Delivery through the use of Community Mail Boxes was recently introduced by the Barbados Postal Service in response to the expansion of residential areas/business centres throughout the island.
This method of delivery is presently used in “turnkey” developments. It ensures that Barbados meets its international mail delivery standard of J+2 [3 days].
We currently offer community boxes in the following residences:
Country View Estates
Coverley
Fort George Heights
Delivery Procedures
Documents received through the mail, whether registered items, parcels or express items are delivered directly to the addressee.
In accordance with the Customs Act, [Cap 66] all non-document items must be collected at the post office and is subject to examination, forfeiture and seizure if such items contravenes the laws of Barbados and the addressee may be punished under the law. Subset 95 of the Customs Laws of Barbados states that postal packets are subject to the same regulations governing the importation of any other goods.
Prohibited and Dangerous items forwarded through the post are subject to confiscation.
Refusal or negligence in paying duties required under the law, may result in the item being returned to the sender or forwarded to the Queen’s warehouse for disposal.
All duties and taxes collected by the Barbados Postal Service are forwarded to the Comptroller of Customs.
Persons wishing to have their registered item collected on their behalf must give written authorisation, on the reverse side of the Delivery Notice [Advice of arrival]. Please note that the bearer is required to present identification as well as the identification of the addressee of the item.
Identification accepted by the post office are:
National Identification card Valid Driver’s Licence Valid Passport
Example of Authorisation:
John Smith is requesting Ms. Jenny Holder to collect his registered letter. How should the authorisation be given?
Example:
Poste Restante
Travelling to Barbados?
For a secure and reliable facility for the storage and pick-up of mail if you are travelling to Barbados, choose the Poste Restante service at the General Post Office in Bridgetown.
This service reserved for visitors to the island, who may not have a physical address in Barbados.
These goods can be deadly, injure seriously or kill people and damage property and the environment (UPU 2014).
These items are not accepted in mail items: *Explosives (e.g. fireworks) *Aerosol spray cans and other compressed gases *Perfumes *Rum *Oil paints and other flammable products *Corrosive materials such as mercury. *Lithium batteries
Dangerous Goods and Prohibited Items Prohibited articles are any postal items that contain: *Living creatures – except those approved by the relevant authority *Any obscene or immoral article *Filth *Radio-active material, whether in solid, liquid or gaseous state *Pathological specimens except those approved by the relevant authority *Currency or bank notes whether counterfeit or not.
Contains or bears… *Fictitious stamp *Counterfeit impression of a franking machine *Counterfeit of any impression authorised by or under the Post Office’s regulations, to be used to denote payment of postage fees
Metal fastener with sharp edges likely: *To cause injury to an officer of the Barbados Postal Service dealing with such article *To obstruct or impede the performance of any postal operation
For more information on prohibited articles and inland/overseas Letter Post regulations, contact your nearest post office.
This service provides customers with the facility to track their mail items through our own tracking system. Customers should allow for a minimum of (5) days for delivery.
The customer is required to complete the local Registration Form before proceeding to the cashier.
Persons posting in excess of 7 registered letters at one posting will be issued with a temporary receipt and are asked to return the following working day for the official receipt.
A customer requiring both tracking and speedy delivery, should request our Post Express Courier Service.
The use of the Registered Mail Service is also recommended for persons who need to copyright their intellectual property.
Registration fee: BDS $4.00
The cost to send a registered item comprises of the Registration Fee plus the cost of postage [this is determined by the weight of the mail item].
Registration Service Notification
Above is an extract of a Notice of Receipt of a Registered Mail received with dutiable items.
Our co-branded DHL Express Courier Service is currently offered at the General Post Office in Bridgetown. The same regulations apply for both this service and the Express Mail Service.
DHL is part of the world’s leading postal and logistics company Deutsche Post DHL Group. Its business units comprise DHL Express, DHL Parcel, DHL e-commerce, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Freight and DHL Supply Chain. Its global network, in over 220 countries and territories, allows it to offer an almost infinite number of logistics solutions.
A completed DHL Shipment Waybill must accompany each item.
INTERNATIONAL COURIER DELIVERY SERVICE
We offer:
*Fast and affordable delivery of documents and merchandise. *Utilising the network of post offices worldwide.
Ask for the EMS Express Mail Service at all post offices.
EMS – the Express Mail Service – is the international courier service offered by post offices around the world to over 200 destinations.
This provides fast and affordable delivery for documents and merchandise!
This service also provides customers with: *Priority handling from acceptance to delivery *End-to-end tracking *Signature at delivery
Rates and Delivery Standards
Forwarding of parcels and EMS items internationally
As part of the international postal network and a member of the Universal Postal Union, the United Nations organisation is responsible for facilitating cooperation and collaboration between its member countries. Barbados is mandated to abide by its regulations and Act to ensure the safety of postal staff and airline passengers as mail is transported.
In an era of terrorism and the movement of illegal drugs, dangerous goods and prohibited items, it is the requirement of the Barbados Postal Service, that all mail items are free from contraband. To facilitate this, all parcels forwarded through the post are subject to seizure if they fail to comply with local and international restrictions. To this end, parcels and express non-document items, forwarded by mail, must be examined by postal personnel before being accepted for onward transmission on air carriers.
