Best for:
- Providing access to the latest shipment event
- Business customers of DHL Global Forwarding
- Air and Ocean Freight shipments
ShipmentStatus API allows developer to use shipment's housebill number (DHL shipment number) to request for shipment status information. The response includes the shipment's latest timestamp, origin and destination, package count and weight.
API also allows query using customer's reference, container number or masterbill number. To do that, use GET /housebill-number to get a list of housebill numbers for a given reference, like, customer’s reference, container number or masterbill number. Use the housebill number list returned by the response to perform the next step, GET /shipment-tracking.
Please see API specification for more details.
If you wish to query the all historic events please use ShipmentTracking API.
Scope
The Shipment Status (DHL Global Forwarding) API provides access to tracking services relating to various products at DHL Global Forwarding.
Using the API
You must have an eligible housebill number (DHL shipment number) for the shipment and an API subscription key (this key needs to be either passed through a query string parameter or specified in the request header).
Shipment Status (DHL Global Forwarding) - Environment: Production - Rate Limit: Starter API product is auto-approved. It is meant for users with low usage and for users to try out the API without having to wait for approval. Higher rate limit API product (Standard and Internal rate limit) requires approval from DHL team.
Get Access
You must request credentials for any applications you develop
To register your app and get your API subscription keys:
- Click My Apps on the portal website.
- Click Add Developer App.
The “Add App” form appears. - Complete the Add App form.
You can select the APIs you want to access. - When you have completed the form, click the Add App button.
The “Approved” label will appear next to the app name when the app has been approved.
Note: Additional verification steps may be required for some applications.
Authentication
Every call to the API requires a subscription key. This key needs to be either passed through a query string parameter or specified in the request header (DHL-API-Key).
To view your API subscription keys:
- From the My Apps screen, click on the name of your app.
The Details screen appears. - If you have access to more than one API, click the name of the relevant API.
Note: The APIs are listed under the “Credentials” section. - Click the Show link below the asterisks that is hiding the Consumer Key.
The Consumer Key appears.
Environments
The addressable API base URL/URI environment is:
Environment | Description |
https://api.dhl.com/dgff/transportation/shipment-status | Production environment |
Rate limits
Rate limits protect the DHL infrastructure from suspicious requests that exceed defined thresholds.
The table below details the main request limits:
Service Level | Maximum calls | Approval |
---|---|---|
Starter | 50 per day | Auto Approved |
Standard | 2500 per day | Verification and approval required |
Internal | 5000 per day | Verification and approval required |
Please contact dgf.apisupport@dhl.com if you need higher throughput.
When the limit is reached, you will receive an HTTP Status code:
HTTP/1.1 429 Too Many Requests
Additional Information
Permitted HTTP methods
- GET for retrieving data
Message Definition
Elements | Data Type | Length (min..max) | Cardinality (min..max) | Description | Code List | ||||||||
ShipmentStatus | GROUP | 1..1 | Root Element | ||||||||||
MessageHeader | GROUP | 1..1 | Attributes describing the message | ||||||||||
Version | String | 1..1 | Version of the Schema e.g. 1.0 | ||||||||||
SenderID | String | 0..1 | Included for possible future use | ||||||||||
ReceiverID | String | 0..1 | Included for possible future use | ||||||||||
MessageID | String | 1..1 | Unique ID | ||||||||||
CreationDateTime | DateTime | 1..1 | Creation DateTime | ||||||||||
Shipment | GROUP | 1..1 | Shipment Details | ||||||||||
HousebillNumber | String | 1..35 | 1..1 | Housebill Number | |||||||||
HouseFileNumber | String | 1..35 | 0..1 | Internal Number | |||||||||
Origin | GROUP | 1..1 | Origin Details | ||||||||||
LocationCode | String | 3..5 | 1..1 | 3-character Location Code | |||||||||
LocationName | String | 1..35 | 0..1 | Location Name | |||||||||
CountryCode | String | 2 | 0..1 | ISO 2-character country code | |||||||||
Destination | GROUP | 1..1 | Destination Details | ||||||||||
LocationCode | String | 3..5 | 1..1 | 3-character Location Code | |||||||||
LocationName | String | 1..35 | 0..1 | Location Name | |||||||||
CountryCode | String | 2 | 1..1 | ISO 2-character country code | |||||||||
ProductType | String | 1..10 | 1..1 | Product Type | ProductType | ||||||||
TotalPackages | Integer | 1..1 | Total number of packages | ||||||||||
TotalWeight | Decimal | 1..1 | Total Shipment weight (in kilograms) | ||||||||||
@uom | String | 1..3 | 1..1 | Total Shipment weight uom Default to KGM |
|||||||||
TotalVolume | Decimal | 1..1 | Total Shipment volume (in cubic meters) | ||||||||||
@uom | String | 1..3 | 1..1 | Total Shipment volume uom Default to MTQ |
|||||||||
Timestamp | GROUP | 1..1 | Current Status of shipment | ||||||||||
TimestampCode | String | 0..1 | Status Code | EventAirCode EventOceanCode EventDomesticCode |
|||||||||
TimestampDescription | String | 1..1 | Current Status textual description | ||||||||||
TimestampDateTime | DateTime | 1..1 | Current Status Date Time |
Code List
Code | Description |
---|---|
HBE | Shipment Entered Into System |
APT | Actual Pickup Time |
RCD | Received at Origin |
DEW | Departed DHL Station |
DEP | Carrier: Departed |
EAA | Carrier: Arrived (1st Transit Point) |
