---
title: "Retrieve shipment documents - labels and customs documents"
method: GET
path: "/orders"
tags: ["Shipments and Labels"]
---

# Retrieve shipment documents - labels and customs documents

`GET /orders`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api-eu.dhl.com/parcel/de/shipping/v2`
- URL: `https://api-eu.dhl.com/parcel/de/shipping/v2/orders`
- Auth: one of:
  - API key in header `dhl-api-key`
  - HTTP basic
  - OAuth 2
    - Password
    - Token URL: `/parcel/de/account/auth/ropc/v1/token`

Returns documents for existing shipment(s). The call accepts multiple shipment numbers and will provide sets of documents for those. The **format (PDF,ZPL)** and **method of delivery (URL, encoded, data)** can be selected for **all** shipments and labels in that call. You cannot chose one format and delivery method for one label and different for another label within the same call. You can also specify if you want regular labels, return labels, cod labels, or customsDoc. Any combination is possible.

The call returns for each shipment number the status indicator and the selected labels and documents. If a label type (for example a cod label) does not exist for a shipment, it will not be returned. This is not an error. If you were sending multiple shipments, you will get an HTTP 207 response (multistatus) with detailed status for each shipment. Other standard HTTP response codes (200, 400, 401, 429, 500) are possible as well. Labels can be either provided as part of the response (base64 encoded for PDF, text for ZPL) or via URL link for view and download (PDF). Note that the format settings per query parameters apply to the shipping label. Retoure label paper type can be specified separately since a different printer may be used here. If requesting labels to be returned as URL for separate download, the URLs provided can be shared.

## Query parameters

- `shipment` string[], required
- `docFormat` 'ZPL2' | 'PDF'
- `printFormat` 'A4' | '910-300-600' | '910-300-610' | '910-300-700' | '910-300-700-oz' | '910-300-710' | '910-300-300' | '910-300-300-oz' | '910-300-400' | '910-300-410' | '100x70mm'
- `retourePrintFormat` 'A4' | '910-300-600' | '910-300-610' | '910-300-700' | '910-300-700-oz' | '910-300-710' | '910-300-300' | '910-300-300-oz' | '910-300-400' | '910-300-410' | '100x70mm'
- `includeDocs` 'include' | 'URL'
- `combine` boolean

## Headers

- `Accept-Language` string

## Response `200`

Success response for requests with a single shipment.

- LabelDataResponse
  - `status` RequestStatus: General status description for the attached response or response item.
    - `title` string, required
    - `statusCode` integer, required: The status code of the response. Usually, but not necessarliy the HTTP status code. Same as attribut "status" but deprecated. Do not use. Will be removed in the next major version.
    - `status` integer: The status code of the response. Usually, but not necessarliy the HTTP status code.
    - `instance` string: A URI reference that identifies the specific occurrence of the problem.
    - `detail` string
  - `items` ResponseItem[]: If the request contains a multi element array (e.g. multiple shipments), then the order of the items in the response corresponds to the order of the items in the request. For consistency, if the request contains only one item then the response contains a single element array.
    - `shipmentNo` string
    - `routingCode` string: Routing code of the consignee address
    - `returnRoutingCode` string: Routing code of the return address
    - `returnShipmentNo` string
    - `sstatus` RequestStatus, required: General status description for the attached response or response item.
      - `title` string, required
      - `statusCode` integer, required: The status code of the response. Usually, but not necessarliy the HTTP status code. Same as attribut "status" but deprecated. Do not use. Will be removed in the next major version.
      - `status` integer: The status code of the response. Usually, but not necessarliy the HTTP status code.
      - `instance` string: A URI reference that identifies the specific occurrence of the problem.
      - `detail` string
    - `shipmentRefNo` string
    - `label` Document: Encoded document. All types of labels and documents.
      - `b64` string: The Base64 encoded byte stream
      - `zpl2` string: The document in zpl encoding
      - `url` string: URL reference to download document
      - `fileFormat` 'ZPL2' | 'PDF': format of the encoded bytes
      - `printFormat` 'A4-PT' | 'A4' | '910-300-700' | '910-300-700-oZ/oz' | '910-300-300' | '910-300-300-oz' | '910-300-710' | '910-300-600/610' | '910-300-400/410' | '100x70mm': The print format used. Customs documents and cash on delivery documents can only be returned in format A4.
    - `returnLabel` Document: Encoded document. All types of labels and documents.
      - `b64` string: The Base64 encoded byte stream
      - `zpl2` string: The document in zpl encoding
      - `url` string: URL reference to download document
      - `fileFormat` 'ZPL2' | 'PDF': format of the encoded bytes
      - `printFormat` 'A4-PT' | 'A4' | '910-300-700' | '910-300-700-oZ/oz' | '910-300-300' | '910-300-300-oz' | '910-300-710' | '910-300-600/610' | '910-300-400/410' | '100x70mm': The print format used. Customs documents and cash on delivery documents can only be returned in format A4.
    - `customsDoc` Document: Encoded document. All types of labels and documents.
      - `b64` string: The Base64 encoded byte stream
      - `zpl2` string: The document in zpl encoding
      - `url` string: URL reference to download document
      - `fileFormat` 'ZPL2' | 'PDF': format of the encoded bytes
      - `printFormat` 'A4-PT' | 'A4' | '910-300-700' | '910-300-700-oZ/oz' | '910-300-300' | '910-300-300-oz' | '910-300-710' | '910-300-600/610' | '910-300-400/410' | '100x70mm': The print format used. Customs documents and cash on delivery documents can only be returned in format A4.
    - `codLabel` Document: Encoded document. All types of labels and documents.
      - `b64` string: The Base64 encoded byte stream
      - `zpl2` string: The document in zpl encoding
      - `url` string: URL reference to download document
      - `fileFormat` 'ZPL2' | 'PDF': format of the encoded bytes
      - `printFormat` 'A4-PT' | 'A4' | '910-300-700' | '910-300-700-oZ/oz' | '910-300-300' | '910-300-300-oz' | '910-300-710' | '910-300-600/610' | '910-300-400/410' | '100x70mm': The print format used. Customs documents and cash on delivery documents can only be returned in format A4.
    - `validationMessages` ValidationMessageItem[]: Optional validation messages attached to the shipment.
      - `property` string: The property that is affected by the validation message.
      - `validationMessage` string: The validation message describing the error.
      - `validationState` string: The validation state resulting from the error.

## Other responses

- `207`: Response for requests taking multiple input elements
- `400`: Bad Request
- `401`: Unauthorized
- `404`: Not Found
- `429`: Too Many Requests
- `500`: Internal Server Error

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/dhl/apis/parcel-de-shipping-api-post-parcel-germany.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/dhl/apis/parcel-de-shipping-api-post-parcel-germany/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/dhl/apis/parcel-de-shipping-api-post-parcel-germany/revisions/b9e613b17d70?raw)