How Long Does It Take for a Letter to Arrive?
3 min readLast updated: February 20, 2026FAQ
delivery timedurationdeliverydhl
Was this article helpful?
Was this article helpful?
From triggering a letter to delivery to the recipient, it typically takes 2 to 5 business days. The exact duration depends on several factors, which we break down for you here.
| Step | What Happens | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Order received | A customer places an order that meets the campaign filters | Immediately |
| 2. Delay after order | If configured: AutoLetter waits for the set period | 0--30 days (configurable) |
| 3. PDF generation | AutoLetter creates the personalized letter PDF | A few seconds |
| 4. Handover to DHL | The PDF is transmitted to DHL E-PostBusiness | Automatic |
| 5. Printing and enveloping | DHL prints, envelopes, and franks the letter | 1--2 business days |
| 6. Postal delivery | DHL delivers the letter to the recipient address | 1--3 business days |
The delay after order (step 2) is optional and is configured in the campaign settings. It is used, for example, to send a letter only after a cooling-off period has expired or after the goods have been delivered. If no delay is set, the letter is generated immediately after the order is received.
DHL processes E-PostBusiness orders only on business days. Letters handed over on Friday afternoon or over the weekend enter production no earlier than the following Monday. Public holidays extend the delivery time accordingly.
Letters within Germany typically reach the recipient within 1--3 business days after DHL handover. For international shipments, delivery may take longer depending on the destination country.
If you have configured a delay of, for example, 14 days, the letter will not be generated until two weeks after the order is received. The delivery time then only begins after this delay has expired.
In the AutoLetter dashboard, you can view the current status of each letter:
Check the delivery status under Dashboard > Campaign > Letters. There you can see for each individual letter which stage it is in.
For most campaigns without a delay setting:
Plan adequate lead time for time-sensitive campaigns (e.g., seasonal promotions).