Authority to Leave (ATL) deliveries in Australia: What it means and when to use it

When you’re sending or receiving parcels in Australia, you might come across the term “Authority to Leave” (ATL). Understanding what ATL delivery means — and when to use it — can help ensure your parcels arrive safely and conveniently.

This guide explains the authority to leave meaning, when to select it, which Australian carriers support ATL, and whether there’s a cost involved.

What does ‘Authority to Leave’ mean?

Authority to Leave (ATL) means you’re giving the courier permission to leave your parcel at your delivery address without needing a signature. If no one is home, the driver can drop the parcel in a safe location (such as near your front door, under a verandah, or behind a fence), rather than taking it back to a depot or post office.

This option is popular for busy households and small businesses because it saves time and avoids the hassle of missed deliveries. However, it’s important to note: once a parcel has been left under ATL, responsibility transfers to the recipient. Carriers generally won’t cover loss or theft that occurs after delivery.

When to use ATL for deliveries

You should consider using ATL delivery if:

• You’re sending low-value or non-sensitive items.

• You’re comfortable with the parcel being left unattended.

• Your customer has a secure or sheltered drop-off area (like a porch or locked gate).

• You're wanting make things easier for your customers by saving them a trip to the Post Office to collect missed parcels.

Avoid using ATL for high-value, fragile, or signature-required deliveries.

Your customer may include delivery instructions when placing an order, such as: “Leave behind side gate,” or “Place under front awning.”

It is important to note that couriers may not always read these requests, but will leave in what they consider a safe location for the parcel.

Australian carriers that use ATL

Most major Australian carriers support Authority to Leave as a standard delivery option. Here’s how some of the most common couriers handle it:

• Australia Post – Offers ATL for most domestic deliveries.

• Aramex (formerly Fastway) – Allows ATL instructions when booking. Drivers follow safe-drop policies.

• CouriersPlease – Supports ATL for residential and business addresses unless a signature is required.

• Team Global Express – ATL can be requested for certain parcel types.

• Sendle – Automatically includes ATL for most residential deliveries, with safe drop at the courier’s discretion.

  
  

Each carrier’s approach may vary, so it’s best to confirm ATL options when choosing your preferred carrier.

How much does ATL cost?

In most cases, ATL delivery doesn’t cost extra. It’s a free option provided by carriers to make deliveries more flexible and efficient.

That said, businesses using carrier integrations or fulfilment software (like ReadyToShip) should check their shipping settings — some systems allow enabling ATL by default or per order, depending on customer preferences.

Does ReadyToShip support ATL?

Yes, if your carrier supports ATL, you can select this option in ReadyToShip by default or for individual orders. For details on how to set ATL in ReadyToShip, refer to the Authority to Leave Settings help article.

Final Thoughts

Understanding authority to leave meaning and how ATL delivery works helps you choose the best delivery option for your parcels.

If your customers have a secure drop-off location and you want to skip waiting for a signature, ATL can be a convenient, no-cost way to simplify deliveries. Just remember — once a parcel is left under ATL, it’s considered delivered, so make sure you are comfortable with the risk.