CTT Tracking: Shipment Codes, Statuses, Locky, Customs, Returns, and Claims

CTT tracking at a glance

• Enter: One supported CTT shipment code.
• Common official example: RD123456789PT.
• Common structure: Two product letters, nine digits, and two origin-country letters.
• Separate family: A 22-digit numeric code can apply to shipments originating in Spain.
• Do not assume: Every CTT, CTT Expresso, return, or international code has the same structure.
• Q prefix: Public information can stop at Aceite.
• U or JA prefix: The selected service can provide no route-tracking information.
• Aguarda entrada nos CTT: Electronic shipment information exists, but the item has not entered the CTT network.
• Aceite: The item entered a postal network. For an international item, the accepting operator can be the origin post rather than CTT Portugal.
• Em trânsito: Collection, transport, sorting, or processing is recorded. It is not continuous GPS.
• Em entrega: The item is on the daily delivery route. Delivery that day is not guaranteed.
• Delivery change submitted: A request exists. Acceptance, route update, and completion remain separate.
• Failed delivery: The next step can be pickup, another attempt, return, or sender instructions.
• Pickup period: Depends on product, prefix, origin, access point, and notice. Official branches include five, six, ten, and fifteen days.
• Locky: A locker network, not a carrier.
• Locky PIN: A private release credential, not a tracking number.
• Proof: Can be a paper Aviso de Receção, electronic alert, signature, unique validation PIN record, or foreign-partner proof.
• Entregue: Carrier completion is recorded. It does not universally prove personal receipt by the named buyer, correct contents, or condition.
• Return: Label creation, locker deposit, carrier pickup, merchant receipt, inspection, and refund are separate.
• International: Origin post, CTT, CTT Expresso, transit operator, customs, and destination operator can control different stages.
• Customs: Information, payment, CTT validation, authority control, release, and delivery are separate.
• July 2026 duty: Current CTT guidance describes €3 per product type in the stated low-value private-import scope, not €3 per parcel.
• Claims: Complaint periods and compensation depend on the product and contract.

Track one supported shipment code

Use the CTT shipment code shown on:

• mailing receipt;
• transport document;
• shipping label;
• merchant shipping e-mail;
• SMS;
• App CTT item;
• delivery notice;
• pickup notice;
• return instruction.

Common postal example

Current CTT guidance uses:

RD123456789PT

The official explanation describes:

• first two letters → product or solution family;
• nine digits → item-specific numeric section;
• final two letters → origin country.

This is a verified family, not a universal CTT format.

Spanish-origin 22-digit family

CTT also describes a 22-digit numeric code for a shipment originating in Spain.

The code can belong to an Iberian express workflow. Do not assume that:

• every 22-digit number belongs to CTT Portugal;
• it uses the same private provider mapping;
• the Portuguese postal provider physically has the item;
• it has the same status, pickup, proof, or claim rules.

Is every CTT code thirteen characters?

No.

The common postal family is thirteen characters, but current evidence also supports:

• 22-digit Spanish-origin codes;
• express identifiers;
• return codes;
• product-specific codes;
• foreign-operator identifiers;
• codes with limited or no route information.

Is a PT suffix proof that CTT has the parcel?

No.

The suffix can identify origin-country coding in the reviewed postal family. It does not prove:

• current country;
• physical CTT possession;
• current operator;
• successful international handoff;
• final-mile assignment.

Can I enter a merchant order?

Not automatically.

A merchant order confirms a purchase. It does not prove:

• CTT is the carrier;
• a carrier code exists;
• the seller handed over the item;
• one order equals one shipment.

Can I track by phone, e-mail, name, or address?

Not through the public shipment-code form.

A private App CTT or customs account can associate an item through customer information. That does not create public lookup by those fields.

Can I enter a Locky PIN?

No.

The Locky PIN can open a compartment and authorize release. It is not the shipment code.

Can I enter a customs or complaint reference?

No.

Keep separate:

• shipment code;
• customs case;
• payment reference;
• complaint reference;
• insurance file;
• merchant refund case.

CTT, CTT Expresso, CTT Express, and access networks

CTT – Correios de Portugal

CTT is Portugal’s public postal carrier identity.

The reviewed official materials identify CTT – Correios de Portugal, S.A. as the postal legal entity.

CTT Expresso

The reviewed express transport terms identify CTT Expresso – Serviços Postais e Logística, S.A. as the legal provider of the express service.

One page, different contracts

Postal and express tracking belong on one CTT carrier page because they share the user-facing brand and tracking journey.

The page must still preserve differences involving:

• legal provider;
• attempt count;
• delivery changes;
• proof;
• complaint deadlines;
• compensation;
• return rules.

CTT Express Spain

A Spanish-origin 22-digit identifier or CTT Express event can belong to an Iberian express route.

CTT Express Spain
≠ automatic CTT Portugal physical possession

The actual provider mapping and event operator control.

Locky, Collectt, Payshop, and CTT points

These are access, pickup, or locker objects.

They are not automatically carriers.

App CTT is multi-carrier

Current App CTT guidance says users can follow shipments distributed by other operators.

item appears in App CTT
≠ CTT is the carrier

Identifier prefixes and tracking depth

A prefix can affect:

• product;
• tracking depth;
• delivery-change rights;
• pickup period;
• proof;
• complaint route.

