The INTERNETMARKE is the online-postage for mail products of Deutsche Post AG.
Best for:
Creation, purchase and payment of the following mail products:
- postcards and letter mails domestic (with additional services Prio, registered mail, registered mail with personal delivery and return slip)
- postcards and letter mails international (with additional services registered mail, personal delivery)
- domestic shipments of small goods
The Deutsche Post INTERNETMARKE API enables the online purchase of INTERNETMARKEN with an individual postage cash account (Portokasse) to the end customer.
Integrate the INTERNETMARKE into your own shop management systems. Frank all your shipments promptly, quickly and directly from your own application.
Your advantages in overview:
- Fast shipping directly from your system
- Easy integration of the interface
- Adaptability of the system to your needs
- Printing via your label printer
In the following chapters we offer you:
- An Overview of the technical API functions
- The technical documentation of the API
- Open API Specification in Reference Docs
- Postman Testsuite in Downloads
- Explanations on using the API with a postage cash account (Portokasse)
- Contact information for further support in chapter Additional Information
- You can obtain information on products and prices by optionally integrating the API Product Web Service (ProdWS)
Scope
The Deutsche Post INTERNETMARKE API offers resources for:
- Usermanagement / cash assigned payment (Portokasse) management
- Internetmarken generation, purchase and reimbursement, and
- the retrieval of print formats, usable graphic motifs and user-specific information.
Note:
When implementing the INTERNETMARKEN API, it makes sense to also integrate the ProductWebService (ProdWS) - this ensures the latest information on products and prices being always available without any further effort.
Using the API
The Deutsche Post INTERNETMARKE API covers:
The AppResource provides functionalities for the purchase and management of INTERNETMARKEN:
- Creation of Internet stamps for single or multiple shipments
- Provision of franking marks as PDF file or PNG graphics (in ZIP file)
- Automatic debiting of transaction costs from the assigned postage cash account
- Providing previews of the franking mark as a PDF or PNG document
- Retrieval of information by using additional services (such as registered mail) for the purpose of creating a posting receipt or using a dispatch list
- Direct top-up of the (previously authenticated) postage cash account via direct debit ( in case of a valid SEPA mandate)
- Retrieval of public and user-specific graphic motifs, contract products and individual prices
- Refund of purchased but unused Internet stamps.
The UserResource enables
- Authorization by using a valid postage cash account (Portokosse)
- Creation of a bearer token for authentication when using subsequent resource paths
- Display of the current credit balance
- Calling up the respective user profile
Note:
Direct top-up of the of postage cash account via the INTERNETMARKEN API is only possible if direct debit data is registered and a currently valid direct debit mandate is available.
The use of an alternative payment method for loading postage cash account (PayPal) is only possible manually via the web interface https://portokasse.deutschepost.de/portokasse/#!/.
The ApiVersionResource is used for
- Request information about the API
- Health check to verify the availability of the web service.
Note:
We recommend implementing and using the health check resource to prevent errors in case the API is not available.
The following table creates transparency about the deprecation dates of previous API versions. To clarify the terms, please see the explanations below.
| API Version | Status | Deprecation Date | Sunset Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| INTERNETMARKE (SOAP) | Deprecated | 01.08.2024 | 31.12.2025 |
| INTERNETMARKE (REST) | Active |
Terms and conditions:
Status "Active": Using this API Version is recommended.
Status "Superseded": The API has been replaced by a new API Version. The API is still supported without limitation. It is recommended to switch to the "Active" API Version.
Status: "Deprecated": The service has been ended (with or without a replacement becoming available). Support for this service is limited to bug fixes only.
Status: "Retired": The API is no longer available since sunset date.
"Deprecation Date": From this date on, the API will be in status "Deprecated". Further development will be only based on security updates and bug fixing.
"Sunset Date": The API is no longer available from this date on.
To support your software development in the best possible way, we offer you our Postman test suite for download here
You can obtain the well-known API tool Postman itself here: Postman API Platform | Sign Up for Free
To use the Postman Collection, please fulfill the following steps:
- The usage requires access to Deutsche Post INTERNETMARKE API that can be requested here
- Import collection into postman (see official documentation from postman learning platform)
- Fill in the Postman environment with your customer-specific data (credentials from developer portal, customer-specific (test-) postage cash account).
Note:
The Postman Collection is not a product component of the Deutsche Post INTERNETMARKE API, but is intended to support you.
We would be pleased to receive feedback (errors, suggestions for improvement, etc.).
To use the Deutsche Post INTERNETMARKE API, you need a postage cash account (Portokasse). We provide you with a test postage cash account (Portokasse) for development purposes.
After successful connection, you or your customers can use the Internetmarke immediately. The only requirement is a postage cash account (Portokasse), which is used to bill the created Internetmarke. The postage cash account can be registered here.
You can request support in our Help Center. You can raise a ticket that allows you to request direct support from DHL Support. Please describe your enquiry in as much detail as possible and also send us reproducible extracts from the web service communication. We will try to help you with your problem as soon as possible during following times:
IT Customer Support & Integration Post
Business hours: Mo-Fr 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
ProdWS is an additional interface (SOAP API) that allows you to easily retrieve the available or usable product codes with the Internetmarke.
Access to ProdWS can be activated at any time on request.
Note:
If the ProdWS is activated but the products are not retrieved, the service ProdWS will inform you about new products several times a day by e-mail.
If you have decided to use the ProdWS, please inform us in a separate e-mail to pcf-1click@deutschepost.de. Afterwards you will get further instructions and information on using the ProdWS.