‘Tis nearly the season, and while you might be focused on securing the best Black Friday deals to help you take out the ‘Best Auntie’ or ‘Favourite Child’ crown this year, it’s also time to start thinking about those Christmas post cut-off dates for sending said gifts to your loved ones.
Whether you’re a last-minute legend, or an organised queen, we’ve done the hard work for you, so you can rest easy and focus on all the best bits of festive planning.
Australia Post has just released its Christmas cut-off dates for sending – both locally and internationally – which means there’s no reason you can’t plan your holiday commitments to perfection.
For anyone considering sending gifts or mail to international locations, the service suggests you get your skates on and have everything wrapped up and ready to go by the end of November, to avoid deadline disappointment.
But, if you’re sending within Australia, the deadlines are a little more flexible, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t factor in some wiggle room for seasonal snags.
So, to give your Christmas mail the best possible chance of making it under the tree in time, see below for the most recent dates to add to your diary.
Christmas Post Cut-Off Dates For Sending Within Australia 2025
These dates are for Parcel Post items being sent to, or from metro locations, but if you’re needing to send outside of these metro areas, it’s advised you post before the below deadlines.
| Sendingfrom | To NSW* | To ACT | To VIC* | To QLD* | To SA | To WA | To TAS | To NT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW* | Mon 22/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Thu 18/12 | Fri 19/12 | Tue 16/12 |
| ACT | Fri 19/12 | Mon 22/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Thu 18/12 | Fri 19/12 | Tue 16/12 |
| VIC* | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Mon 22/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Thu 18/12 | Fri 19/12 | Tue 16/12 |
| QLD* | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Mon 22/12 | Fri 19/12 | Wed 17/12 | Thu 18/12 | Fri 12/12 |
| SA | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Mon 22/12 | Thu 18/12 | Fri 19/12 | Wed 17/12 |
| WA | Thu 18/12 | Thu 18/12 | Thu 18/12 | Wed 17/12 | Thu 18/12 | Mon 22/12 | Tue 16/12 | Fri 12/12 |
| TAS | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Fri 19/12 | Thu 18/12 | Fri 19/12 | Tue 16/12 | Mon 22/12 | Fri 12/12 |
| NT | Tue 16/12 | Tue 16/12 | Tue 16/12 | Wed 17/12 | Wed 17/12 | Wed 17/12 | Fri 12/12 | Mon 22/12 |
Express Post Cut-Off Dates Within Metro Areas
NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD, SA and within same state: 23 December 2025
NT, TAS and WA:M: 22nd December 2025
International Cut-Off Dates 2024
While international cut-off dates can vary depending on the destination, the guidelines for sending parcels or letters oversees offer a good starting point for getting organised.
| Sending to | Courier parcels & letters | Express parcels & letters | Standard parcels | Economy Air parcels & International Post Registered letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 15 December 2025 | 15 December 2025 | 11 December 2025 | 4 December 2025 |
| USA | Suspended | 15 December 2025 | 11 December 2025 | 4 December 2025 |
| Canada | 15 December 2025 | 11 December 2025 | 8 December 2025 | 1 December 2025 |
| UK | 15 December 2025 | 15 December 2025 | 11 December 2025 | 4 December 2025 |
| Major European destinations | 15 December 2025 | 15 December 2025 | 11 December 2025 | 4 December 2025 |
| China | 15 December 2025 | 9 December 2025 | 2 December 2025 | 25 November 2025 |
| East/Southeast Asia | 15 December 2025 | 12 December 2025 | 5 December 2025 | 28 November 2025 |
| Rest of world | Not available | 5 December 2025 | 28 November 2025 | 21 November 2025 |
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