ViaScreens ships to many countries and regions worldwide. However, in some cases, a delivery address may be located in what a courier classifies as a remote area.
Remote area classifications are usually applied by expedited carriers such as DHL Express, FedEx, or similar international courier networks. These areas may be difficult, costly, or less frequent for the courier to service directly. As a result, the carrier may apply an additional Remote Area Surcharge to deliver the parcel.
In some cases, the surcharge can be significant. If the cost charged by the carrier makes the shipment commercially unviable, we may not be able to proceed with the order.
A Remote Area Surcharge is an additional delivery charge applied by a courier when the destination address falls outside its standard service area.
This does not always mean the address is extremely rural or isolated. A postcode, ZIP code, town, island, military location, industrial zone, or regional area may be classified as remote depending on the courier’s own delivery network.
A delivery address may be considered remote if:
The carrier does not provide regular direct service to that area
The location is far from the carrier’s main delivery routes
The parcel needs to be handed to a third-party carrier for final-mile delivery
The area requires additional handling, routing, or transport
The destination is located on an island or in a hard-to-access region
Local delivery infrastructure is limited
The courier applies a separate charge for that postcode or ZIP code
Remote area status is determined by the carrier, not by ViaScreens.
Expedited carriers operate through large international delivery networks. These networks are designed to move parcels quickly through major cities, towns, airports, hubs, and well-serviced delivery routes.
When a delivery address is outside the carrier’s normal service area, the carrier may need to use additional resources to complete the delivery. This may include:
Passing the parcel to a local third-party courier
Arranging special final-mile delivery
Using extended transport routes
Sending parcels through additional depots or regional partners
Applying extra handling or delivery processes
Because these areas can be more expensive for the courier to serve, the carrier may apply a Remote Area Surcharge.
When a customer places an order on our website, we are not always able to confirm whether a specific postcode, ZIP code, town, or delivery address falls within a courier-designated remote area.
Remote area classification depends on the carrier’s own system. This classification is usually confirmed only after the order details are passed to the courier or shipping platform for processing.
Although a customer may be able to enter their address at checkout and select a shipping method, this does not always mean the courier will accept the shipment without additional charges.
In many cases, we only become aware that an address is classified as remote after:
The order has been placed
The delivery address has been reviewed
The shipment details are processed through the courier system
The courier returns a Remote Area Surcharge or service restriction
For this reason, remote area issues may not be visible at the point of checkout.
Remote Area Surcharges can sometimes be very high. In certain cases, the surcharge charged by the carrier may be significantly higher than the shipping fee paid by the customer at checkout.
When this happens, it may be commercially unviable for us to ship the order.
If the additional courier charge is excessive, we may need to cancel the order. This is not because we do not want to fulfil the order, but because the actual delivery cost charged by the carrier is too high to reasonably proceed.
If this applies to your order, our Support Team will contact you to explain the situation and advise that the order cannot be shipped using the selected delivery service.
If we identify that your address falls within a courier-designated remote area and the surcharge makes shipping unviable, our Support Team will contact you.
Depending on the situation, we may:
Explain that the delivery address has been classified as a remote area
Advise that the courier has applied an excessive surcharge
Confirm that we are unable to proceed with the shipment
Cancel and refund the order where shipping is not possible
Review whether any alternative delivery option is available
Where cancellation is necessary, the refund will be processed back to the original payment method.
In some cases, the surcharge may be so high that it is not practical or reasonable to offer the shipment, even if the customer is willing to contribute towards the cost.
Remote area charges can vary depending on the carrier, country, destination, shipment size, and service used. In addition to the surcharge, there may also be other service limitations or delivery risks when a parcel needs to be handed to a third-party final-mile carrier.
Because of this, the availability of any alternative arrangement is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If there is no suitable delivery option available, the order may need to be cancelled.
Yes, it can.
Even when a courier accepts a shipment to a remote area, delivery may take longer than the estimated transit time shown for standard locations.
This is because the parcel may need to be:
Routed through additional depots
Handed to a local delivery partner
Scheduled for less frequent delivery routes
Processed through additional regional handling points
Delivered by a third-party final-mile carrier
Delivery estimates for remote areas should therefore be treated as a guide only. A remote area destination may take longer than a major city or standard delivery area within the same country.
In some remote areas, the main courier may not complete the final delivery directly. Instead, the parcel may be passed to a local third-party carrier for the final-mile stage.
This means the parcel may start with a courier such as DHL Express or FedEx, but the final delivery may be completed by a regional partner or local postal/courier service.
When this happens:
Tracking updates may change or become less frequent
Delivery may take longer than expected
The final delivery experience may depend on the local partner
Delivery attempts, collection points, or local contact procedures may differ
The main courier may have limited control once the parcel is passed to the local carrier
This is one of the reasons remote area delivery can be more complex and expensive.
No. A remote area address is not always undeliverable.
In many cases, the courier may still be able to deliver to the destination, but only with an additional surcharge or through a third-party delivery partner.
However, if the surcharge is excessive, if the carrier cannot provide a reliable service, or if the delivery route is not commercially viable, we may be unable to ship the order.
If your order cannot be shipped because the address is classed as a remote area, you may be able to place a new order using an alternative delivery address.
For example, this could be:
A work address
A family member’s address
A friend’s address
A city-based address
A parcel collection or forwarding address, where suitable
The alternative address must be located in a region that the courier can service without an excessive remote area surcharge.
Please make sure that the recipient at the alternative address is able to receive the parcel and provide any customs or delivery information required by the carrier.
The delivery details entered at checkout are used to create the shipping label and submit the shipment information to the courier.
Please make sure your address is complete and accurate, including:
Full recipient name
Company name, where applicable
Building name or number
Street name
Area, district, or locality
City or town
State, province, or region
Correct postcode or ZIP code
Correct country
Valid phone number
Valid email address
Incomplete or inaccurate address details can make remote area checks more difficult and may also cause delivery delays, failed delivery, or customs issues.
The shipping price shown at checkout is based on the available shipping method and the order details provided at the time.
However, remote area surcharges are often only confirmed when the courier system checks the full address or postcode/ZIP code. This means the checkout shipping price may not always include a remote area charge, especially if the surcharge is only returned by the carrier after the order is processed.
If a remote area surcharge is later applied by the courier and the cost is excessive, we may contact the customer before dispatch.
In some cases, the Support Team may be able to review a postcode or ZIP code before an order is placed, but remote area status cannot always be guaranteed until the courier system processes the shipment details.
Carrier databases can also change over time, and different couriers may classify the same location differently.
For the most accurate result, the full delivery address is usually required, and confirmation may still depend on the carrier’s final acceptance of the shipment.
A Remote Area Surcharge is an additional charge applied by a courier when a delivery address is outside its standard service area.
This is most commonly associated with expedited carriers such as DHL Express, FedEx, or similar courier networks. It may happen when the courier does not directly service the area and needs to use a third-party carrier for final-mile delivery.
At checkout, ViaScreens may not always be able to identify whether a postcode or ZIP code is classed as remote. This is usually confirmed only after the order details are passed to the courier.
If the courier applies an excessive remote area surcharge and the shipment becomes commercially unviable, we may need to cancel the order. If this happens, our Support Team will contact the customer and advise accordingly.
To reduce the risk of delivery issues, customers should provide complete and accurate address details at checkout and consider using an alternative delivery address if their location is difficult for expedited couriers to service.