# Christmas last posting dates 2026 UK: Royal Mail and more UK Christmas 2026 last posting dates for Royal Mail (2nd Class, 1st Class, Tracked 24/48), Evri, DPD and InPost, plus seller cut-off dates for eBay and Vinted. Royal Mail's last posting date for 2nd Class before Christmas 2026 is Friday 18 December. 1st Class and Tracked 24 follow on Monday 21 December, and Special Delivery Guaranteed on Wednesday 23 December. Evri's last date is Friday 18 December for courier collection, and DPD dates for Post Office drop-offs run from Saturday 19 December. InPost, which replaced Yodel in July 2026, recommends Saturday 19 December, reports ShipStation. ## Last posting dates for Christmas 2026 (UK delivery) These are the last dates to post for UK delivery before Christmas, taken from the [Royal Mail Christmas page](https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates) and the Post Office list. Royal Mail says the dates can change. | Service | Last posting date for UK delivery before Christmas 2026 | | --- | --- | | Royal Mail 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For | Friday 18 December | | Royal Mail Tracked 48 | Saturday 19 December | | Royal Mail 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For and Tracked 24 | Monday 21 December | | Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed | Wednesday 23 December | | Parcelforce express48 | Monday 21 December | | Parcelforce express24, expressAM and express10 | Tuesday 22 December | | Evri courier collection | Friday 18 December | | Evri standard delivery (ParcelShop or Locker, by 11am) | Saturday 19 December | | Evri Next Day (ParcelShop or Locker, by 11am) | Monday 21 December | | DPD 2 Day (at the [Post Office](https://www.postoffice.co.uk/last-posting-dates)) | Saturday 19 December | | DPD Next Day (at the Post Office) | Monday 21 December | | DPD Gold (at the Post Office) | Wednesday 23 December | | InPost (formerly Yodel) | Saturday 19 December (recommended, reported by ShipStation) | Royal Mail dates checked 28 October 2026 and unchanged since 23 October. Evri dates are from [Evri's Christmas 2026 page](https://www.evri.com/news/last-posting-dates-for-christmas-2026), dated 28 October 2026 and checked 7 November 2026. DPD dates are from the Post Office list, checked 1 November 2026, and apply to parcels you hand in at a branch. The InPost date is a recommendation [reported by ShipStation](https://www.shipstation.com/en-gb/blog/christmas-2026-last-posting-dates-uk/) and is not on InPost's own site as of 7 November 2026. Remote postcodes should go earlier, and branch cut-off times vary. The Yodel brand ended on 17 July 2026, so use InPost for those parcels. Look at each carrier's own Christmas page before you set a deadline. ## What should sellers do about these dates? Pick your own "order by" date, a few days before the carrier cut-off, and put it in every listing. The carrier date is the last day it will accept a parcel. It is not the day you want to be packing. A simple plan for 2026: - **Work back from Royal Mail 2nd Class.** The last date is Friday 18 December. If you post cheap parcels 2nd Class, a buyer who orders after about Monday 14 December is a risk. - **Keep a faster service for late orders.** 1st Class (Monday 21 December) or Special Delivery (Wednesday 23 December) buys you a few extra days. Check that the extra postage still leaves you a profit before you offer it. - **Allow time to pack.** If you only post twice a week, your real last order date is earlier than the carrier's. - **Write the date in the listing.** For example: "Order by Sunday 13 December for Christmas delivery." Buyers read it, and it protects you if a parcel arrives late. ## How do I set this on eBay, Vinted and Depop? Set a short handling time and state your cut-off in the listing text on every platform. - **eBay:** shorten your handling time to 1 working day in December. Add your order-by date to the description. If you go on holiday, use eBay's time away setting so buyers see it. See our [eBay selling guide](/blog/how-much-does-ebay-take-uk) for the basics. - **Vinted:** Vinted gives you a set window to post after a sale, so you cannot stretch it. Say in your bio and item description when you stop posting. Remove or hide items you cannot send in time. See [Vinted reselling in the UK](/blog/vinted-reselling-uk). - **Depop:** put your last posting date in your bio and shipping notes. Use the same order-by date as on your other platforms. - **Your own shop:** show a banner with the order-by date, and show it again at checkout. If you sell on more than one platform, [eBay vs Vinted vs Depop](/blog/ebay-vs-vinted-vs-depop-uk) shows how each handles postage and timing. ## When should I stop accepting orders? Stop taking orders for Christmas delivery at your slowest service's cut-off, and either hide the listings or add a note that new orders ship after Christmas. - Hide or pause listings you cannot post in time. A late sale you cannot deliver costs you a refund and may cost you feedback. - If an order comes in after your cut-off, message the buyer at once. Tell them it will not arrive by Christmas. Offer a refund or cancellation, or ask if they are happy to receive it after Christmas. - Cancel and refund promptly if the buyer wants it. A quick cancel is better than a late parcel and a dispute. - Keep proof of posting. Tracked or signed-for services help if a buyer says an item was late. ## Which days have no collections? Christmas Day 2026 is Friday 25 December. Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, has a substitute bank holiday on Monday 28 December, and New Year's Day 2027 is Friday 1 January. [GOV.UK lists the UK bank holidays](https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays). Expect no normal collections or deliveries on those days, and delays either side. ## What about international parcels? International last posting dates are much earlier than UK dates. Royal Mail publishes them by country and service on its [Christmas page](https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates). We have not copied them here because they differ by destination. Check the page for the country you are sending to. ## Common questions ### What is the last day to post for Christmas 2026 in the UK? For Royal Mail, it depends on the service. 2nd Class is Friday 18 December, 1st Class is Monday 21 December, and Special Delivery Guaranteed is Wednesday 23 December. Check Royal Mail's page, as the dates can change. ### What is the Evri Christmas cut-off for 2026? Evri's own 2026 dates are Friday 18 December for courier collection, Saturday 19 December for standard delivery and Monday 21 December for Next Day. For the ParcelShop and Locker dates, drop off by 11am. The Post Office list gives the same Saturday and Monday dates for Evri parcels handed in at a branch. ### Do Royal Mail deliver on Christmas Day? Not as a normal service. Christmas Day 2026 is Friday 25 December, and Boxing Day is on Saturday 26 December with a substitute bank holiday on Monday 28 December. Post well before then. ### What should I do if a buyer orders after my cut-off? Message them straight away. Say it will not arrive before Christmas, then offer a refund, a cancellation or a delivery after Christmas. ## Where this fits Christmas is one of the busiest weeks to sell, and missed dates cost refunds. For the wider plan, see [Christmas reselling in the UK](/blog/christmas-reselling-uk). To sell on each platform, read [selling on eBay in the UK](/blog/how-much-does-ebay-take-uk), [Vinted reselling in the UK](/blog/vinted-reselling-uk) and [eBay vs Vinted vs Depop](/blog/ebay-vs-vinted-vs-depop-uk). Everything for UK sellers is in the [reselling hub](/reselling-uk).