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Australia Post recipient contact requirements postponed until 2027: What retailers need to know
Published: 2026-07-27
Written by Starshipit
Summary: Update: Australia Post has postponed its recipient contact details requirement for most domestic manifested parcels sent through an eParcel Contract or MyPost Business. The change is no longer going ahead on Tuesday 4 August 2026 and is now expected in 2027, giving retailers more time to check order sources and fix any missing recipient email or Australian mobile details.
Update, 28 July 2026: Australia Post has advised this change is no longer going ahead on Tuesday 4 August 2026 and has been postponed until 2027. We’ll update this article again when a new enforcement date is confirmed.
If Australia Post is part of your daily shipping setup, a missing email address or mobile number could stop a label from being printed once the postponed recipient contact details requirement takes effect.
Australia Post has advised the requirement is no longer going ahead on Tuesday 4 August 2026. It has been postponed until 2027, when most domestic manifested parcels sent through an eParcel Contract or MyPost Business are expected to need an accurate recipient email address or Australian mobile number.
For many retailers, these details will already be collected at checkout and imported into Starshipit. The higher-risk orders are usually the ones created outside the standard checkout flow: B2B, wholesale, marketplace, ERP, CSV, 3PL and manual orders.
The good news is there’s now more time to check your setup. Once the requirement takes effect in 2027, missing or incorrectly formatted recipient details may trigger an error when you try to print an affected label in Starshipit.
Read on to learn what’s changing, what to check before 2027 and how to fix missing recipient details in Starshipit.
At a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When does the change start? | Postponed until 2027. Australia Post has advised the change is no longer going ahead on Tuesday 4 August 2026. |
| What do you need to provide? | An accurate recipient email address or Australian mobile number. |
| Who is affected? | eParcel Contract merchants and MyPost Business customers using most domestic parcel services. |
| Which services are included? | Parcel Post, Express Post, Metro, On Demand and Parcel Locker deliveries. |
| Which services are excluded? | StarTrack and eParcel Returns. |
| What could be affected? | Consignment creation, label printing, postage payment and manifest submission. |
| What should Starshipit customers check? | Recipient contact fields and Australia Post notification settings. |
What is changing with Australia Post recipient details?
Once the postponed requirement takes effect in 2027, most domestic manifested parcels sent through an eParcel Contract or MyPost Business are expected to need:
- An accurate recipient email address, or
- An accurate Australian mobile number.
You only need to provide one, not both.
Without either detail, you may not be able to create a consignment, print a label, pay for postage or submit a manifest.
The requirement covers services including Parcel Post, Express Post, Metro and On Demand. It also applies to parcels addressed directly to a Parcel Locker. StarTrack and eParcel Returns are excluded.
The change was originally planned for 31 May 2026, then moved to Tuesday 4 August 2026. Australia Post has now advised it is postponed until 2027.
Why is Australia Post making this change?
Australia Post needs accurate contact details so it can notify recipients when a parcel is ready to collect from a Parcel Locker or Post Office.
This can happen when the parcel is addressed directly to a Parcel Locker or when a delivery cannot be completed at the original address. If Australia Post does not have an accurate email address or Australian mobile number, the recipient may not receive the information they need to collect the parcel.
For retailers, the operational risk is simple: a missing contact field can turn into a delayed label, a delayed dispatch, or a customer collection issue.
What happens if recipient details are missing?
If an accurate recipient email address or Australian mobile number isn’t provided, you may not be able to create a consignment, print a shipping label, pay for postage or submit a manifest.
The point of failure may depend on the service and how the shipment is created. Missing or invalid details can interrupt label printing, consignment creation, payment or manifest submission.
A populated field may not be enough. Australia Post also needs the contact detail to meet basic format requirements, so incomplete email addresses, landline numbers in mobile fields or placeholder details can still cause problems.
Where are retailers most likely to find gaps?
Many business-to-consumer retailers already collect an email address or mobile number at checkout.
The bigger risk is orders created outside the usual checkout flow, including:
- B2B and wholesale orders where the record has a business name and office phone, but no direct recipient contact
- Manual orders created by customer service, wholesale or warehouse teams
- CSV imports where recipient email or mobile fields are missing, renamed or mapped incorrectly
- ERP, inventory management, marketplace or custom integration orders that do not pass contact details into Starshipit
- Repeat orders created from saved customer records that are missing current contact details
- Accelerated or third-party checkout flows where phone or email capture is optional
- Orders sent to a 3PL where the retailer’s source data does not include recipient contact details
A useful first check is to pick one recent Australia Post order from each source and confirm the recipient email address or Australian mobile number appears in Starshipit before the shipment is created.
