participating postboxes in every county are identifiable through the An Post App
- Proof of posting receipts are stored digitally within the mobile application
Digital Integration Extends Postal Network Reach
Fergal Leamy, CEO of An Post, said the company is focused on innovation and making its network work harder for customers. “Postbox Drop-off is a great example of that: combining the reach and convenience of 2,600 postboxes across Ireland with our digital technology to create a faster, simpler way to send and return parcels,” he stated.
The service targets small, lightweight items including shopping returns, gifts, and marketplace purchases sent with pre-paid postage labels. A significant proportion of customer parcels posted with print-at-home labels contain small accessories, books, single garments or other compact items suitable for postbox posting.
Heritage Preservation and Service Expansion
An Post will commence a comprehensive postbox refurbishment programme in 2027, recognising the importance of postboxes to local history and heritage. The initiative aims to ensure the iconic postal infrastructure looks its best whilst serving expanded customer needs.
Participating postboxes span urban and rural locations across all counties. Customers without home printing facilities or those sending larger parcels can visit any Post Office or Postpoint agent to have Click & Post or marketplace labels printed and receive physical proof of posting receipts.
The service requires customers to follow specific guidelines. Parcels must not exceed maximum dimensions of 240mm x 45mm, though some older postboxes may have slightly smaller apertures. Items must never be left on or beside postboxes. Only correctly checked-in parcels posted into the postbox will be collected by An Post at the next scheduled collection time.
To use the Postbox Drop-off service, customers must print and affix the assigned An Post label, open the mobile app and select ‘Postbox Drop-off’, find a participating postbox nearby, scan the barcode on the prepaid tracked label, confirm package details, place the package in the postbox and confirm drop-off. Items can then be tracked through the An Post App, with proof of posting stored digitally.
The expansion builds on An Post’s ongoing digital transformation within the Irish business sector, leveraging existing infrastructure to meet evolving customer needs for convenient parcel services. Detailed instructions and a step-by-step video guide are available at anpost.com/dropoff.
Reporting based on original coverage by Shelflife.