Before studying in Germany, have you ever thought about writing and sending a letter in Germany? Sending letters in Germany may be quite unfamiliar to Vietnamese people in general, but you will still encounter situations in your life in Germany where you will need to return to sending letters in Germany in the traditional way. In this guide, My Career answers questions about how to send letters in Germany, how much it costs and how long it takes!

How to Send Mail in Germany with Deutsche Post

You have two options for sending mail in Germany. You can go to one of the many post offices (Deutsche Post), DHL Shops, or kiosks with a Deutsche Post sign in your neighborhood to have your envelope stamped and mailed.

Or, if you have a postage stamp at home, you can put your envelope in one of the many large yellow mailboxes (Briefkasten) on the streets of your neighborhood. 

If you still can’t find any of these, you can use Deutsche Post’s location finder, which also tells you when your mailbox will be next emptied and the opening hours of stores.

Alternatively, you can also use the super cool new Post & DHL app, with which you can stamp letters at home without a printer. You just write a code on the envelope. 

If you want to send a package, you can get packing materials and boxes from the post office or kiosk. You will need to deliver the package in person as it does not fit in a mailbox.

Where to Write Mailing Address in Germany?

To ensure your mail arrives quickly and safely, it is important to address the envelope correctly. There are strict rules that you should follow.

The recipient’s address should be at the bottom right-hand side of the envelope, with at least 15mm of space on the right, left and bottom edges (for postal services) and 40mm on the top edge of the envelope. You should write the address left-aligned in the same font and size and with no spaces between the name or address. 

The sender’s address is in the upper left corner and the stamp is in the upper right corner. 

What Is The Address Format When Sending Mail In Germany?

German addresses need to have the recipient’s name on them. That being said, German mailboxes usually only carry last names. It is unusual for apartments in Germany to be numbered. 

The German address format looks like this:

1. Individual

Sandra Becker

Berliner Allee 301c

62502 Frankfurt a. M.

→ Full name

→ Street name and house number

→ Postal code and city

2. Private Family

Family Mueller

Street 11

53175 Bonn

→ Family + surname

 → Street name and house number

 → Postal code and city

3. C/O family

If the recipient is not the main tenant or you are sending a letter in Germany to a company, you must write the name as it appears on the mailbox on the envelope; otherwise it will not be delivered. On the second line, you must then put the name of the actual recipient in German C/O ? zH stands for ? zu Händen ? and means to bring to attention.

Christina Lopez

zH Alejandra Ramirez

Stresemann Way 3

90874 Erfurt

→ Full name of person on mailbox

→ Recipient name

→ Street name and house number

→ Zip code and city

4. Company

Smile GmbH

Making / zH Frau Schmidt

Vogelsangstraße 134

40875 Ratingen

→ Full company name

→ Department or contact person

 → Street name and house number

 → Postal code and city

How to Write an International Address When Sending Mail in Germany?

When you want to send a letter to family or friends in your home country, you should follow the address format from your home country and write the city in capital letters and in the language of the destination country. The last line should have the destination country in capital German or English. 

International addresses on envelopes in Germany look like this:

Miranda Bailey

1/2 Main St.SE

MONTREAL, QC H3Z 2Y7

CANADA

How Much Does It Cost to Send a Letter in Germany?

Domestic

Here is an overview of postage costs for letters sent domestically in Germany:

Letter type	Expense
Standard mail up to 20 g	€ 0,85
Compact letter up to 50 g	€ 1,00
Large letters up to 500 g	€ 1,60
Letters up to 1 kg	€ 2,75
Postcard	€ 0,70

International

As you might expect, sending mail abroad is a bit more expensive. International mail takes longer, as it also depends on the foreign post office and its operations. Deutsche Post charges the following for international mail:

Format	Size	Maximum weight	Expense
Postcard	max 23.5 x 12.5 cm	150-500g	€ 0,90
Standard envelope	max 23.5 x 12.5 x 0.5 cm	max 20g	€ 1,10
Compact	max 23.5 x 12.5 x 1 cm	max 50g	€ 1,70

How Long Does It Take for a Letter to Arrive in Germany?

About 90% of all national mail sent in Germany is delivered by Deutsche Post on the next working day if you place it in a mailbox or post office store before the last pick-up time.

However, especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns in March and April 2020, you may experience some delays, so if you want to make sure your mail arrives on time, try to send it two to three days in advance.

International mail is generally sent by airmail which takes about 3-4 days to arrive, but can take up to 2 weeks.

How to Send Mail in Germany with Tracking?

A letter with tracking is called an Einschreiben in Germany. For example, all documents sent by German courts are sent with a tracking number, so there is evidence of the date the letter was received. There are three main types of tracking you can choose from:

• Einschreiben Einwurf: The envelope is simply dropped into the recipient’s mailbox.
• Return receipt: You will receive a return receipt signed by the recipient.
• Einschreiben Eigenhändig: The envelope must only be delivered to the actual addressee or an authorized person, who must sign it with the postman.

You can also print tracking postage online at home or with your local post office.

The German postal system is highly efficient and works best if you send your mail in Germany correctly so that the sorting machines can read it automatically. If you do not follow the above guidelines, your mail will not be sorted by the machines and will have to be sorted manually or will never reach its destination.