Q prefix

Current CTT tracker guidance says a Q-starting code can provide public information only until Aceite.

Q item accepted
→ acceptance is visible
≠ route events after acceptance must exist

A later absence of public events can be a product limitation, not a tracking failure.

U and JA prefixes

Current guidance says U- and JA-starting codes can belong to a service with no route-tracking information.

A shipment code can exist even when public route history does not.

D-prefix express families

Many D-starting express families can be eligible for delivery changes.

Eligibility still depends on:

• exact prefix;
• sender permission;
• current status;
• timing;
• product;
• destination;
• available option.

DS and DT

Some DS and DT changes are routed through customer support rather than the ordinary online flow.

DD, DE, DF, and DZ

Some changes in these branches are reserved for the sender.

The recipient must not be promised universal control.

C, G, L, O, R, U, and V

Current postal SIGA guidance includes selected post-notice change workflows for these families.

This does not mean every item with one of these letters has the same:

• tracking depth;
• delivery route;
• holding period;
• change right;
• proof.

Prefix is not a complete diagnosis

prefix recognised
→ product clue exists
≠ current physical possession
≠ exact status
≠ guaranteed change eligibility

From electronic data to final outcome

What changes the conclusion?

• Electronic preparation becomes possession after an operator-attributed acceptance or first network event.
• Transit becomes last-mile activity after Em entrega or another delivery-route event.
• Pickup notice becomes recipient possession after collection or release evidence.
• Locky readiness becomes collection after the compartment-opening or pickup event.
• Entregue becomes named-recipient evidence only when the exact proof and product support that conclusion.
• Return deposit becomes carrier possession after CTT Expresso pickup or first reverse scan.
• Customs payment becomes lawful release only after the authority authorizes the item to leave.
• Complaint becomes compensation only after accepted liability and payment.

Aguarda entrada nos CTT and physical possession

What does Aguarda entrada nos CTT mean?

The official status says:

• CTT received electronic shipment information;
• the sender can still be preparing the item;
• the item has not entered the CTT network.

Aguarda entrada nos CTT
→ electronic data exists
≠ physical CTT possession

Why can the seller say “shipped”?

A seller can mark an order shipped after:

• label creation;
• data transfer;
• packing;
• collection booking.

The first carrier event can still be missing.

What event proves network entry?

For a domestic item, the strongest public milestone is normally:

• Aceite;
• collected by CTT or CTT Expresso;
• another first verified network event.

International Aceite

For an international item, Aceite can mean the item entered the postal service in the origin country.

Aceite by origin post
→ origin operator has the item
≠ CTT Portugal has the item

Preserve the event country and publishing operator where available.

Acceptance does not verify the contents

A first carrier scan does not prove:

• correct product;
• correct quantity;
• declared value;
• adequate packaging;
• absence of hidden damage;
• merchant legitimacy.

CTT status meanings

Cancelado

The shipment process was cancelled under the record.

It does not independently prove:

• order refund;
• replacement shipment;
• merchant cancellation;
• return completion.

Em exportação

An international item is in an origin-country export or customs stage.

It has not necessarily departed the origin country.

Em importação

An international item is in a destination-country customs or import stage.

If the destination is not Portugal, the destination operator and authority control that stage.

Em trânsito

This is a broad status covering possible:

• collection;
• transport;
• sorting;
• operational-centre processing;
• postal-distribution-centre processing;
• movement through multiple centres;
• international movement through several countries.

Em trânsito
≠ one exact physical event
≠ continuous GPS
≠ guaranteed delivery time

Em espera

The item is waiting for an operational condition.

Possible detailed causes can include:

• instructions;
• scheduled date;
• recipient action;
• sender action;
• customs;
• another hold.

Use the detailed event where available.

Em entrega

The courier or postal worker is on the daily delivery route with the item.

Em entrega
→ last-mile route activity
≠ exact worker location
≠ guaranteed delivery that day

Entrega não conseguida

The delivery process did not complete.

Possible next branches include:

• pickup;
• another attempt;
• return;
• hold;
• sender instructions.

International dispatch

The item left the origin-country postal or export stage.

It does not prove:

• destination arrival;
• customs release;
• destination-operator acceptance.

International reception

The item entered a destination-country postal or import stage.

It does not prove:

• clearance;
• final-mile handoff;
• delivery.

Entregue

CTT or another operator records completion.

The exact delivery object and proof determine what the event can establish.

Tracking not updating or item not found

Common reasons

• seller created data but did not hand over the item;
• first scan is delayed;
• wrong code was supplied;
• spaces or characters were copied incorrectly;
• wrong carrier was selected;
• Q product stopped after acceptance;
• U or JA product has no route tracking;
• foreign operator data is delayed or incomplete;
• customs data exists in a separate workflow;
• provider outage;
• item is not supported.

First checks

1. Remove spaces.
2. Compare every character with the receipt or label.
3. Confirm whether the code belongs to CTT, CTT Expresso, CTT Express Spain, or another carrier.
4. Ask the sender for the actual carrier code.
5. Check whether the product has limited tracking.
6. Allow for the first network scan.

