Correos mail, mailboxes and certified letters you must collect

Terms used

• Aviso — The aviso is the notice left in your mailbox when a delivery failed, naming the Correos office holding your item.
• Buzón — The buzón is the mailbox at your building or front door where ordinary post and avisos are left.
• Apartado de correos — An apartado de correos is a post office box you rent at a Correos branch to receive your post.
• Lista de correos — Lista de correos is a free service where Correos holds post in your name at an office for you to collect with ID.
• IVA — IVA is Spain's value added tax, added to the price of most goods and services.
• NIE — The NIE is the identity number Spain gives to foreigners, used on official documents.
• DNI — The DNI is the national identity card of Spanish citizens.

Key rules

• Aviso: If you miss a certified delivery, the aviso in your buzón is your only pointer to the item, so check for it.
• Official letters: A letter from a public body you do not collect still counts as notified, and your deadlines keep running.
• Collecting: Bring the aviso and official ID, or send a signed authorisation with a photocopy of your ID and the collector's original ID.
• Holding time: Correos holds a certified item for 15 calendar days from the notice, then returns it to the sender.

The short version

Ordinary post goes into your buzón (mailbox). Certified items and official letters need a signature. If you are out, the postman leaves an aviso in your buzón, and you must collect the item at the Correos office it names. Do this quickly. An official letter you ignore can still count as delivered.

How a certified item reaches you

1. The postman tries to deliver at your address.
2. The item can go to you or to an authorised person over 16 who lives or works there. They sign for it.
3. If nobody can receive it, the postman tries again on a later working day, at a different time of day. This is normally within three working days.
4. After a failed attempt, the postman leaves an aviso in your buzón. It names the office holding the item, gives a reference and shows the collection deadline.

Make sure your name is on the buzón and on the door or bell. Otherwise the postman may not be able to deliver, and you may not get the aviso.

How long Correos holds it

Correos holds a certified item at the office for 15 calendar days from the notice before returning it to the sender. Count from the date on the aviso, not from the day you find it. Weekends and holidays count.

Letters from public bodies, such as tax or immigration offices, follow their own legal rules. The holding period can be shorter, so use the deadline printed on your aviso.

What happens if you do not collect

For private mail, the item goes back to the sender, marked as not collected.

For an official letter from a public body, the consequences are harder:

• If you do not collect it, it counts as rejected. The procedure carries on without you.
• Your deadlines to respond or appeal run from the end of the holding period. They do not start when you finally read the letter.
• Refusing the letter at the door has the same effect.
• If you must receive notices electronically, the same applies when you do not open an electronic notice within 10 calendar days.

Collecting the item

Take the aviso and your official ID to the office named on it. Someone else can collect for you with your signed authorisation. They also need a photocopy of your ID and their own original ID. The documents list below has the full detail, including what a company needs.

If you miss the deadline or lose the aviso, go to the office anyway and ask. For an official letter, also contact the sender straight away.

Other ways to receive post

If you are often out, or you have no stable address yet, you can:

• Rent an apartado de correos, a post office box. You apply at a Correos branch with free boxes, sign a contract and show your passport, NIE or DNI. It is paid yearly in advance, plus IVA. Prices depend on box size and branch, so ask the branch for the current price.
• Use lista de correos. You have items sent to a Correos office, free of charge, and collect them with ID. Items are held for about 15 days.
• Use a Citypaq locker for parcels.
• Use a private mailbox service.

The choice below compares these options.

Choosing between options

How do you want to receive your post in Spain?

• Apartado de correos: You want your own box at a Correos branch. It is paid yearly in advance and costs roughly €50 to €150 a year plus IVA, depending on size and branch.

• Lista de correos: You want free delivery to a Correos office. Show ID to collect, and items are held for about 15 days.

• Citypaq locker: You want parcels left in a locker instead of waiting for someone at home.

• Private mailbox service: You prefer a paid service outside Correos to receive your post.

Pick the apartado if you want a permanent box, lista de correos if you want it free and can collect in person, and a locker or private service if neither suits.

