Receiving a parcel in Mauritius: address, postcode, post office and couriers
Postcode, post office box, notification cards, storage fees, express couriers and sending from France: how to receive a parcel in Mauritius without bad surprises.
Receiving a parcel in Mauritius requires no special formality, but three details make the difference between a parcel delivered to your door and a parcel waiting at the post office while storage fees build up: a complete address with its postcode, a reachable Mauritian phone number, and the right reflex when a notification card arrives. This guide explains how to write your address, what a post office box costs, how the Mauritian postal service handles parcels, when to use an express courier and how to send a parcel from France.
In short
A Mauritian address ends with the name of the locality followed by its five-digit postcode, then “MAURITIUS”. A parcel arriving by post is either delivered to your home, depending on its size and weight, or announced by a notification card: you then collect it at your local post office. After 14 days, the post office charges Rs 80 per day for storage. An individual post office box costs Rs 750 a year for a small box, plus a Rs 700 key deposit. Customs charges are the same whatever the delivery method: they are detailed in our article on Temu, AliExpress and Alibaba parcels.
Writing your address in Mauritius
Postcodes have existed in Mauritius since 2014: piloted in 2012 in Lalmatie, Bon Accueil and Brisée Verdière, they have covered the whole island since 15 August 2014. They have five digits. The first indicates the district (1 for Port Louis, 2 for Pamplemousses, 3 for Rivière du Rempart, 4 for Flacq, 5 for Grand Port, 6 for Savanne, 7 for Plaines Wilhems, 8 for Moka, 9 for Rivière Noire), the next two the locality, the last two the neighbourhood. Rodrigues and Agaléga have a code starting with a letter, R or A.
The code is written after the name of the locality, on the second-to-last line. A complete address looks like this:
Mr and Mrs Martin
21, Old Trafford Road
Mission Cross
Lalmatie 42602
MAURITIUS
You can find the code for your address with the search tool on the Mauritius Post website, using the name of the locality. Many Mauritian streets have no numbers, and some residences are known only by their name: in that case, add the name of the residence or development and a well-known landmark (a school, a church, a shop). Always give a Mauritian phone number with your order. Couriers call before coming, and a parcel without a reachable number often goes back to the depot. If you have just arrived, our guide to the SIM card and local number in Mauritius explains how to get one in a day.
Renting a post office box
A post office box avoids the problems of an imprecise address and parcels left outside a closed gate. It is rented at the post office for three months, six months or one year. Here is the Mauritius Post tariff in force since 10 November 2026 for an individual:
| Period | Small box | Large box | Key deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | Rs 200 | Rs 300 | Rs 700 |
| 6 months | Rs 400 | Rs 600 | Rs 700 |
| 1 year | Rs 750 | Rs 1,050 | Rs 700 |
A company pays Rs 1,100 or Rs 1,400 a year, with an Rs 800 deposit. The three-month option suits a transition period well, while you look for a permanent home.
Parcels delivered by Mauritius Post
A parcel sent by the postal service of its country of origin (Colissimo from France, for example) is handed over in Mauritius by Mauritius Post. There are two cases. The post office delivers packets to your home depending on their size and weight; it recommends having a letterbox that is easily accessible to the postman. For a larger parcel, you receive a notification card, and the parcel is collected at your local post office.
Post offices are open from 8:15 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays and from 8:15 am to 11:45 am on Saturdays. The Ebene post office has longer hours: 9:30 am to 5:15 pm on weekdays and 9:30 am to 1:00 pm on Saturdays.
Three amounts in the postal tariff of 10 November 2026 directly concern receiving parcels:
| Charge | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Clearance of a non-dutiable small packet or EMS item | Rs 50 | On handover |
| Parcel storage | Rs 80 per day | After 14 days uncollected |
| Mail redirection for an individual | Rs 200 per year | On request, when you move |
On top of these postal charges, any parcel containing goods pays the Rs 150 processing fee collected by customs since 1 September 2026 and, above Rs 1,000 in value, duties and VAT. A registered or express item is tracked with the “Track & Trace” tool on the Mauritius Post website, using the tracking number given by the sender.
The costly mistake is a forgotten notification card. A parcel left uncollected for three weeks already costs Rs 560 in storage. If you are travelling, ask someone close to collect your cards, or have your mail redirected.