No update is not one conclusion

no new public event
≠ lost
≠ still at the last visible facility
≠ moving normally
≠ customs released

Use Tracking Not Updating for the broader evidence model.

Delivery estimates and route limits

Express product names

CTT Expresso uses product names such as:

• Expresso Para Hoje;
• Expresso Para Amanhã;
• Expresso Em Dois Dias.

These names describe product targets in the relevant service scope.

They do not automatically prove that one item must arrive by a specific time.

What can change the target?

• acceptance cut-off;
• origin;
• destination;
• mainland or island route;
• weather;
• customs;
• address issue;
• sender contract;
• operational exception.

Does Em entrega guarantee delivery today?

No.

It is a strong last-mile event, but a delivery exception can still occur.

Does CTT show exact GPS?

Current evidence does not support a universal promise of:

• exact parcel GPS;
• exact vehicle;
• exact route order;
• exact remaining stops;
• direct delivery-worker contact.

Weather delays

Current CTT guidance recognizes adverse weather as a possible cause of delay.

App CTT

Multi-carrier item list

App CTT can show items from other operators.

Always preserve the current carrier identity.

Private account functions

The app can support:

• tracking;
• notifications;
• delivery changes;
• Locky management;
• sending;
• returns;
• customs;
• other CTT services.

Private matching is not public search

A logged-in account can expose more information when shipment and customer data match.

private account matching
≠ public tracking by phone or e-mail

11Tracking cannot access App CTT

11Tracking cannot:

• sign in;
• view private matched shipments;
• submit recipient actions;
• retrieve Locky credentials;
• pay customs charges.

Change a CTT Expresso delivery

Possible actions

For an eligible express item, the official workflow can offer:

• another delivery address;
• another pickup point;
• another date;
• another time window;
• new attempt at the same address;
• recipient-name change;
• pickup-period extension.

Eligibility is not universal

The available actions depend on:

• product prefix;
• sender permission;
• current status;
• request timing;
• destination;
• current route;
• price;
• access-point availability.

Sender-controlled branches

Some product families reserve changes for the sender.

DS and DT support branch

Some DS and DT items require customer-service handling rather than the ordinary web action.

Request analysis

Current guidance can describe an analysis period of approximately 24–48 hours.

That is not a guaranteed decision time.

Request state model

request submitted
→ request received
→ analysed
→ accepted or refused
→ route updated
→ delivery or pickup completed

A request confirmation does not prove the requested outcome.

Status can block the change

A change can become unavailable when the item is:

• ready for pickup;
• returning;
• returned;
• delivered;
• outside the product window.

11Tracking limitation

11Tracking cannot submit, approve, cancel, or monitor a private delivery-change request.

Postal SIGA changes

Selected postal prefixes

Current SIGA guidance includes selected post-notice workflows for items beginning with:

• C;
• G;
• L;
• O;
• R;
• U;
• V.

Possible changes

Depending on product, the recipient can request:

• another delivery at the same address;
• another address;
• another Loja CTT;
• storage extension.

Postal-parcel extension

A scoped Encomenda Postal branch can extend storage up to thirty days.

This is not a universal CTT pickup deadline.

Timing matters

Requests can have cut-offs based on:

• first notice;
• current pickup deadline;
• current status;
• product.

Request versus result

A later official event or updated deadline is stronger evidence than the initial request receipt.

Delivery attempts

No universal attempt count

Attempt rules vary by:

• registered mail;
• postal parcel;
• express product;
• sender contract;
• international route;
• additional service.

Registered mail

Registered Simple can use mailbox delivery in the reviewed scope.

Other registered items can require handover to a person at the address or move to pickup.

Postal parcel

A postal parcel can:

• include home delivery;
• go directly to pickup;
• move to pickup after a failed home delivery.

Express

Some express products include a second attempt.

Other products can use one attempt, sender-selected handling, or another branch.

Failed attempt does not prove recipient fault

failed delivery
→ carrier records non-completion
≠ correct address independently proved
≠ bell use proved
≠ phone call proved
≠ recipient absence proved

What happens after failed delivery?

Possible official branches include:

• Loja CTT;
• Ponto CTT;
• Agente Payshop;
• Locky;
• another attempt;
• sender instructions;
• return to sender;
• operational hold.

Pickup

Follow the item-specific notice for:

• location;
• readiness;
• deadline;
• identification;
• PIN;
• delegation.

Another attempt

A second attempt can require:

• an eligible product;
• sender permission;
• a recipient request;
• payment;
• an available slot.

Return

The item can return to the sender after:

• failed delivery;
• expiry;
• refusal;
• sender instruction;
• address failure.

The merchant controls resend or refund.

Paper and digital notices differ

A paper notice can be left at the attempt.

An SMS or e-mail can be sent only when the item is ready for pickup.

Loja CTT, Ponto CTT, Payshop, Collectt, and Locky

Loja CTT

A CTT-operated postal or retail location.

Ponto CTT

A partner service point offering selected CTT functions.

Agente Payshop

A partner point that can support selected express pickup or payment workflows.

Collectt

A CTT access network that can include:

• partner pickup points;
• drop-off points;
• Locky lockers.

