Freight Tracking API allows developer to request for shipment's information using shipment housebill number (DHL shipment number). API response includes:

• Shipment details
• Latest event & timestamp
• Historical events & timestamps

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.

Scope

The Shipment Tracking (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 HTTP request header). 

Get Access

You must request credentials for any applications you develop

To register your app and get your API subscription keys:

1. Click My Apps on the portal website.
2. Click Add Developer App.
   The “Add App” form appears.
3. Complete the Add App form. 
   You can select the APIs you want to access. 
4. 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:

1. From the My Apps screen, click on the name of your app.
   The Details screen appears. 
2. 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. 
3. 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:  

Rate limits

Rate limits protect the DHL infrastructure from suspicious requests that exceed defined thresholds.

The table below details the main request limits:

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

Below is the message structure of the API response. 

Code List

specifics for the use of Tracking Data

• Tracking data is provided to You and/or the entity you are authorized to represent (hereinafter “You”/”Your”)  via this SHIPMENT TRACKING (DHL GLOBAL FORWARDING) API 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 housebill number (DHL shipment number) and/or tracking data solely for Your own legitimate tracking purposes.
• You may only submit tracking data to the recipient of DHL Global Forwarding shipment and no other person; such submission shall always been in compliance with applicable laws in the field of data protection and competition law, which includes that the data shall not be combined with advertisement or presented in a way that it could be regarded as advertisement.
• If You are neither the sender nor the recipient of DHL Global Forwarding-shipment/s, the tracking data refers to,
  • You shall ensure, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the sender
  • You shall make the sender 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.
• In no case shall you reveal and/or provide third parties with the housebill number (DHL shipment number) and/or tracking data and/or analyze, modify such data in any form and/or derive data/information especially for competitive reasons from it without our prior written consent.
• Tracking 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
• You shall delete the housebill number (DHL shipment number) and tracking data which You received via the SHIPMENT TRACKING (DHL GLOBAL FORWARDING) API 30 days after the delivery (of the shipment) to the recipient is completed.