Timeline and deadlines

• The postman tries to deliver the certified item at your address: first attempt

• After a failed attempt, an aviso is left in your mailbox naming the office that holds the item: after the failed attempt

• Collect the item at that office with the aviso and your ID: within 15 calendar days of the notice

• Items you do not collect go back to the sender: after 15 calendar days

• For an official letter from a public body, the second attempt comes at least three hours after the first: within three days

• An official letter you do not collect counts as rejected, and your deadlines run from the end of this period: after up to 10 calendar days at the office

• Pay for an apartado de correos: annually in advance

Documents you need

• The aviso (the notice left in your mailbox) showing the reference and the office holding your item.

• Your official ID: a DNI if you are Spanish, or a NIE, residence card or passport if you are a foreigner.

• If someone else collects for you: a written authorisation signed by you, plus a photocopy of your ID.

• If someone else collects for you: their own original ID.

• For a company: proof that the person collecting represents it.

• To rent an apartado de correos (a post office box): your passport, NIE or DNI. A company also needs its tax ID and the representative's documents.

Checklist

• Check your mailbox for an aviso after any missed delivery.

• Read the aviso for the office name, the reference and the collection deadline.

• Take the aviso and your official ID to that office before the deadline.

• Send a signed authorisation, a photocopy of your ID and the collector's ID if someone else goes for you.

• Choose a Correos branch with free boxes if you want an apartado de correos.

• Ask the branch for the current yearly price of the box size you want.

What to watch out for

• Uncollected official letters still count as delivered: If a letter from a public body is not collected within up to 10 calendar days at the Correos office, it is treated as rejected. The procedure goes on and your deadlines start running without you having read it. Collect any aviso from a public body straight away and read the letter the same day.

• Refusing an official letter does not help: If you expressly refuse an official letter, it still counts as notified. Accept the letter, then ask the office that sent it about your options.

• Electronic notices can be treated as rejected too: If you must receive notices electronically, they are treated as rejected after 10 calendar days if you do not open them. Check your electronic notification inbox regularly if the rules require you to use it.

What if you miss a parcel or a Correos notice

Act as soon as you find the notice. Correos holds a certified item for 15 calendar days from the notice before returning it to the sender. Couriers often hold parcels for less time, so the date on your notice or tracking page is the one to trust.

If you missed a Correos notice

2. Go to that office before the deadline. Take the aviso and an official ID: a NIE, a residence card or a passport.
3. Send someone else if you cannot go. They need a written authorisation signed by you, a photocopy of your ID and their own original ID. A company needs proof that the person represents it.

If you lost the aviso, go to the office anyway with your ID and ask staff to look up the item.

Letters from a public authority, such as a tax or immigration notice, can follow their own deadlines, and the office may ask for extra documents. Read the notice itself for its date. Do not wait for the full holding period.

If you missed a courier parcel

1. Look for the notice, SMS or email. It usually has a tracking link. Couriers normally try again on the next working day, and sometimes a third time.
2. Use the tracking number. In the courier's app or website you can usually choose a new delivery day, change the address or redirect the parcel to a pickup point. You can also phone customer service or ask the shop that sent it.
3. Collect it from the branch or pickup point if you prefer. Take the tracking number and your ID.

The number of attempts and the options depend on the service the sender bought. Check the tracking page for the exact deadline.

Why speed matters

Once the holding period ends, the item goes back to the sender. Getting it resent can take weeks and may cost money. If it has already been returned, contact the sender and ask them to ship it again.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone else at my address accept a certified letter for me?

Yes, an authorised person over 16 who lives or works at the address can receive it, as long as they sign for it. If nobody can take it, the postman leaves an aviso and the item waits at the Correos office.

Can a company collect a certified item at Correos?

Yes, but the person collecting must also show proof that they represent the company. Bring the aviso and your own ID as well, and ask the office if it needs anything extra.

Does refusing an official letter stop the deadline from running?

No, refusing an official letter from a public body still counts as being notified. The procedure continues and your deadlines run anyway, so accept the letter and read it.