How to Complain About a Courier in India: Step by Step

Quick answer Complain in this order: (1) the courier, in writing, with your tracking number; (2) the seller or marketplace, with your order ID; (3) for India Post, its complaint portal or 1800-266-6868; (4) the National Consumer Helpline — 1915; (5) the consumer commission online via e-Daakhil. Keep every ticket number and screenshot.

The escalation ladder

Step	Where	When	What you need
1	Courier customer care (written)	As soon as there's a problem	Tracking number, photos, timeline
2	Seller / marketplace grievance officer	Same day for online orders	Order ID, courier ticket number
3	India Post channels (if India Post)	If the post office doesn't resolve it	Article number, booking receipt
4	National Consumer Helpline (1915)	If the company doesn't respond or resolve	All ticket numbers and replies
5	Consumer commission (e-Daakhil)	When other routes fail	Complaint, evidence, proof of payment

Step 0: gather your evidence

• Tracking number (AWB) and, for online orders, the order ID
• Screenshots of the tracking timeline
• Photos or an unboxing video if the parcel was damaged or items were missing
• Receipts — the booking receipt, invoice, declared value and any insurance
• A short timeline: booked on…, expected on…, what happened

Step 1: complain to the courier in writing

Call or chat if you like, but also complain in writing (email, web form or app) so there's a record. State what happened, what you want (delivery, refund of charges, compensation) and ask for a ticket number.

Sample complaint Subject: Complaint — AWB [number], [delayed / lost / damaged]. My parcel with AWB [number], booked on [date] from [city] to [city], [has not been delivered / was delivered damaged / shows delivered but was not received]. Please investigate, share the delivery proof (photo/OTP/GPS where available) and resolve this within 7 days. I want [delivery / refund / compensation]. Contact: [phone].

Good to know Couriers' terms often limit compensation for loss or damage unless you declared the value or bought insurance when booking. Check the terms on your receipt or the courier's website.

Step 2: the seller or marketplace (online orders)

If you ordered online, the seller is the courier's customer and can push much harder than you can. Raise it from the order page.

Under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, e-commerce entities must have a grievance officer who acknowledges complaints within 48 hours and resolves them within one month. The officer's name and contact details must be shown on the platform — usually on a "Grievance redressal" or "Contact us" page.

Step 3: India Post complaints

• Customer care: 1800-266-6868 (toll-free; agents 9 am–6 pm except Sundays and gazetted holidays, IVR 24×7).
• Online: India Post's complaint registration on its official website.
• Locally: the postmaster of the post office involved, then the Superintendent / Senior Superintendent of Post Offices for that division.
• Government grievance portal: CPGRAMS at pgportal.gov.in, if you're still not satisfied.

Step 4: National Consumer Helpline (NCH)

The Department of Consumer Affairs' National Consumer Helpline helps resolve complaints before you go to a commission.

• Call: 1915 or 1800-11-4000 (toll-free; 8 am–8 pm, except national holidays; 17 languages)
• WhatsApp / SMS: 8800001915
• Online: consumerhelpline.gov.in

More than a thousand companies have joined NCH's convergence programme, which forwards your complaint directly to the company.

Step 5: consumer commission (e-Daakhil)

If nothing works, you can file a consumer complaint online through e-Daakhil (edaakhil.nic.in). Which commission hears it depends on the value of goods or services paid for:

Commission	Value of goods/services paid
District Commission	Up to ₹50 lakh
State Commission	More than ₹50 lakh, up to ₹2 crore
National Commission	More than ₹2 crore

For a lost or damaged parcel, that's almost always the District Commission. Attach your evidence and the record of your complaints in steps 1–4.

If it's a scam, not a delivery problem

If you were tricked into paying through a fake courier message or call, that's a crime: call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in immediately.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I wait before escalating?

Give the courier a reasonable time to respond to a written complaint — a few working days. For e-commerce orders, the grievance officer must acknowledge within 48 hours and resolve within a month.

Can I complain if the seller sent the parcel, not me?

Yes, but the seller has the contract with the courier. Complain to the seller or marketplace first; they can claim from the courier.

Will I get compensation for a lost parcel?

It depends on the courier's terms, the declared value and any insurance. For online orders, the marketplace or seller usually refunds or replaces the item.

Find any courier's official tracker and support links on our courier pages, or check a parcel with the CheckMyOrder tracker.