How to connect DHL Freight to ShippyPro

Summary:

1. Before you start
2. Carrier's Configuration
3. Additional features
4. Troubleshooting & Errors

1. Before you start

DHL Freight is not a parcel carrier: a shipment is a set of pallets described by weight, volume and loading metres, and you'll need to pick a freight product that is either domestic or international.

To set up DHL Freight, you need:

• An application registered on the DHL Developer Portal — note that registration for DHL Freight requires a specific onboarding form, as the generic developer portal registration does not activate Freight access
• An Account Number (AccountID) and, if you want Live Rates, an eID Username/Password — these are issued by your DHL Freight commercial contact, not the developer portal

If you don't have these credentials yet, please contact your DHL Freight point of contact to request access.

2. Carrier's configuration

Follow these steps to connect DHL Freight to your ShippyPro account:

1. Log in to your ShippyPro account
2. Navigate to Connections > Carriers
3. Scroll down and click on the DHL Freight logo
4. A connection modal will appear. Fill in the required fields:
   • Client ID: Enter the API Key of your application from the DHL Developer Portal
   • Client Secret: Enter the API Secret of the same application
   • Account Number: Enter your DHL Freight AccountID (format: 12345678.IT0001)
   • eID Username / eID Password: Optional, required only if you want to use Live Rates
   • Delivery Terms (Payer Code): Select DAP, DDP, EXW or CPT
   • Service: Select your freight product (must match your shipping lane — see Service Types below)
   • Label format: Select PDF A4, PDF A6, or ZPL 203 DPI
5. Click Save to establish the connection

ShippyPro will automatically validate your credentials. If successful, DHL Freight will appear as an active carrier in your account.

Optional Configuration:

• Test Mode: Enable this option if you want to use the sandbox environment for testing purposes

3. Additional features

Destinations

National: Domestic shipments require sender and receiver to be in the same country, served by a domestic freight product

International: 40+ European countries, per DHL Freight's coverage. Shipping beyond Europe is not supported for freight.

Features

• Label Type: PDF (A4, A6), ZPL
• Track & Trace: Available
• Paperless: Not Available
• PickUp/DropOff (PUDO): Not Available
• Cash On Delivery: Available (EUR, CZK, PLN, HUF, TRY, RSD, RON, CHF, GBP — SEK not supported)
• Live Rates: Available (requires eID credentials; quotes are indicative and non-binding)
• Return Labels: Not Available
• Return Labels (in the box): Not Available
• Book/Schedule Pickup: Available (as a booking option, not a standalone service — see below)
• Address Check: Not Available
• Proof Of Delivery (POD): Available
• Non-Delivery Options: Not Available
• Insurance: Available (COD currencies plus DKK, MAD, NOK — SEK not supported)
• Multiparcel: Available (up to 999 pieces)
• Delete Shipment (Void): Not Available via API — cancellations must go through DHL Customer Service
• Closeout: Not Available
• CN22: Not Available
• CN23: Not Available
• Credentials Validation: Available

Service Types

• DHL Road Freight Standard Domestic: Standard domestic road freight
• DHL Road Freight Standard International: Standard international road freight
• DHL Road Freight Priority Domestic: Priority domestic road freight
• DHL Road Freight Priority International: Priority international road freight
• DHL Standard Pallet Domestic: Standard pallet service, domestic
• DHL Standard Pallet International: Standard pallet service, international
• DHL Premium Pallet Domestic: Premium pallet service, domestic
• DHL Premium Pallet International: Premium pallet service, international
• DHL Home Delivery Domestic: Home delivery to a private consignee, domestic
• DHL Home Delivery International: Home delivery to a private consignee, international

Note: your DHL Freight contract determines which of these products you can actually use — a domestic product cannot be used on an international lane, and vice versa.

Multiparcel Shipments

DHL Freight supports up to 999 pieces per shipment. Each piece receives its own tracking code (SSCC), in addition to the master shipment tracking number.

Insurance

DHL Freight offers insurance based on the declared value of your goods. Supported currencies include all COD currencies plus DKK, MAD, and NOK (SEK is not supported). DHL documents a cap of €100,000 per shipment.

Live Rates

You can retrieve indicative shipping rates from DHL Freight, provided you have configured your eID Username and Password. Without these credentials, Live Rates will not be available, but shipping, labels, and tracking will continue to work normally.

Book/Schedule Pickup

DHL Freight does not have a dedicated pickup booking endpoint — instead, pickup is requested as a "Time Slot Booking At Pickup" option on the shipment itself. Fixed time windows cannot be specified; this is a simple yes/no request for the carrier to arrange pickup.

Delivery Terms (Payer Code)

You'll need to select one of the following delivery terms when configuring the carrier:

• DAP (Delivered At Place)
• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
• EXW (Ex Works)
• CPT (Carriage Paid To)

This determines which party (sender or receiver) is associated with your DHL Freight account for billing purposes.

Carrier Options

DHL Freight offers a comprehensive set of per-shipment options:

Label Formats

DHL Freight supports the following label formats:

• PDF A4: 210×297mm portrait, two labels per sheet
• PDF A6: 95×152mm, standard 4×6" thermal sticker size
• ZPL: 203 DPI, same size as PDF A6

Make sure your label printer is compatible with your selected format.

4. Troubleshooting & Errors

Common Issues:

❓ Why can't I register for DHL Freight through the standard DHL developer portal?

A: DHL Freight requires a specific onboarding process separate from the generic MyDHL developer registration. Please contact your DHL Freight commercial representative for the correct registration process, as generic portal credentials will not activate Freight access.

❓ Why is my selected service returning an error?

A: Your DHL Freight contract determines which freight products you're able to use. If you receive an error indicating no valid product was found, it usually means your contract doesn't include that specific service — contact your DHL Freight commercial contact to verify your contracted products.

❓ Why is Live Rates not working?

A: Live Rates requires a valid eID Username and Password, which are separate from your API Client ID/Secret and are issued by your DHL Freight commercial contact specifically for pricing. Without these, rating is simply unavailable — shipping and labels will continue to work normally.

❓ How do I schedule a pickup?

A: There is no dedicated pickup booking feature. Instead, enable the "Time Slot Booking At Pickup" carrier option on your shipment, which requests DHL to arrange a pickup slot. Fixed time windows cannot be specified through this option.

❓ Why is my authentication failing?

A: Double-check that you have entered all credentials correctly:

• Client ID
• Client Secret
• Account Number (in the correct format, e.g. 12345678.IT0001)

If you continue to experience issues, contact DHL Freight support for verification of your API access.

❓ Can I ship to countries outside Europe?

A: No, DHL Freight's road freight network covers European destinations only.

❓ Why was my "Delivery After 12:00" option rejected?

A: This option is only available if specifically enabled on your DHL Freight contract. By default, it's rejected on standard road-freight products.