Locky

An automated locker network for eligible receipt, sending, and return workflows.

These are not carriers

shipment at an access point
≠ access point is the carrier

The transport provider can still be:

• CTT;
• CTT Expresso;
• Nacex;
• another verified carrier.

Pickup periods

CTT publishes different holding periods for different products.

Six working days

Current official tables use six working days for selected:

• ordinary correspondence;
• green and blue mail;
• editorial mail;
• advertising mail;
• registered mail;
• citations and notifications.

Ten working days

Current branches include:

• registered Citizen Card;
• domestic postal parcel;
• selected express families;
• selected Spain-origin express items.

Fifteen working days

Selected international postal parcels can use fifteen working days.

Five working days

Selected national and international express families can use five working days.

Locky

The current Locky branch uses five days.

No universal holding period

CTT pickup
≠ always five days
≠ always six days
≠ always ten days
≠ always fifteen days

The actual notice controls.

When does the pickup period start?

Paper notice

For a paper delivery notice:

• the notice date is the attempt date;
• the official period starts on the next working day.

The item can sometimes be available on the attempt day, but the stated period still begins the next working day.

SMS or e-mail

The digital notice is sent when the item is ready.

It normally states:

• pickup location;
• final date.

Safe action rule

Follow the current item-specific deadline shown in the CTT notice, SMS, e-mail, App CTT, or official tracking record.

Can the pickup period be extended?

Postal parcel

A scoped postal storage service can extend a postal-parcel period up to thirty days.

Express

A scoped express branch can add up to five working days when the sender permits it.

Locky

Current general guidance says a Locky extension can be possible depending on product.

A separate express-change branch can exclude Locky from its particular extension flow.

Actual option controls

extension service exists
≠ this shipment is eligible

Do not assume the deadline changed until the official item record confirms it.

Locky lockers

What is Locky?

Locky is a CTT locker network.

It is not a carrier.

Which carriers can use Locky?

Current guidance supports selected:

• CTT Expresso parcels;
• Nacex parcels.

parcel in Locky
≠ CTT is necessarily the physical carrier

Which items can be excluded?

Current guidance excludes or restricts categories such as:

• ordinary correspondence;
• registered correspondence in the ordinary receive flow;
• Encomenda Postal;
• cash on delivery;
• personal-delivery items;
• over-size parcels;
• over-weight parcels;
• unsupported sender products.

Merchant checkout and virtual address

Locky can be selected:

• at merchant checkout;
• through an eligible delivery change;
• through a private virtual-address workflow.

The virtual address is private routing information, not a tracking code.

Locky arrival, readiness, and PIN

Arrival can precede readiness

A parcel can reach the Locky operating location before compartment inventory is completed.

Current guidance can allow approximately forty-eight hours in a relevant branch between location arrival and readiness.

PIN can arrive later

Current support guidance can allow additional time for PIN generation, including an approximately twenty-four-hour branch.

These are support windows, not guaranteed timings for every item.

Locky evidence ladder

parcel reaches Locky flow
→ item reaches location or operating process

item ready for pickup
→ compartment inventory is complete

PIN received
→ private release credential exists

locker opened
→ release event exists

pickup completed
→ recipient or PIN holder took the parcel

Holding period

Current Locky guidance uses five days from the readiness notice.

Expiry

After expiry, the item can be removed and returned under the product rules.

Locky PIN safety

What does the PIN do?

The PIN can open the compartment and authorize release.

It is not a tracking number

Never enter it into a public tracking form.

Do not publish it

Keep the PIN out of:

• URLs;
• metadata;
• JSON-LD;
• screenshots;
• analytics;
• public reviews;
• support forums;
• AI prompts.

Can another person use it?

A person who has the PIN can obtain operational access.

That does not prove formal identity or named-recipient collection.

What 11Tracking cannot do

11Tracking cannot:

• retrieve the PIN;
• resend it;
• validate it;
• open Locky;
• identify who used it.

Pickup delegation and identification

One-off pickup authorization

A representative can collect an eligible item with:

• signed paper notice;
• required identification;
• product eligibility.

Forwarded digital notice

In the supported branch, a forwarded SMS or e-mail can help a representative collect, together with the representative’s ID.

Formal power of attorney

A formal authorization can be required when no ordinary notice delegation exists.

Product exclusions

Delegation can be restricted for:

• judicial or administrative notices;
• Citizen Card;
• Entrega ao Próprio;
• Valor Declarado;
• minors except a legal guardian;
• sender-controlled products.

Permanent representation

Representação Postal can name one or two representatives for a specified Loja CTT for a renewable period.

Selected judicial, identity, money-order, and express items can be excluded.

Privacy

Identity documents, notices, authorizations, names, and representative data are private.

Proof of delivery

Paper Aviso de Receção

For eligible postal products, the paper acknowledgement:

• is signed by the person receiving;
• is returned to the sender;
• can be used as court evidence;
• is not itself trackable;
• does not have a fixed return-delivery time to the sender.

SMS or e-mail delivery alert

An electronic alert can state:

• delivery date;
• delivery location;
• operational completion.

Current CTT guidance says it cannot be used as court proof.

