What Is Proof of Delivery (POD) and How to Get It

Introduction

Proof of Delivery, usually shortened to POD, is the evidence a courier records when a parcel is handed over. Ship24 can provide that evidence alongside your tracking data.

POD is available as a paid add-on on selected plans. This article covers what you get, what it looks like, and how to switch it on.

What Proof of Delivery means

When a courier completes a delivery, it often captures something showing the parcel arrived. That might be the recipient signature, a photo of the parcel at the door, or a delivery receipt.

Couriers make this evidence available in different ways, and many do not make it available at all. Ship24 collects it where it exists and returns it with your tracking data, so it sits in one place with everything else about the shipment.

POD is mainly used to resolve disputes, handle chargebacks, answer claims that a parcel never arrived, and support claims against couriers.

The formats POD can take

There is no industry standard for POD, so the format depends on the courier. Ship24 returns whichever of these the courier provides:

• Signature as text. The recipient name recorded as plain text, for example “Signed by John Doe”, with the date it was signed.
• Signature as an image. A picture of the hand-written signature.
• Photo evidence. A photo taken at the point of delivery, usually the parcel at the door or in a safe place.
• Document. A delivery receipt, most often a PDF.

Which plans include POD

POD is a paid add-on on top of your existing plan. It can be added to Tracking API Pro and Tracking Solution Pro (All-in-one). It is not available on Tracking Solution Essential.

The add-on price follows the shipment quota tier of your plan, so it adjusts automatically if you move up or down a tier. See Ship24 pricing and plans for the full breakdown.

Tracking Solution Pro (All-in-one)

• 1,000 shipments per month: $9 per month
• 2,000 shipments: $19
• 5,000 shipments: $29
• 10,000 shipments: $49
• 20,000 shipments: $99
• 50,000 shipments: $249
• 100,000 shipments: $399
• 250,000 shipments: $999

Tracking API and Webhook Pro

• 1,000 shipments per month: $9 per month
• 5,000 shipments: $29
• 25,000 shipments: $99
• 50,000 shipments: $189
• 150,000 shipments: $449
• 400,000 shipments: $949
• 1,000,000 shipments: $1,999

How to request POD

POD are automatically request for every shipment created once you have the add-on active.

How you receive POD

After delivery, Ship24 continues checking for POD for a period, since couriers often publish it some time after the parcel arrives. You can receive it in the following ways.

By webhook

POD arrives on its own webhook topic, separate from your tracking event updates. You set a dedicated Proof of Delivery webhook URL in your dashboard under Integrations, alongside your existing tracking updates URL.

Text POD arrives in the payload directly. File POD arrives as a download link.

In the API response

POD is returned on the tracker under the delivery information for that tracking number, with a type indicating the format and either the text or a download link.

In your Shipment Dashboard

POD will also be viewable directly in the Shipment Dashboard, in the shipment details, with a preview for images and receipts and a download option. This is in development and not yet available.

Why POD is not always available

Even with the add-on active and a supported courier, POD may not come back. The usual reasons:

• The courier does not provide POD for that service or that delivery
• The delivery was not signed for, so there is nothing to provide
• The courier requires information Ship24 does not hold, such as a post code or the recipient name
• The courier made it available too long after delivery

Coverage also varies widely between couriers. See which couriers support Proof of Delivery before relying on it for a particular lane.

Next steps

For field-level detail and example payloads, see the Ship24 API documentation.

Updated on: 13/08/2026