Quick answer: Proof of delivery (POD) is the courier’s record that your goods were handed over: who took them, where, and when, backed by a signature, a photo or both. No UK law requires it on every job, but it decides who carries the loss when a delivery is disputed, so ask what the POD will show before you book.
“Delivered.” One word on a tracking screen, and your customer swears nothing turned up. If that’s ever happened to you, this guide explains what proof of delivery should record, which kind holds up and what to do when the record and the reality don’t match.
What Proof of Delivery Actually Records
A POD is evidence, not a status update.
At minimum it should show four things: the recipient’s name, the delivery address, the date and the exact time. On top of that you’ll get either a signature, a photo, or both. Some couriers add the driver’s name and a note such as “left with reception” or “handed to neighbour at number 12”.
A tracking message that just says “delivered” isn’t the same thing. It tells you the driver pressed a button. It doesn’t tell you who has your consignment or where it is now. When you’re comparing couriers, ask to see a sample POD before you book. You’ll learn more from that one page than from any sales pitch.
Signature, Photo or Named Handover: POD Types
Not every POD carries the same weight.
Doorstep photo
The parcel networks lean on this. A driver takes a picture of the box on a step or behind a bin and moves on. It’s quick and cheap, and it’s also where most disputes start, because a photo of a box doesn’t prove anyone took it in.
Signature on a handheld
Better, as long as the signature comes with a printed name. A squiggle on its own can belong to anyone in the building.
Named-recipient handover
The strongest form. The driver only releases the item to one named person and records their name, signature and the time. It’s the standard you’d expect from a same day document courier carrying contracts, tenders or court bundles. Which one does your consignment need?
Why Proof of Delivery Matters Under UK Law
Here’s the part most guides skip.
If you sell to consumers, section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 keeps the goods at your risk until they’re in the physical possession of the buyer, or someone the buyer named. So if your customer says it never arrived and you can’t show otherwise, you’ll usually be the one replacing it. A clear POD is your defence.
Business-to-business sales work differently. Under section 32 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979, handing goods to a carrier is normally treated as delivery to the buyer, unless your contract says otherwise. Either way, POD is what settles the argument with the carrier. If something does go missing, our guide on what happens if a courier loses your parcel walks through the claim step by step.
What a Good POD Photo Shows
Most delivery photos are taken in a hurry. You can tell.
A photo that will stand up in a dispute shows your item and something that pins down the place: the door number, a company sign, the reception desk, the loading bay number. It’s sharp, it’s taken at the moment of handover and it carries a timestamp. A close-up of a box on a grey step could be anywhere in the country.
There’s a privacy angle too. A photo that shows a person’s face, or a home with the house number in view, can count as personal data. The ICO guidance on personal data explains when an image identifies someone. A careful courier frames the item and the address, keeps people out of shot where it can, and only shares the photo with the customer who booked.
When Tracking Says Delivered but Nothing Arrived
It’s more common than you’d think.
Ofcom’s October 2026 parcel survey found that 71% of parcel recipients had a delivery problem in the previous six months, up from 68% the year before. Parcels left in an inappropriate place came up for 28% of people. That’s against a record 4.6 billion parcels sent and received in the UK last year.
If it happens to you, act the same day. Ask the courier for the full POD, not just the tracking line. Check the photo or name against the address, and ask neighbours or reception if it names a handover. If the evidence doesn’t match, raise a claim in writing straight away and keep copies. Your goods-in-transit cover is what pays out, so it helps to know the limits first. Our guide to courier insurance cover explains what’s usually included.
What Happens at the Door on a Dedicated Run
On our jobs, it works like this.
On a dedicated van courier run your consignment is the only one in the vehicle, so the driver isn’t racing off to the next stop on a crowded round. At the destination they hand the goods to the person you named, or to whoever is authorised to sign for them, and record that person’s printed name and signature or a photo of the handover. The time is captured automatically.
The POD is then emailed to you as soon as the job is completed and kept on file. If the named recipient isn’t there, the driver doesn’t leave the goods on a step. They ring the controller, who calls you, and you decide: wait, redirect or bring it back. It’s a few minutes of hassle that saves a lot of arguing later.
Proof of Delivery at a Glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What is proof of delivery? | The courier’s record of who received your goods, where and when, backed by a signature, a photo or both. |
| Is POD a legal requirement? | No, but for consumer sales the goods stay at the seller’s risk until the buyer has them, so POD protects you. |
| Which POD type is strongest? | A named-recipient handover with printed name, signature and timestamp. A doorstep photo is the weakest. |
| What should a POD photo show? | The item plus the door number, sign or reception desk, sharp and time-stamped at handover. |
| What if tracking says delivered but it’s missing? | Request the full POD the same day, check it against the address and raise a written claim quickly. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does proof of delivery mean?
Proof of delivery (POD) is the record a courier makes when your goods are handed over. It usually shows who received the item, where, and the date and time, backed by a signature, a photo or both. It’s the evidence you point to if anyone later says the delivery never happened.
Is proof of delivery a legal requirement?
No UK law makes a courier collect proof of delivery on every job. In practice, though, it matters a lot. When a business sells to a consumer, the goods stay at the seller’s risk until the buyer or their nominee has them, so a seller with no POD will usually have to replace or refund a missing order.
Do couriers need a signature?
Not always. Many parcel networks deliver without a signature and use a doorstep photo instead. A signature is worth asking for when the item is valuable, legally important or needs to reach one named person, such as contracts, court papers, passports or high-value stock. Say so when you book.
What constitutes a proper proof of delivery photo?
A proper POD photo shows the item and something that fixes its location, such as the door number, the building entrance or a reception desk. It should be sharp, taken at the moment of handover and time-stamped. A close-up of a box on an unidentifiable step proves very little if the delivery is ever disputed.
How do I get proof of delivery from a courier?
Ask for it. Most couriers keep the POD on their system and can email or download it with your booking or tracking reference. If you need a signature or a named recipient, request that before collection, because a courier can’t add a signature after the event. Keep a copy with the invoice.
Which London couriers offer proof of delivery?
Most dedicated same-day couriers in London provide some form of POD, but the detail varies. Check whether you’ll get a photo, a signature, the recipient’s printed name and a timestamp, and how quickly it arrives. We email photo or signature POD with the recipient’s name and time as soon as each job is completed.
Need a delivery where the handover really is on record? Tell us the collection point, the destination and who should sign, and we’ll confirm a fixed, all-inclusive price in writing before a driver sets off.