**We regret this inconvenience but MUST comply with international regulations.
**The rate(s) displayed in the attached calculator is(are) not confirmed. Please visit one of our Post Office locations for confirmation of item assignment, weight and postage required.
Parcel Post
POSTING PARCELS INTERNATIONALLY
An inexpensive means to forward parcels and packets through the mail Maximum Weight: 20kgs [44lbs.] In accordance with international regulations, all parcels must be presented to the post office for examination before the parcel is wrapped. Parcels presented for posting which have not been examined or in the event that the customer refuses to open such parcels for examination will not be accepted for posting. To ensure fast delivery please ensure that the address is complete and all contents are listed on the CN 23 Customs Declaration Form. Parcels can be posted at all post offices.
Pictured At Left: Specimen of the Registration Envelope.
This service provided customers with the facility to track their items through the system.
Customers should allow for a minimum of five (5) days for delivery.
The customers are required to complete the Registration Form before proceeding to the cashier. Persons posting in excess of 7 registered letters at one posting will be issued with a temporary receipt and asked to return the following working day for the official receipt.
For customers requiring both tracking and a speedy delivery we recommend the use of the EMS Express Mail Service.
Registration fee: BDS $6.00 Single BDS $20.00 Bulk Post Bags
The cost to send a registered item comprises of the Registration Fee and the cost of postage (this is determined by the country of destination and the weight of the item).
Provides Private Letter Box ownership for less than $1.00 a day Enjoy:
*Access to the latest sorted mail *Privacy of your home address Security for confidential mail *Mobility while keeping the same mailing address *Confidence in a business address
Claims with regard to lost or damaged parcels should be submitted no earlier than one (1) month and preferably no later than four (4) months, from the date of posting, using the form available from the Post Office counters and accompanied by the customer receipt obtained at the time of posting.
Any item which is received by the addressee in a damaged condition should be promptly reported by the addressee to the office of delivery, to assist in the settlement of any claim.
The Postmaster General may at her discretion provide limited compensation in respect of damaged Parcel Post items. Customers are advised to ensure that private insurance coverage is secured for high value items. Compensation is limited to the value specified in the regulations of the Universal Postal Union. Any such payment is made on an exgratia basis and does not imply any admission of liability.
The final decision in respect of all questions of compensation rests with the postal administration of the country or place in the service of which the loss or damaged occurred.
The Postmaster General is not liable to pay any compensation payments in respect of items failing to satisfy security checks to comply with the Civil Aviation and Maritime Security Act.
Claims in respect of International Standard Service parcels should be made no earlier than one (1) month and preferably no later than four (4) months from the date of posting, using the form available from the Post Office counters and accompanied by the customer receipt obtained at the time of posting.
Any item which is received by the addressee in a damaged condition should be promptly reported by the addressee to the office of delivery, to assist in the settlement of any claim.
The maximum compensation payable for an item lost or damaged during transmission via EMS is $72.36.
The Postmaster General may at his discretion provide limited compensation in respect of delayed or damaged EMS items. Any such payment is made on an exgratia basis and does not imply any admission of liability.
Is the refund for any type of item?
The EMS Service compensation does not cover liability for diamonds and other precious stones, real jewellery (other than imitation) antiques, articles made largely from gold or silver or other precious metals, uncancelled stamps, negotiable documents, coins, bearer bonds. Customers are advised to ensure that private insurance coverage is secured for high valued items.
Therefore these items should not be sent.
Why would I not get a refund if my mail is lost via EMS?
The Postmaster General shall not be liable to pay any compensation payments in respect of items failing to satisfy security checks to comply with the Civil Aviation and Maritime Security Act.
It is good-bye to the terms “letters” and “parcels” with the Universal Postal Union’s Integrated Product Plan (IPP), which classifies mail according to content among other considerations.
As a result of the IPP, mail is categorised as either documents or goods.
This new classification system is compatible with requirements for modern security and customs by facilitating electronic advance data (EAD). This is critical for offering the benefits of e-commerce to customers whether for business purposes or personal use.
IPP Re-classification
A document is defined as “any piece of written, drawn, printed or digital information excluding objects of merchandise whose physical specifications lie within the limits specified in the regulations.”
Documents are classified as follows:
Classification
Weight
Thickness
Dimensions
Min.
Max.
Small (P)
Up to 100 g.
5 mm.
90 x 140 mm.
165 x 245 mm.
Large (G)
Up to 500 g.
20 mm
90 x 140 mm.
305 x 381 mm.
Bulky (E)
500 g.- 2 kgs.
Goods
In contrast, goods are defined as “any tangible and movable object other than money, including objects of merchandise, which does not fall under the definition of “document”…and whose physical specifications lie within the limits specified in the Regulations.”
Based on its content, the weight of a mail item containing “goods” can range from 0 to 30 kgs. This has implications for customers, as duties apply to goods imported into Barbados. Only documents would be exempted.
