Add PostNL service to your webshop
API Overview
Our API’s are easy to use to meet your shipping needs and can be integrated into your website, e-commerceplatform and/or backend application(s).
Use cases
Check out our various use cases and examples to see how our APIs can solve your needs. Including step-by-step plans for installation and use.
Partner gallery
Want to directly get to work with our digital services? Just install our plug-ins! Use them to easily and quickly link our shipment and delivery services to your webshop.
How does it work?
Get started
- 1
Find your ideal API solution
This portal helps you through select the API's you need and eventually guides you to every step of the development journey. - 2
Login to MijnPostNL or request API key
Sign up to access our API's and start creating amazing experiences. Already a PostNL Parcels customer? It is highly recommended to request and manage the API key via MijnPostNL. In this way, your customer data is directly linked to your personal API credentials. - 3
Testing the API's
You can test the API's without writing any code. Run the API Collections directly in the Postman application to test with sample requests. - 4
Read the documentation
Get familiar with our API documentation. The detailed essential information common to all of our services. You need to be aware of these conventions before integrating any of our API's. - 5
Go to production
Integrate the API's into your webshop, e-commerce platform and/or backend application(s). Our Technical Support team will approve the move to production and will provide you with credentials.
Need help?
See our Frequently Asked Questions
PostNL customers can request an API key through the business portal MijnPostNL (mijn.postnl.nl). In the portal, please go to My Account > Manage API's > select the correct customer number > follow the instructions to request the API key. After requesting the key, please wait a moment and refresh the page. If you are building the API(s) yourself (and not using a plugin solution) you will likely receive a sandbox key first. After succesful testing and confirmation from PostNL's Digitale Klant Support team you will be provided with a production key. Once generated, API keys are visible in the portal under My Account > Manage API's.
If you are not a PostNL customer yet, there is an option to receive test credentials including a sandbox (test) API key via: https://developer.postnl.nl/request-api-key/. Please note that production keys are only provided to customers.
API keys have multiple dependencies that can result in errors like: "The user is not authorized for this operation based on …". Please make sure you are using the correct credentials and endpoint with the correct API key. For example, your production API key is only able to make calls to the API production endpoint. The keys are also often linked to your specific customer credentials such as customer number and customer code - please make sure to use the credentials PostNL has provided for implementation.
PostNL offers a wide range of services including parcel, cargo and Extra & Home distribution and we strive to make our API's as interoperable as possible. That means that many API's used for parcel delivery can also be used for cargo and food delivery, to name a few. But as the information requirements for different delivery services might vary it is wise to consult your contact person on the possibilities.
For most webservices (API's) the Production environment is limited to 1000 calls per minute, per key. The Sandbox environment is limited to 15 calls per minute, per key.