Parcel Lockers & Package Delivery Locker Systems
Smart parcel lockers that let any carrier drop off and every recipient pick up 24/7 with a code, card or app — indoor, outdoor and refrigerated models, sized, supplied and installed nationwide by an authorized DC Locker dealer.
Authorized DC Locker dealer · Nationwide delivery & installation · (800) 326-4403
24/7
Self-service pickup
UL · ADA
UL Parcel Locker model
IP54
Outdoor-rated option
5 sizes
Door heights 4.5–37.2 in
What Is a Parcel Locker System?
A parcel locker is a bank of individually locked compartments, run by a touchscreen kiosk and software, where packages are dropped off and picked up without anyone handing them over in person.
Online orders arrive all day from several carriers, in every size from padded envelopes to large cartons. When a front desk, mailroom or store counter signs for them, staff end up logging boxes, finding shelf space and chasing recipients who come by after hours.
A package delivery locker replaces that hand-off. The courier picks a door that fits, loads the parcel and closes it. The recipient gets a pickup code and opens that one door whenever it suits them. The software keeps a time-stamped record of every drop-off and pickup, so nobody has to guess where a package went.
- 24/7 access: night-shift workers and late arrivals pick up on their own schedule
- Security: steel doors, one-time codes and a camera at the kiosk
- Contactless: no signature or hand-off between courier and recipient
- Fewer missed deliveries: parcels go into a locker instead of back to the depot
- Less staff time: no logging, shelving or paging for every box
- One delivery point: carriers stop at one bank instead of many doors
Material Handling USA is an authorized dealer for DC Locker smart lockers. Parcel lockers are one part of a broader smart locker system: the same platform runs food pickup, day-use storage, device charging and IT asset lockers. This page covers parcel and package lockers for businesses, campuses, retail, healthcare and residential buildings nationwide. Budgeting? See our smart locker cost guide. Planning a project in Utah? Our Utah parcel lockers page covers local delivery and installation.
Not a postal mailbox
The parcel lockers attached to USPS cluster box units are postal equipment that follows postal rules. The lockers on this page are private, carrier-agnostic smart lockers that you own and control. Ask your local postmaster how postal parcels will be handled at your site.
How Parcel Lockers Work: Drop-Off, Notification and Pickup
The same four steps run for every carrier, every day, without anyone at a desk.
Carrier logs in
The courier scans a barcode or enters a carrier code at the touchscreen and picks a compartment size that fits the parcel.
Parcel goes in
One door opens. The courier loads the box and closes it, and the system ties that door to the recipient.
Recipient is notified
A pickup code or QR code goes out by text or email (or through an app or your own software, if integrated).
Recipient collects
The recipient scans the code, enters a PIN or taps a card, and only that door opens. The pickup is logged.
What’s in the kiosk
On a DC Locker UL parcel locker the kiosk combines a 10.4″ or 21.5″ touchscreen, a QR code/barcode scanner, an RFID reader and an embedded camera, plus motion detection that switches outdoor lights on (DC Locker UL Parcel Locker). The RFID reader lets recipients tap the employee badge, student ID or building fob they already carry, after we confirm card compatibility with a sample.
The smart parcel locker adds face recognition as an access option and an emergency unboxing function (Smart Parcel Locker).
Notifications and software
DC Locker lockers ship with preloaded software, so a bank is usable on day one, with built-in text and email notifications. The kiosk runs on an industrial PC with a choice of Windows or Android, and DC Locker supports third-party software integration, with API documents included in its service package (DC Locker FAQ).
Common integrations are a user roster from HR, student or resident systems, single sign-on, and property-management or mailroom tracking software. What can be connected depends on your platform; our smart locker software and integration guide covers hosting and IT questions.
Want the step-by-step version with diagrams? Read how parcel delivery lockers work.
Types of Parcel Lockers
Most projects start with a standard indoor or outdoor bank, then add temperature-controlled, off-grid or pass-through units where the site needs them.
Indoor Parcel LockersLobby, mailroom and package-room banks. The UL parcel locker is UL certified and ADA compliant, built from 1.5 mm cold-rolled steel.
Outdoor Parcel LockersIP54-rated banks for breezeways, parking areas and building exteriors, with a canopy and motion-activated lighting for night pickup.
Refrigerated Parcel LockersIndependent chilled compartments (about 52.5 L each) with temperature and humidity monitoring for groceries, meal kits and pharmacy orders.
Freezer & Multi-Mode LockersThe 201/202 unit runs in freezer, refrigerated, ambient or heating mode and is ETL certified to the NSF 7 standard.
Solar & Bluetooth Parcel LockersFor sites without a nearby circuit or reliable network: solar power with battery storage, or phone unlock by Bluetooth that works offline.