Express proof in Portugal or Spain

The proof can include:

• date;
• time;
• receiver name;
• signature;
• unique validation PIN data.

International express proof

The proof can include:

• date;
• time;
• receiver name;
• signature.

It can require CTT to request the proof from the destination partner.

Proof availability

Proof can be available through:

• Seguir objeto;
• App CTT;
• a contractual shipping application;
• a support request.

Availability depends on product and user rights.

What proof does not prove

Named buyer

Many products can be received by another eligible person at the address.

signature exists
≠ named buyer necessarily signed

Validation PIN

validation PIN recorded
→ route-specific authorization evidence exists
≠ named buyer necessarily entered the PIN

Contents and condition

Proof does not establish:

• correct goods;
• complete contents;
• hidden damage absence;
• merchant legitimacy;
• continued possession after delivery.

Public access

proof exists
≠ anonymous public download exists
≠ recipient can always retrieve it
≠ 11Tracking can retrieve it

Entregue but not received

What Entregue proves

Entregue
→ carrier records completion
≠ named addressee personally received
≠ correct contents or condition proved

Classify the delivery object

Check whether completion occurred at:

• home address;
• another person at the address;
• mailbox;
• Loja CTT;
• Ponto CTT;
• Payshop;
• Locky;
• foreign operator;
• another authorized object.

Preserve the evidence

Save:

• shipment code;
• raw event;
• timestamp;
• operator;
• delivery object;
• proof availability;
• receiver-name field existence;
• signature or validation-PIN field existence;
• merchant communication;
• notices.

Action sequence

1. Check household members and the mailbox.
2. Open the official CTT item record independently.
3. Check pickup and Locky notifications.
4. Ask the sender for the contracted proof.
5. Contact the correct CTT or CTT Expresso support branch.
6. Preserve merchant, marketplace, and payment deadlines.
7. Keep packaging if the parcel later appears damaged.

Do not diagnose from tracking alone

Possible branches include:

• household receipt;
• authorized person;
• mailbox delivery;
• Locky pickup;
• wrong-address delivery;
• carrier event error;
• theft;
• merchant fraud;
• another cause.

Use Delivered but Not Received for the broader escalation model.

Returns

Merchant return

A merchant can issue:

• return label;
• CTT Expresso return code;
• Devolução Fácil instruction.

Carrier return to sender

A failed delivery, refusal, expiry, or address problem can create a carrier return.

These are different workflows.

Return-label creation

return label or code created
→ reverse shipment data exists
≠ item handed to the carrier

Return at Locky

The user can:

• scan or enter the eligible CTT Expresso return code;
• place the parcel in the compartment;
• close the compartment.

Locker deposit is not carrier pickup

return deposited in Locky
→ customer deposit completed
≠ CTT Expresso collected the parcel

A first reverse network event is stronger carrier-possession evidence.

Merchant refund ladder

CTT Expresso pickup
≠ merchant receipt

merchant receipt
≠ inspection completed

inspection completed
≠ refund approved

refund approved
≠ refund paid

Refusal at delivery

The recipient can refuse an eligible item.

The item can return to the sender.

The merchant still controls the commercial remedy.

International shipments

Operator chain

An international CTT item can involve:

• origin postal operator;
• CTT;
• CTT Expresso;
• transit operator;
• airline or road carrier;
• customs;
• destination postal operator;
• commercial delivery partner.

Same identifier, different custody

The same postal identifier can continue between operators.

same code continues
≠ CTT still has physical possession

Incomplete foreign tracking

Current CTT guidance says destination-country information can be incomplete or provided through the foreign operator.

A missing destination event does not automatically prove the item stopped moving.

International dispatch

The item left the origin postal or export stage.

International reception

The item entered the destination postal or import stage.

Destination rules

The destination operator controls:

• local attempts;
• pickup period;
• proof;
• delivery location;
• complaint procedure.

Customs responsibility

CTT role

CTT can:

• receive electronic import data;
• request information;
• validate documents;
• prepare or manage postal customs formalities;
• collect amounts;
• communicate with the authority;
• continue delivery after release.

CTT Expresso role

The reviewed express terms can appoint CTT Expresso as customs representative and allow a broker to be used.

Authority role

The Portuguese tax and customs authority controls:

• legal assessment;
• documentary or physical control;
• correction;
• authorization to leave;
• suspension or seizure.

Suspended process

CTT does not decide whether a customs process suspended by the authority can continue.

11Tracking limitation

11Tracking cannot:

• upload documents;
• determine a tariff code;
• pay VAT or duty;
• authorize release;
• appeal a customs decision.

Customs status ladder

Payment is not release

payment confirmed
≠ CTT validation complete
≠ customs authorization
≠ final delivery

Twenty-day initiation branch

Current CTT guidance uses a twenty-day period to initiate the clearance process after the customs workflow receives the item.

It is not a guaranteed clearance-completion period.

Post-release delivery indication

Current guidance can use an estimated ten-day delivery period after authorization to leave.

It is not a guarantee and is highly volatile.

Use Customs Processing and Package Stuck in Customs for broader guidance.

July 2026 €3 duty

Current official rule

CTT states that the new regime applies to declarations submitted from July 1, 2026.