What should retailers check before 2027?
Use this checklist while there is more time to prepare:
- Check every order source: Make sure recipient email or mobile details are captured across checkout, marketplaces, ERP systems, CSV imports and custom integrations.
- Focus on high-risk orders: Pay closer attention to B2B, wholesale, saved, imported, manual and 3PL orders.
- Check the details in Starshipit: Open sample orders and check the recipient’s details appear in the Email field or Phone Number field.
- Test a few shipments: Process sample Australia Post orders from each source.
- Watch for errors: Monitor failed consignments, label errors and manifest issues.
- Avoid inaccurate details: Don’t use placeholders, sender details or contact information you know is wrong.
How to check and update recipient details in Starshipit
For many eCommerce orders, the recipient’s details will already be collected at checkout and imported into Starshipit with the order.
Check that an accurate recipient email address or Australian mobile number appears in the order’s Receiver details.
How to add or update recipient details manually
If the details are missing:
- Go to Orders and open the order.
- Click the pencil icon next to the Receiver section.
- Enter the recipient’s phone number or email address.
- Click Save in the edit window.
- Click Save again on the order to confirm the changes.
Learn more about updating an order in Starshipit.
If you use CSV imports or custom integrations, check that the contact details map into the correct fields in Starshipit. The information needs to reach the order’s Receiver details to avoid label errors.
Starshipit tip If you ship to the same customer regularly, save their phone number and email address in the Address Book so you can reuse the contact on future orders.
Frequently asked questions
When do Australia Post recipient contact details become mandatory?
The requirement is postponed until 2027. The change was originally planned for 31 May 2026, then moved to Tuesday 4 August 2026. Australia Post has now advised it is not going ahead on that date.
Do I need to provide both an email address and mobile number?
No. You need to provide an accurate recipient email address or Australian mobile number. You can provide both, but both aren’t required.
Which Australia Post services are affected?
The requirement applies to most domestic Parcel Post, Express Post, Metro and On Demand shipments sent through an eParcel Contract or MyPost Business. It also applies to parcels addressed to Parcel Lockers.
Does the requirement apply to StarTrack?
No. Recipient contact details aren’t mandatory for StarTrack shipments under this change, although Australia Post recommends providing them.
Does it apply to eParcel Returns?
No. The requirement doesn’t apply to eParcel Returns.
What happens if contact details are missing?
If you’re a Starshipit customer, you won’t be able to print a label and will see an error message until a valid email address or Australian mobile number is added.
Where do I add recipient contact details in Starshipit?
For eCommerce orders, the details may already be collected at checkout and imported into Starshipit.
Check that the recipient’s information appears in the order’s Email or Phone Number field. For manually created orders, enter it directly into the relevant field.
Can I provide recipient details without Australia Post sending tracking notifications?
Yes. Review the Enable Email Notification for Tracking and Enable Mobile Notification for Tracking settings, then choose which notifications you want Australia Post to send.
These settings don’t affect tracking notifications sent through Starshipit.
Turning the settings off doesn’t remove Australia Post’s contact requirement, and Australia Post may still contact the recipient directly about delivery or collection.
Get your order data ready ahead of the 2027 change
For retailers already capturing and passing through accurate recipient details, the change shouldn’t create much extra work.
The key is finding the orders that fall outside your usual checkout flow.
Ahead of the 2027 change:
- Check that affected Australia Post orders include a recipient email address or Australian mobile number.
- Confirm the details appear in the correct fields in Starshipit.
- Test a few shipments from each order source.
- Review your Australia Post email and mobile notification settings.
- Monitor label or consignment errors once Australia Post confirms and implements the new requirement.
A quick review now can help you use the extra preparation time and avoid interrupted labels or delayed fulfilment later.
Need help getting ready?
Check your Australia Post settings and test a few orders ahead of the 2027 change.
If you need further help, chat to Barry, our support assistant, or submit a support ticket if you need help checking your Australia Post setup.
Starshipit
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