Published 7 April 2026
Quick Answer
An Evri parcel stuck at depot for 24–48 hours is normal. After 3 working days of no movement at the same depot, treat it as a problem. After 5 working days, contact the retailer and ask for a refund or replacement under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
'Arrived at depot' followed by silence is one of the most common Evri tracking patterns — and one of the most stressful. The good news: most stuck-at-depot parcels move within 2–3 working days. The bad news: a small percentage are misrouted, lost in the depot, or returned to sender. Knowing how long to wait before treating it as a real problem is the difference between a fast resolution and a wasted week. This is a diagnostic guide. If your parcel is actually lost rather than just delayed, see our Evri lost parcel rights guide or the Evri courier overview.
'Arrived at depot': the parcel has been scanned into an Evri sorting hub. This is a normal stop, not a problem. Expect 12–48 hours before the next scan. 'Sorted at depot': the parcel has been processed and is ready to leave. The next scan should be 'On its way' or 'Out for delivery' within 24 hours. 'At local depot': the parcel has reached the depot nearest you and should go out for delivery the next working day. 'Returned to depot': the courier attempted delivery but brought it back. This is a flag — check for a missed delivery card and rebook if needed. 'Delayed at depot': Evri's internal flag for a known issue. Treat as priority and contact the retailer the same day.
Reason 1: Sorting backlog. Evri depots work in shifts, and Friday afternoon arrivals often do not get processed until Monday. Normal — wait through the weekend. Reason 2: Mis-scan. A parcel was loaded onto the wrong delivery van and brought back. The next scan should appear within 24–48 hours. Reason 3: Address verification issue. Evri sometimes holds parcels with unclear or incomplete addresses. Check the email Evri sends asking you to confirm details. Reason 4: Damaged label or barcode. The parcel cannot be auto-scanned and needs manual handling. Adds 24–48 hours. Reason 5: Genuine loss within the depot. Rare but real. This is the case where you need to escalate. Reason 6: Industrial action or weather event affecting that hub. Add 2–3 days to your patience window.
Example 1: A customer's Evri parcel showed 'arrived at hub' on a Friday at 6pm and went silent. By Tuesday morning it was 'out for delivery' and arrived that afternoon. Total silent gap: 3 working days, all normal sorting backlog. Example 2: A customer's parcel showed 'at local depot' on a Monday but no 'out for delivery' scan by Wednesday morning. They emailed the retailer Wednesday afternoon citing Section 29. The retailer dispatched a replacement Thursday. The original parcel never reappeared. Example 3: A customer ignored the stuck status for 10 days hoping it would move. By the time they contacted the retailer, it was past the 7-day refund window most retailers offer for fast resolution and the case dragged for weeks. Lesson: do not wait past 5 working days.
Step 1: Note the depot name and the timestamp of the last scan. This is your reference point. Step 2: Count working days only — Evri's main hubs run reduced shifts at weekends. Step 3: Check your email and the Evri app for any 'address verification' or 'delivery instruction' requests. Responding promptly can unstick the parcel. Step 4: If you are within the normal patience window for that stage, wait. If you have crossed the threshold, screenshot the tracking and contact the retailer. Step 5: Do not start a chat with Evri customer service for a retailer order — they will only deal with the sender.
Once you have crossed the patience threshold (typically 5 working days at the same depot with no flag), your problem is no longer a diagnostic question — it is a lost parcel claim. Contact the retailer directly under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and request a refund or replacement within 7 working days. For a personalised complaint email and next steps generated for your specific case, use our free refund tool — it takes under 2 minutes and produces a ready-to-send message.
For courier-specific help, compare Royal Mail compensation and Evri lost parcel claim, or use the full parcel refund process to generate the next steps for your case.
Up to 48 hours at a sorting hub is normal. Up to 24 hours at the local delivery depot is normal. Past 3 working days at the same depot is unusual. Past 5 working days, treat it as lost and contact the retailer.
Most often this is a sorting backlog — Evri depots process parcels in shifts and weekend arrivals can sit until Monday. It can also mean a mis-scan, an address verification hold, or a damaged label. The next scan usually appears within 24–48 hours.
Usually yes, on the next working day. Once a parcel reaches the local delivery depot, it normally goes out for delivery the following morning. If you do not see an 'out for delivery' scan within 2 working days of reaching the local depot, that is a red flag.
It means the courier attempted delivery but brought the parcel back, usually because no one was home and there was no safe place. Check for a missed delivery card or notification, then rebook delivery via the Evri app within 5 working days.
If you are the recipient of a retailer order, Evri's customer service will redirect you to the sender. Their support is designed for senders. Contact the retailer instead, who can escalate within Evri's system on your behalf.
No. Evri investigations are slow and run for the sender, not you. The retailer can refund you straight away under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Do not let the retailer use Evri's investigation as an excuse to delay.
Screenshot the tracking page each day to show the silent gap. Note the depot name and the timestamps of all scans. Save the Evri tracking link and your order confirmation. This will support your refund claim if the parcel turns out to be lost.
Sorting backlogs and mis-scans often resolve themselves once the parcel is rescanned at the next stage. A 2–3 day silent gap followed by a sudden burst of updates is common, especially after weekends or busy periods. This is why patience matters within the normal window.