In the stated scope, the amount is:

€3 per product type

Qualifying scope

Current guidance describes:

• private customer;
• online purchase;
• goods up to €150;
• origin outside the EU;
• applicable simplified customs regime.

Product type

The product type is determined through:

• Harmonized Code classification;
• description;
• origin.

Not €3 per parcel

€3 per product type
≠ €3 per parcel
≠ €3 per physical unit of the same type

Several units of the same product type do not independently create several product-type duty units in the official explanation.

Separate amounts

Keep separate:

• €3 simplified duty;
• VAT;
• another customs duty;
• CTT customs-clearance service fee;
• complementary service fee;
• merchant shipping;
• COD.

Other regimes

Business imports, purchases above €150, exceptional goods, and other declarations can use a different regime.

This is a volatile 2026 customs rule and must be revalidated before action or publication.

CTT customs service fees

Current official CTT surfaces show different amounts and scopes, including:

• a €7 plus VAT branch;
• a €14 branch;
• additional value-based or complementary charges.

The difference can reflect:

• value;
• declaration type;
• commercial or noncommercial import;
• basic or complementary service;
• item category;
• publication date;
• exceptional work.

Safe conclusion

CTT service fees are separate from VAT and customs duty and depend on the current declaration scope. Use the official customs portal or tariff for the actual item.

Do not apply one fee to every import.

Complaints and claims

General domestic postal complaint

Current CTT guidance uses a period up to one year after acceptance for a general domestic postal object.

General international postal complaint

Current guidance uses a period up to six months after acceptance for a general international postal object.

Product-specific contracts can be shorter

Express, damage, COD, and other contractual branches can use shorter deadlines.

The broad complaint page does not override the product contract.

Who controls the claim?

It depends on:

• who contracted the transport;
• product;
• sender or recipient rights;
• assignment;
• destination operator;
• merchant relationship.

Carrier claim is separate from commercial remedy

CTT complaint
≠ merchant refund
≠ marketplace dispute
≠ payment-card dispute
≠ insurance claim

CTT Expresso claim and liability model

Legal provider

The reviewed express contract is with CTT Expresso – Serviços Postais e Logística, S.A.

Transport responsibility period

The express contract can cover the period from collection or acceptance through delivery or return, subject to its terms.

€10 per kilogram branch

Current express terms state a general limit of €10 per kilogram of gross missing goods in the specified Portuguese road-transport legal scope.

This is not a universal CTT compensation formula.

Extra Protection

A separate protection or insurance service can change the applicable limit.

Delay compensation

The reviewed terms can limit delay compensation to the transport price and require proven loss in the stated scope.

Express damage deadline

Current terms use an eight-day complaint branch after delivery for damage.

Loss, delay, or COD issue

Current terms use a thirty-day complaint branch from delivery or the due date for selected loss, delay, or COD-remittance issues.

Supporting documents

The complainant can be required to provide supporting documents within a stated period.

One-year limitation branch

The reviewed express terms include a one-year period for the right to compensation in their stated scope.

No automatic compensation

published maximum or formula
≠ liability accepted
≠ item value proved
≠ packaging accepted
≠ deadline met
≠ payment guaranteed

Registered-mail compensation

Standard registered mail

Current product guidance describes a maximum up to ten times the first weight-tier price.

Registered Simple

Current guidance describes up to five times the first weight-tier price.

Entrega ao Próprio

Current guidance describes up to fifteen times the first weight-tier price.

Valor Declarado

Compensation can extend to the declared value, subject to the product terms and current maximum declaration.

International registered mail

International registered mail uses a separate product-specific formula.

No universal registered-mail amount

The exact service and additional option control.

Postal-parcel compensation

Domestic postal parcel

Current product guidance describes included insurance and a formula connected to registered-mail pricing, with different multipliers by weight branch.

Declared value

A declared-value service can increase protection up to the accepted declared amount.

International postal parcel

Current public guidance describes a separate maximum based on:

• 40 SDR/DTS per parcel;
• 4.50 SDR/DTS per kilogram;
• postage.

Scope boundary

Do not apply the international postal-parcel formula to:

• express;
• registered letter;
• domestic postal parcel;
• another international product.

Damage evidence

Preserve immediately

Keep:

• outer packaging;
• internal padding;
• contents;
• label;
• receipt;
• proof of value;
• photos.

Visible damage

Record the damage at delivery where possible.

Hidden damage

Act within the product-specific notice period.

Signature does not prove condition

signed or PIN-validated delivery
≠ hidden contents were intact

Merchant action

The buyer should notify the merchant and preserve commercial deadlines while the carrier review continues.

Use Package Damaged or Contents Missing and Package Claim Guide for the broader evidence process.

Who should you contact?

Privacy and scam safety

Public form input

The public form should request only:

• one supported CTT shipment code.

Never enter these into a public tracker

• name;
• address;
• phone;
• e-mail;
• postcode;
• App CTT login;
• Locky virtual address;
• Locky PIN;
• pickup authorization;
• identity document;
• receiver name;
• signature;
• proof file;
• validation PIN data;
• invoice;
• contents description;
• declared value;
• customs document;
• payment credential;
• complaint evidence.