Parcels delivered by an express courier
DHL, FedEx, UPS and Celero, which delivers a large share of Temu and AliExpress parcels, do not go through the post office. They clear the parcel for you, advance the taxes, then contact you for payment and delivery, usually to your door. The service is faster and the parcel is handed over in person, but the courier charges its own clearance fees on top of the customs charges. At Celero, they reach Rs 115 per small parcel. The charges by category and the trap of orders delivered in several parcels are explained in our article on Temu, AliExpress and Alibaba parcels in Mauritius.
The choice is often made with the seller, when you order. For a small, non-urgent item, the postal route is often the cheapest; for a fragile or valuable item, or one needed by a fixed date, express is safer.
Beware of fake delivery messages
A text message or email announcing a “blocked” parcel and asking for a small payment through a link is a widespread parcel scam. Before paying anything, check that you are actually expecting a parcel from that courier and type the tracking number yourself on its official website, without clicking the link you received. Mauritius Post, for its part, advises checking a seller’s reliability before paying and preferring cash on delivery with an unknown seller.
Sending a parcel from France to Mauritius
For family who stayed in France or to bring over a few belongings, La Poste offers two options. Colissimo International carries a parcel of up to 20 kg in 5 to 8 working days depending on the town, with compensation of €23 per kilo in case of loss or damage. Chronopost delivers in 1 to 2 working days to the main centres and in 3 to 5 days elsewhere. The La Poste page that details these lead times still shows its 2024 prices: check the price when you send.
According to La Poste, used clothing and ammunition are prohibited imports in Mauritius. Before sending a sensitive item (medicine, food, plant, electronic device), check the Mauritian customs list: the section on prohibited goods in our article on parcels covers the main cases. A parcel received in Mauritius is subject to the same customs charges as an online purchase, gift or not.
For administrative mail that keeps arriving in France after you leave, our article Leaving France for Mauritius: the formalities in order explains how to organise redirection and entrust your important mail to someone you trust.
Moving house: a parcel is not the right solution
Beyond a few boxes, compare with sea freight groupage: household effects from a move have their own customs regime. Containers, groupage and exemption conditions are covered in our guide to moving to Mauritius.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a postcode to receive a parcel in Mauritius?
It is strongly recommended: it lets the parcel be routed to the right area. The code is written after the name of the locality and can be found with the search tool on the Mauritius Post website.
How long does the post office keep a parcel?
The parcel remains available at the post office, but Mauritius Post charges Rs 80 per day for storage after 14 days.
Does the post office deliver parcels to your home?
Yes, depending on the size and weight of the packet. For a larger parcel, a notification card is left and the parcel is collected at the post office. The Mauritius Post marketing department gives information on home delivery on 211 8423.
Is a post office box worth it?
For an address that is hard to find, a gated residence or a transition period, yes: Rs 200 for three months and Rs 750 for a year for a small box, plus a Rs 700 key deposit.
Does a parcel sent by family pay customs charges?
Yes, as soon as it contains goods: the customs processing fee applies to every consignment, and duties and VAT above Rs 1,000 in value. Only documents with no commercial value are exempt.
Who to contact
Mauritius Post: enquiries on 208 2911 or 208 2851, marketing department for home delivery on 211 8423. For customs charges, the MRA on 207 6000 or the courier that contacted you.
Limits of this analysis
The postal tariffs quoted are those in force on 10 November 2026; Mauritius Post revises them regularly. La Poste lead times and prices are those shown on its page about Mauritius, still dated 2024. Express courier fees are not regulated and vary from one courier to another. For Rodrigues, Mauritius Post reports that the daily air dispatch of parcels is suspended for lack of space on flights: parcels go by surface mail at least twice a month, with longer lead times.
Sources and checks
Information checked on 13 November 2026.
- Mauritius Post – postal tariff in force on 10 November 2026.
- Mauritius Post – tracking, notification cards and home delivery.
- Mauritius Post – frequently asked questions, post office hours.
- Mauritius Post – postcode finder.
- Mauritius Post – secure online shopping guidelines.
- Wikipedia – Postal codes in Mauritius, based on the Universal Postal Union addressing sheet (2014).
- La Poste – sending a parcel to Mauritius.
- Mauritius Revenue Authority – communiqué of 28 August 2026 on the parcel processing fee.
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