Double-Sided Pass-Through LockersLoad from one side, pick up from the other, so couriers never enter a secured area. Built for offices, hospitals and dorms.| DC Locker model | Best for | Key facts (per DC Locker) |
|---|---|---|
| UL Parcel Locker | Main parcel bank indoors or under cover outdoors | UL certified, ADA compliant; 10.4″/21.5″ touchscreen; IP54; 1.5 mm cold-rolled steel; scanner, RFID reader, embedded camera; motion detection for outdoor lights |
| Smart Parcel Locker | Modular parcel banks for residential, retail and commercial sites | Lock tested over 100,000 cycles; QR, face and RFID access; anti-corrosion coating and reinforced doors; third-party software integration; standby power option; galvannealed steel option |
| Smart Refrigerated Locker | Grocery, meal-kit, food and pharmacy pickup | 52.5 L compartments; listed ranges 1–6 °C and 5–25 °C; fault alerts; independent compartments to avoid odor transfer |
| Refrigeration/Freezer Locker 201/202 | Frozen and chilled orders | ETL certified to NSF 7; freezer −7.6 to −1.5 °F, refrigerated 34–43 °F, ambient 41–77 °F, heating 104–131 °F; stainless steel liner |
| Bluetooth Parcel Locker | Garages, basements and weak-signal areas | Bluetooth communication, low-power offline operation, patented pry-resistant lock, 7″ touchscreen |
| Solar Parcel Locker | Detached or off-grid locations | Solar board with energy management, remote monitoring, lock tested over 100,000 cycles |
| Double Sided Food Delivery Locker | Couriers outside, users inside a secured zone | Separate drop-off and pickup sides, insulation and sterilization, patented electric lock |
Sources: DC Locker UL Parcel Locker, Smart Parcel Locker, Smart Refrigerated Locker, Refrigeration/Freezer Locker 201/202, Bluetooth Parcel Locker, Solar Parcel Locker, Double Sided Food Delivery Locker product pages. Final configuration and certifications are confirmed on your quote.
| Smart (electronic) parcel lockers | Manual / keyed parcel lockers | |
|---|---|---|
| How doors are assigned | Software assigns a door per parcel | Courier leaves a key or code by hand |
| Recipient notice | Automatic text or email with a code | Key in a mailbox or a note |
| Record of custody | Time-stamped log of drop-off and pickup | None, or a paper log |
| Carriers | Any carrier with a login | Usually one service |
| Power and data | Needed (or solar / Bluetooth models) | Not needed |
| Best fit | Shared buildings with daily volume | Low-volume single-use spots |
Compartment Sizes and Modular Expansion
A bank is built from a main unit that holds the kiosk plus side units, so it can grow as deliveries grow.
Main unit plus side units
DC Locker lists two UL parcel locker main units: a 6-door unit about 21.7″ wide and a 17-door unit about 39.4″ wide, both about 79.7″ tall and 25″ deep. Side units come in four styles with five compartment heights and bolt on beside the main unit.
Because the system is modular, a sensible plan installs for today’s measured volume and leaves space, power and data for more side units later.
| Door size | Approx. height | Typical parcels |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 4.5″ | Envelopes, pouches, padded mailers |
| Medium | 9.2″ | Shoe boxes and most everyday orders |
| Large | 14.7″ | Small appliances, multi-item orders |
| Extra large | 17.9″ | Larger cartons, cooler bags |
| Oversized | 37.2″ | Bulky boxes that would otherwise go to a desk |
Side-unit doors are about 17.5″ wide and 25″ deep (DC Locker UL Parcel Locker specification table). The 6-door main unit lists slightly smaller doors.
Oversize parcels and overflow
Every site gets a few parcels that won’t fit, and every bank has a busiest week. Plan both: a share of oversized doors (about 37.2″ high on the UL side unit), plus a fallback such as a secured overflow shelf behind a card reader or a hand-off to staff.
That way the bank doesn’t have to be sized for the single worst day of the year. If you already run a package room, our mailroom and package room shelving page covers the shelving side.
Outdoor Parcel Lockers: Weather Hoods, Canopies and Lighting
Outdoor placement means carriers never need building access, but the bank has to handle sun, rain, snow and nighttime use.
Parcel lockers can be fitted with a protective hood or canopy, standard or custom, that keeps rain, snow and harsh sun off the doors and the screen. A hood also gives users a dry spot to stand while they collect a package, and it can carry lighting for safe pickup after dark.
On the DC Locker side, the UL parcel locker carries an IP54 ingress rating and motion detection that switches outdoor lights on, and the smart parcel locker offers an anti-corrosion coating, reinforced doors and a galvannealed steel option for wet climates.
- Snow: a sloped hood keeps snow from piling on top of the bank
- Wind: the hood and its attachment to the lockers must be robust
- Sun: shade the touchscreen so it stays readable
- Anchoring: bolt the bank to a level slab or wall
- Lighting and cameras: light the screen and keep the bank in camera view
- Look: custom colors (RAL or Pantone) or a wrap can match the building
DC Locker accepts RAL and Pantone colors and offers wrapping (DC Locker FAQ). Parking garages and basements often have weak cellular signal; that is where the Bluetooth Parcel Locker helps, because unlocking works offline and pickup data syncs when the connection returns.