Treat the shipment code as private shipment data

It can reveal:

• route;
• timing;
• pickup location;
• delivery object;
• return status;
• customs status;
• proof availability.

Do not publish it in:

• URL;
• metadata;
• JSON-LD;
• analytics;
• screenshots;
• reviews;
• support forums;
• unnecessary AI prompts.

PIN and proof are sensitive

A Locky PIN can release a parcel.

A signature, receiver name, or validation record can identify delivery activity.

Current scam patterns

CTT warns about messages involving:

• customs fee;
• held express parcel;
• missing house number;
• failed delivery;
• address update;
• PIN request;
• urgent payment;
• QR code;
• fake tracking code.

Safe verification sequence

1. Do not use the unsolicited link.
2. Open ctt.pt or App CTT independently.
3. Enter only the shipment code in the official tracker.
4. Open the official customs portal independently when the item record requires it.
5. Never share a Locky PIN or payment credentials with an unsolicited contact.
6. Contact the bank or payment provider if details were exposed.
7. Preserve the message privately for reporting.

Real data does not authenticate the message

real shipment code
≠ authentic SMS

correct delivery problem
≠ official address-update page

correct customs context
≠ official payment request

CTT logo
≠ CTT-controlled domain

Use Fake Delivery Message for broader safety guidance.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track a CTT shipment?

Enter one supported CTT shipment code from the receipt, label, notice, SMS, e-mail, or sender.

Are all CTT codes thirteen characters?

No.

What does RD123456789PT mean?

It is a common official example of a two-letter, nine-digit, two-letter postal family.

What is a 22-digit CTT code?

It can be a Spanish-origin express identifier in the current official explanation.

Can I use a merchant order?

Not automatically.

Can I track by phone or e-mail?

Not through the public shipment-code form.

Can I enter a Locky PIN?

No. It is a release credential.

What does a Q prefix mean?

Public information can stop at Aceite.

What do U and JA mean?

Current guidance says selected services with those prefixes can provide no route-tracking information.

What does Aguarda entrada nos CTT mean?

Electronic shipment information exists, but the item has not entered the CTT network.

Does Aceite prove CTT Portugal has an international item?

Not always. The origin postal operator can publish the acceptance.

What does Em trânsito mean?

Collection, transport, sorting, or processing is recorded.

Does Em trânsito show exact GPS?

No.

What does Em espera mean?

The item is waiting for an operational condition. Use the detailed event for the cause.

What does Em entrega mean?

The item is on the daily delivery route.

Is delivery guaranteed that day?

No.

What does Entrega não conseguida mean?

Delivery did not complete. The item can move to pickup, another attempt, hold, return, or sender instructions.

Why is my item not found?

The code can be wrong, premature, unsupported, limited-tracking, or assigned to another carrier.

Can I change a CTT delivery?

Eligible postal or express items can offer changes. The available item-specific option controls.

Does a submitted change guarantee the route changed?

No.

How many delivery attempts does CTT make?

There is no universal number.

What is Loja CTT?

A CTT-operated postal or retail location.

What is Ponto CTT?

A partner point offering selected CTT services.

What is Payshop?

A partner network that can support selected pickup or payment workflows.

What is Collectt?

A CTT access network that includes partner points and Locky.

What is Locky?

An automated parcel-locker network, not a carrier.

How long will CTT hold my shipment?

It depends on product and point. Official branches include five, six, ten, and fifteen days.

When does the pickup period start?

For a paper notice, the official period starts on the next working day. A digital notice is sent when the item is ready.

Can I extend the pickup period?

Some postal, express, and Locky items can be eligible. The actual option shown controls.

Why is my Locky parcel at the location but not ready?

Arrival, compartment inventory, readiness, and PIN generation are separate stages.

Can someone else use my Locky PIN?

A person with the PIN can obtain operational access. Treat it as private.

Can someone else collect at a CTT point?

For eligible items, yes, with the required notice, authorization, and identification.

What is Aviso de Receção?

A paper delivery acknowledgement returned to the sender for eligible postal products.

Is an SMS delivery alert legal proof?

Current CTT guidance says the electronic alert cannot be used as court proof.

What can express proof include?

Date, time, receiver name, signature, or unique validation PIN data.

Does a signature prove the named buyer received it?

Not universally.

What does Entregue prove?

The carrier recorded completion.

Does Entregue prove the contents were correct?

No.

How do I track a return?

Use the return shipment code provided by the merchant or sender.

Does depositing a return in Locky prove CTT Expresso collected it?

No. It proves customer deposit.

Does return delivery prove a refund?

No.

Why did international tracking stop?

The destination operator can provide incomplete data, or the product can have limited tracking.

Does customs payment mean release?

No.

What is the July 2026 €3 charge?

Current CTT guidance describes €3 per product type for qualifying private online purchases up to €150 from outside the EU.

Is it €3 per parcel?

No.

What CTT customs fee applies?

The fee depends on the declaration scope. Use the current official customs portal or tariff.

How long do I have to complain?

General domestic and international periods differ, and product contracts can be shorter.

Does every express claim pay €10 per kilogram?

No. That is a scoped statutory limit in the reviewed express contract, not an automatic payment.

