Purolator drop-off locations and pickups
Which Purolator locations take a labelled parcel, from Staples to drop boxes and lockers, their size limits and cut-offs, and how pickups are booked.
Updated
Short answer. A Purolator parcel that already has its label can go to a Purolator Shipping Centre, an Authorized Shipping Agent, a drop box, a Quick Stop kiosk or parcel locker, or a partner store such as Staples, Best Buy, Michaels or a PUDO counter. Purolator has more than 3,000 locations in its location finder, and most take parcels up to 50 lb. ProtonShip doesn’t book pickups, so hand a ProtonShip label to a Purolator driver who already collects from you, or drop it off.
Where to drop off a Purolator parcel
Purolator calls these shipping access points. Each type takes a parcel that’s already labelled and paid for, within its own size limits:
| Location | How it takes a labelled parcel | Purolator’s limit |
|---|---|---|
| Purolator Shipping Centre | Over the counter. More than 130 across Canada, often in malls, office towers and Purolator terminals | 50 lb and 48 in for a parcel shipped from a retail counter, 165 in length plus girth |
| Authorized Shipping Agent | Over the counter at a local business. More than 550 across Canada | 16 in and 50 lb |
| Partner stores | Prepaid drop-off at Staples, PUDO counters, Best Buy, Michaels, Swiftpost Smarthubs, Penguin PickUp and PARCELPOINT | 16 in and 50 lb |
| Drop box | Left in the box, in buildings, lobbies and commercial areas. More than 240 across Canada | 16 in and 50 lb |
| Quick Stop kiosk | Scan the label’s barcode and the door opens. Parcels within Canada only | 23 in and 50 lb |
| Quick Stop parcel locker | Scan the printed label and place the parcel in a locker | 37 in and 50 lb |
Search the Purolator location finder by postal code or city to see what’s near you, with each location’s hours. Purolator’s Mobile and Urban Quick Stops and its lockers at Tim Hortons are set up mainly for collecting parcels, so check the finder before taking an outgoing parcel there.
Find a Purolator drop-off location near you
Enter a postal code or share your location to see the nearest Purolator drop-off locations from Google Maps, with directions.
Enter a postal code to see drop-off locations near it, nearest first.
Results come from Google Maps and can include a depot or office that doesn’t take drop-offs. Check the carrier’s own finder before you go:
Purolator at Staples
Purolator says its services are available at more than 298 Staples stores in Canada. Look for the Purolator sign at the Staples Copy and Print Centre and give the parcel to a Staples associate. Staples takes prepaid Purolator parcels, and it also sells Purolator shipping in the store and prints labels from a QR code.
A Staples counter keeps the store’s own hours, so it may be open when a Purolator Shipping Centre isn’t. Purolator’s limit for partner stores is a parcel within 16 inches and 50 lb, so for a larger box, call ahead or try a Purolator Shipping Centre.
Size and weight at drop-off points
Every drop-off option Purolator lists stops at 50 lb a parcel, while ProtonShip sells Purolator labels up to 70 lb. Purolator doesn’t publish a drop-off limit above 50 lb for any location type, so a heavier parcel needs a Purolator driver who already collects from you, or a call to a Shipping Centre before you go.
Purolator’s answers on length also differ: 16 inches at partner stores and agents, 48 inches on the longest side for a parcel shipped from a retail counter. A box near either size is worth a call ahead. The parcel size calculator checks a box against Purolator’s own limits for each service.
What to bring
- The parcel packed and sealed, with its label flat on the largest side. The barcode has to scan at a kiosk or locker, so check that it printed cleanly. Our guide to printing shipping labels covers both label sizes.
- One label per parcel. Purolator scans each package on its own, so each needs its own label.
- Nothing that counts as dangerous goods. Purolator doesn’t take them at drop boxes or agents, only at a Shipping Centre or from a driver, and only from account customers it has approved. That includes many lithium batteries.
Purolator asks for government-issued photo ID when you collect a parcel that’s held for you; it doesn’t mention ID for dropping one off. Keep the tracking number from the label. Quick Stop kiosks also print a receipt for tracking.
Cut-off times and drop-off hours
Cut-off times and hours vary by location, and Purolator’s location finder shows each one. What Purolator says in general:
- Purolator Shipping Centres have the latest cut-off times for next-business-day delivery.
- Each drop box has a scheduled pickup time, which Purolator calls its clear time. Purolator says a parcel left before then is delivered on time.
- Many drop boxes and parcel lockers are open 24/7, but some drop boxes close when their building does.
- Partner stores and Quick Stop kiosks keep local business hours.
How Purolator pickups work
Purolator collects from homes and businesses in its designated pickup areas. A pickup is booked with Purolator in one of three ways:
- Its virtual assistant on purolator.com, by typing “Schedule a Pickup”.
- A Purolator account, where E-Ship Online books a pickup up to 10 days ahead and business accounts can set up recurring pickups.
- By phone at 1 888 SHIP-123, from 8 am to 8 pm local time.
Purolator needs at least 1 hour’s notice for a courier pickup and 2 hours for a bulk one, and a time outside the area’s service window can’t be booked. To book one it asks for a phone number, the full address with any instructions for the driver, the weight and number of packages, and a label on each package. Purolator’s rate guide lists no general charge for a courier pickup, though some pickup options are extra-cost services.
Drop-off and pickup with a ProtonShip label
A Purolator label bought through ProtonShip is already paid for, so it goes into any of the locations above like other prepaid Purolator parcels, within their limits. Booking a pickup through ProtonShip isn’t offered. If a Purolator driver already collects from you, hand them the parcel with its label. Otherwise, drop it off.
Purolator’s pickup pages don’t say whether a pickup can be booked for a label bought through another company. Each carrier in a ProtonShip quote has its own drop-off locations, so the nearest one can help decide which carrier to pick.
Choose a carrier you can reach
One quote prices Purolator next to three other carriers for your parcel, so you can pick the one with the easiest drop-off.
Questions about Purolator drop-off and pickup
Does Staples take Purolator packages?
Yes. Purolator says its services are available at more than 298 Staples locations across Canada, at the Copy and Print Centre where the Purolator sign is. Staples takes prepaid Purolator parcels and also sells Purolator shipping in the store. Purolator asks for parcels within 16 inches and 50 lb at partner stores.
Can I drop off a Purolator package without a label?
Only where you can buy the label on the spot: a Purolator Shipping Centre, a Quick Stop kiosk, or a partner that sells Purolator shipping in store, such as Staples. Drop boxes and parcel lockers take prepaid, labelled parcels only.
How much notice does Purolator need for a pickup?
At least 1 hour for a courier pickup and 2 hours for a bulk courier pickup, according to Purolator's shipping FAQ. A same-day time can still be refused if it falls outside the service window for that area.
What's the biggest parcel a Purolator drop box takes?
Purolator lists 16 inches long and 50 lb for its drop boxes. Quick Stop kiosks take parcels up to 23 inches and parcel lockers up to 37 inches, both up to 50 lb.
Related reading
Choose a carrier you can reach
One quote prices Purolator next to three other carriers for your parcel, so you can pick the one with the easiest drop-off.