EAB | Carrier: Departed (1st Transit Point) |
EAC | Carrier: Arrived (2nd Transit Point) |
EAD | Carrier: Departed (2nd Transit Point) |
ARR | Carrier: Arrived |
ARV | Arrived Final Destination |
FPR | Freight Recovered at |
TBN | Broker Notified |
CUS | Customs Entry |
CLC | Import Customs Cleared |
OFD | Out for Delivery |
DOS | Document Handover (Export) |
EPD | Estimated Delivery |
POD | Shipment Delivered |
RRT | Estimated Future Pick-Up |
EXD | All Export Documents Received |
CAC | Delivered to airline |
RCS | Received at airline |
DLV | Handover Freight to Forwarder |
DIH | Pick-up from Airline |
DOH | Import Document Handover |
RFD | Appointment Requested by DGF |
EOD | Appointment Confirmed by Customer |
FUT | Future Delivery Requested |
STU | Ready for Import Clearance |
DOI | Document Handover (Import) |
SHO | Shipment Handover |
ECR | Export Customs Cleared |
Code | Description |
---|---|
TBD | TBD |
Code | Description |
---|---|
A17 | Customer Booking Received |
A34 | Shipment Entered into System |
A31 | CFS/CY Cut-Off Date |
A02 | Estimated Pick Up Date |
A28 | Estimated Vessel Departure |
EDL | Estimated Vessel Departure (Last Updated) |
A29 | Estimated Vessel Arrival |
EAL | Estimated Vessel Arrival (Last Updated) |
A20 | Booking Confirmed to Customer |
A04 | Actual Pickup Date (customer) |
A30 | Arrival at Origin DGF Terminal |
A37 | Actual Arrival at Destination CFS/CY |
A42 | Actual Vessel Departure |
A41 | Consignee / Broker Notified |
ARD | Actual Vessel Arrival |
EPD | Estimated Delivery |
A39 | Import Customs Cleared |
ONH | Arrival to CFS |
B07 | Shipment Handover |
A60 | Document Handover (if no POD) |
A48 | Requested Delivery |
A32 | Proof of Delivery |
A45 | Export Customs Cleared |
Code | Description |
---|---|
AIR | Air freight |
OCEAN | Ocean freight |
ROAD | Road freight |
RAIL | Rail freight |
specifics for the use of STATUS Data
- Data requested and received via this Shipment Status (DHL Global Forwarding) API, such as transport status, estimated delivery time, including the tracking/housebill number is hereinafter referred to as “Status Data”.
- Status Data is Confidential Information in the meaning of section “Communication” of the General Developer Portal Terms of Use. Other than set forth below You must not reveal and/or provide third parties with the Status Data and/or analyze, modify such data in any form and/or derive data/information especially for competitive purposes from it without our prior written consent.
- Status Data is provided to You and/or the entity you are authorized to represent (hereinafter “You”/”Your”) under the prerequisite, that You retrieved the according housebill number (DHL shipment number) in compliance with the applicable law, especially in the field of data protection and competition law and that You use the Status Data solely for Your own or Your customers’ legitimate tracking purposes.
- The use and submission of Status Data – including submission to any of Your subcontractors – shall always be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including – without limitation – data protection laws and competition/antitrust law.
- You shall not combine Status Data with advertisement or present it in a way that it could be regarded as advertisement.
- Unless otherwise agreed, You shall delete the housebill number (DHL shipment number) and Status Data which You received via the Shipment Status (DHL Global Forwarding) API 30 days after the delivery (of the shipment) to the recipient is completed.
- Status Data shall be used in accordance with the following specification:
- Display “Delivered by Deutsche Post DHL Group“ in text (minimum font size) as soon as it is presented/submitted to recipient
- Please note, that we provide free text boxes (e.g. for customer references) to improve the functionalities and user experience of the Shipment Status (DHL Global Forwarding) API. We explicitly ask you to refrain from sending any personal or business critical data and/or information as free text. It is within your sole responsibility to ensure that the data or information you send does not infringe upon applicable law, esp. data protection law, and that you are entitled to use the respective data and/or information accordingly.
- If You are neither the shipper/sender nor the recipient of the DHL Global Forwarding shipment/s, the Status Data refers to,
- You shall ensure, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the sender and/or the recipient;
- You shall make the sender and/or the recipient aware of the restrictions set out in this User Guide just as the General Developer Portal Terms of Use;
- You shall make the sender aware of the necessity to inform the recipient transparently about the processing of his/her personal data according to applicable data protection laws;
- You shall inform the sender and/or recipient transparently that the use of Your Application may result in the disclosure of data being subject to postal secrecy and data protection laws to third parties (including You).
1.0.2
- Migrated the backend tracking system to a new platform.
- All location groups will now contain: LocationCode, LocationCodeUN, LocationName and CountryCode.
- POD Signatory Name is now available under $.ShipmentStatus.Shipment.Timestamps.Timestamp.TimestampText for TimestampCode of A32 or POD.
1.0.1
Added "/housebill-numbers" resource for developers to get a list of housebill numbers using customer reference, container number or masterbill number as query parameter. The result (list of housebill numbers) can be used to query the "/shipment-status" resource.
This allows developers to search for shipment-tracking resources using customer reference, container number or masterbill number as search criteria.
1.0
- Initial release