Can 11Tracking change delivery or open Locky?

No.

Can USTracking retrieve proof or pay customs?

No.

Use USTracking as a tracking companion

After identifying the correct CTT code and current operator, USTracking may help you:

• save a supported shipment code;
• organize public events;
• preserve verified original, return, international, and related identifiers;
• compare electronic preparation, acceptance, transit, delivery, pickup, return, and customs stages;
• monitor public updates;
• receive notifications.

USTracking cannot:

• track by name, address, phone, e-mail, merchant order, postcode, Locky PIN, customs reference, or complaint number;
• decide one universal CTT format;
• identify CTT from App CTT presence alone;
• change a delivery;
• request another attempt;
• extend pickup;
• change recipient name;
• choose a point or Locky;
• retrieve a PIN;
• open a locker;
• retrieve a signature or validation record;
• access App CTT;
• upload customs documents;
• pay import costs;
• clear customs;
• file or manage a complaint;
• recover the item;
• decide liability;
• decide compensation;
• decide merchant refund;
• guarantee delivery, pickup, customs release, or claim outcome.

Related guides

• Package Tracking Help Center
• How Package Tracking Works
• Label Created
• Carrier Received Package
• In Transit
• Handed to Local Carrier
• Out for Delivery
• Out for Delivery but Not Delivered
• Delivery Exception
• Delivery Attempted
• Available for Pickup
• Delivered
• Delivered but Not Received
• Return to Sender
• Tracking Not Updating
• Tracking Number Not Found
• Wrong Address or Address Information Required
• Package Moving Away or Wrong City
• Package Damaged or Contents Missing
• Customs Processing
• Package Stuck in Customs
• Change, Reroute, or Hold a Package
• Proof of Delivery, Photo, and Signature
• Package Claim Guide
• Who to Contact About a Package
• Find the Last-Mile Carrier
• Fake Delivery Message

Scope, evidence, and limitations

This page is an English-language guide to CTT postal and express tracking, identifier families, prefixes, electronic preparation, physical acceptance, public statuses, delivery estimates, App CTT, delivery changes, attempts, pickup points, holding periods, Locky, release credentials, proof, disputed delivery, returns, international handoff, Portuguese customs, July 2026 duties, service fees, complaints, compensation, privacy, scams, and responsible-party routing.

It is based primarily on current official CTT tracker pages, support pages, postal and express product pages, CTT Expresso contractual terms, Locky instructions and terms, customs guidance, complaint information, fraud guidance, and current corporate identity material reviewed on July 27, 2026.

Important limitations:

• The runtime provider code, aliases, identifier families, prefix mappings, product fields, status fields, delivery-change fields, pickup fields, Locky fields, proof fields, international-operator fields, customs fields, claim fields, and sensitive-field suppression must be verified during implementation.
• CTT is the public carrier identity.
• CTT – Correios de Portugal, S.A. and CTT Expresso – Serviços Postais e Logística, S.A. are related but separate legal providers in the reviewed service scopes.
• CTT Express Spain and 22-digit Spanish-origin identifiers require runtime verification.
• An item in App CTT does not prove CTT is the carrier.
• The common two-letter, nine-digit, two-letter family does not define every CTT identifier.
• A PT suffix does not prove current physical possession or current country.
• Q, U, and JA prefixes can limit or remove public route visibility.
• Merchant orders, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, names, addresses, postcodes, Locky PINs, proof references, customs references, and complaint numbers are not ordinary shipment-code inputs.
• Aguarda entrada nos CTT is electronic pre-advice, not physical possession.
• Aceite must be attributed to the correct operator and country.
• Em trânsito does not provide exact GPS.
• Em entrega does not guarantee same-day completion.
• Product names and target times are not universal delivery guarantees.
• A delivery-change request does not prove acceptance, route update, or completion.
• No universal attempt count was confirmed.
• Pickup periods differ by product, prefix, origin, and pickup object.
• A submitted extension request does not prove the deadline changed.
• Locky is not a carrier.
• Locky arrival, readiness, PIN generation, locker opening, and collection are separate.
• The Locky PIN is a sensitive release credential.
• Proof objects differ by postal, express, domestic, international, and PIN-validation workflow.
• A signature or validation PIN does not universally prove the named buyer received the item.
• Entregue does not verify contents, condition, or continued possession.
• Return-label creation, Locky deposit, carrier pickup, merchant receipt, inspection, and refund are separate.
• International tracking can become incomplete after handoff.
• Customs information, payment, CTT validation, authority control, release, and delivery are separate.
• The July 2026 €3 duty must not be simplified to €3 per parcel.
• CTT customs-service fees are volatile and scope-dependent.
• Complaint periods and compensation formulas depend on the product and contract.
• Public tracking can be delayed, incomplete, corrected, normalized, or out of order.
• 11Tracking does not diagnose a specific shipment and cannot act on it.

Last reviewed: July 27, 2026 Review due: October 25, 2026 Research decision: Ready to draft with explicit CTT and CTT Expresso identity, identifier-prefix, tracking-depth, electronic-data, possession, status, delivery-change, attempt, pickup, Locky, proof, return, international, customs, claim, privacy, and runtime limitations