Post office, parcels and other local errands in Spanish

Key rules

• Correos hold: Correos normally holds a parcel or letter for 15 calendar days before returning it to the sender.
• Collection: Bring the aviso and your photo ID to the Correos office.
• Courier parcels: Courier pick-up points often hold parcels for a shorter time, so check the message for the date.
• Copied keys: Security keys may need a card or authorization before they can be copied.

What to do when a delivery is missed

If nobody answered the door, you get a notice. Act on it quickly: Correos holds an item for 15 calendar days before it goes back to the sender.

The notice (aviso de llegada) tells you which Correos office holds the item and gives a reference. Keep it. Correos often tries a second delivery first, so you may not need to go at all. If you are away or unsure, go to the office as soon as you can.

Collecting at Correos

Take the aviso and your official photo ID. The documents list below shows what counts and what a helper needs.

If someone else collects for you, they need your signed authorization. Correos has a form at the counter. Letters from public bodies can have stricter rules. Some need you in person, so read the notice and ask at the counter.

Useful phrase: Vengo a recoger un paquete.

Couriers and pick-up points

A courier usually leaves a notice or sends an SMS or email with a link. Use it to pick another delivery day or a pick-up point (punto de recogida), such as a shop, a locker or a Correos office.

Courier pick-up points hold parcels for a shorter time, often 5 to 10 days, and it varies by courier. Check the message for the exact date.

Bring your ID and the tracking number or code.

Phrases that help:

• Quisiera reprogramar la entrega. (You want to reschedule.)
• ¿Pueden volver a entregarlo mañana? (Can you deliver again tomorrow?)
• No estaba en casa. (You weren't home.)
• Este es mi código de recogida. (This is your pickup code.)
• ¿Dónde está el punto de recogida más cercano? (Where is the nearest pick-up point?)
• ¿Puede recogerlo otra persona? (Can someone else collect it?)

Hairdresser

You can often just walk in, but booking is safer: Quería pedir cita para un corte.

Handy phrases:

• Solo las puntas, por favor. (Just the ends.)
• Más corto por los lados y más largo arriba. (Shorter at the sides, longer on top.)
• Un poco más corto, dos dedos. (A bit shorter, two fingers.)
• Con la máquina, del número… (Clippers, with the guard number…)
• Lavar y secar (wash and blow-dry), tinte (colour), mechas (highlights), flequillo (fringe), la raya a la izquierda (parting on the left).
• ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much?)

Key cutter

Go to a key cutter (cerrajero) or a shoe-repair shop that cuts keys. Say Quería hacer una copia de esta llave or Necesito dos copias. Ask ¿Cuánto tarda? for the time.

For a security key, ask Es una llave de seguridad, ¿pueden copiarla? Many of these need a card or authorization, so the shop may refuse a plain copy. If a key sticks, say La llave no gira bien. To change a lock cylinder, say Quiero cambiar el bombín.

Timeline and deadlines

• Read the aviso to find which Correos office holds your item and note the reference: as soon as you find it in your mailbox

• Watch for a second delivery attempt, which Correos often makes first: before the item goes to the office

• Collect the item at the Correos office with the aviso and your ID: within 15 calendar days, before it is returned to the sender

• Use the link in the courier's SMS or email to choose another delivery day or a pick-up point: as soon as you get the message after a missed delivery

• Collect the parcel at the pick-up point with your ID and the tracking number or code: within 5 to 10 days, before it is returned

Documents you need

• The aviso de llegada, the notice Correos leaves in your mailbox when it could not deliver an item.

• Your official photo ID: a DNI, NIE, residence card or passport.

• If someone else collects for you: a signed written authorization (autorización) from you, the addressee. Correos has a form at the counter.

• If someone else collects for you: a photocopy of your ID.

• If someone else collects for you: the original ID of the person collecting.

Frequently asked questions

What do I say if a courier missed me and I want another delivery day?

Say "Quisiera reprogramar la entrega" or ask "¿Pueden volver a entregarlo mañana?" if you are speaking to the courier. Most couriers also send an SMS or email with a link, where you can pick another day or a pick-up point. You can explain "No estaba en casa" if they ask why.

What do I say when I go to a pick-up point to collect a parcel?

Say "Vengo a recoger un paquete" and show your ID and the tracking number or code. If you have a code, add "Este es mi código de recogida." To find a point near you, ask "¿Dónde está el punto de recogida más cercano?"

Can a key cutter copy any key I bring?

No, many keys need a card or authorization before they can be copied. Ask "Es una llave de seguridad, ¿pueden copiarla?" before you leave it.

Do letters from public bodies follow the same collection rules at Correos?

Not always, because some official notifications must be collected by the addressee in person or by someone with a formal power of representation. A simple signed authorization may not be enough for these. Ask at the counter before you send someone in your place.