Installation, Power, Network and ADA Access
Most locker delays come from the site, not the hardware. Settle these items before the order ships.
- Power: an outlet at the kiosk; separate circuits for refrigerated units
- Network: Ethernet, building Wi-Fi or cellular, agreed with your IT team
- Floor: level slab or floor, anchored to floor or wall
- Clearances: open doors must not block corridors or exit routes
- Delivery path: door widths, elevators and stairs for setting the units
We review these items during the site survey and show them on the layout drawing, so your electrician and network installer can rough in before the lockers arrive. On new construction, put the locker bank on the drawings early so power and data land in the right place. Our crews then set, level and anchor the units, connect them, load users and train staff. Outdoor and solar sites add canopy, lighting and drainage checks.
ADA reach ranges
DC Locker lists its UL parcel locker as ADA compliant, and its kiosk includes an ADA audio feature. Placement still matters: under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, the unobstructed forward and side reach range runs from 15″ to 48″ above the floor, operable parts must work with one hand and no more than 5 pounds of force, and a 30″ × 48″ clear floor space is needed in front of the kiosk.
Upper doors suit couriers and users who can reach them; set the software to assign lower doors to users who need them. Your architect confirms which rules apply.
How Many Parcel Lockers Do You Need?
Headcount or unit count is a starting point, not an answer. Size the bank from the parcels you actually receive.
The method is simple once you have real numbers:
Doors needed ≈ parcels on a busy day × average days a parcel waits for pickup, plus headroom so the bank is never full.
Pickup reminders and a clear pickup window shorten the wait, which shrinks the bank. The size mix comes from measuring incoming parcels for a couple of weeks.
| Input | Why it matters | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Parcels on a busy day | Sets the total door count | Mailroom or front-desk logs in your peak season |
| Average pickup time | Longer waits need more doors | Logs, or the pickup policy you plan to enforce |
| Parcel size mix | Sets the small / medium / large / oversize split | Two weeks of measuring parcels |
| Cold deliveries | Decides on refrigerated or freezer units | Grocery, meal-kit and pharmacy orders per week |
| Growth | New buildings and hiring add volume | Occupancy or headcount plans |
| Locations | Large sites may need two banks | Site plan, entrances, parking, building count |
Plan for peak season
In a published field study of a common-carrier locker in a 133-unit Seattle condominium, average packages delivered per day almost doubled between June and December 2020, from 23.9 to 46.1 (Ranjbari et al., Transportation Research Record, University of Washington Urban Freight Lab). Measure in your busy season, or plan overflow for it.
For a worked example, read our parcel locker system sizing guide.
Parcel Lockers by Application
The hardware is the same; the workflow, users and integrations change by building type. Each guide goes deeper on its setting.
Apartment & MultifamilyCarrier drop-off and resident pickup, refrigerated doors and sizing for apartments and condos.
Offices & WorkplacesPersonal deliveries, interoffice mail and IT handoffs without a staffed mail desk.
Universities & CampusesTouchless student package pickup in mailrooms, unions and residence halls.
Retail & BOPIS PickupBuy-online-pick-up-in-store orders and returns collected from a locker, not a counter.
Mailrooms & Reception DesksWhen a parcel locker system beats reception handling, and how mailrooms run one.
Utah Parcel LockersLocal delivery, installation and service for Utah properties from our Salt Lake City office.Parcel lockers also serve libraries (holds pickup), hospitals and clinics (supplies and pharmacy orders), and food service through refrigerated food lockers. Need storage rather than deliveries? See tenant storage lockers, phone access lockers and PIN code access lockers.
Buy a Parcel Locker System or Join a Locker Program?
There are three common ways to get parcel lockers on site. Each answers differently on control, data and long-term cost.
| Question | Buy (owned system) | Hardware + software subscription | Platform-run locker program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who owns the hardware | You | You or the provider, per contract | The platform provider |
| Which carriers can use it | Any carrier you allow | Any carrier you allow | Per the program’s rules |
| Who controls user data | You | Shared, per contract | The provider |
| Ongoing cost | Optional support / software plan | Recurring fee | Often low or none, per terms |
| Branding and colors | Yours (RAL / Pantone / wrap) | Usually yours | Provider’s branding |
| Best fit | Owners wanting control and a long service life | Teams that prefer an operating expense | Sites happy with a provider’s program |
Lead times, warranty and custom orders
DC Locker manufactures its lockers in-house and lists a 1-year labor and 2-year spare-parts warranty. For custom builds it lists a normal minimum order of 30 units, about 50 days of production and roughly 25–30 days of overseas shipping (DC Locker FAQ).
Standard configurations avoid that wait: some common sizes are in stock at select manufacturers, subject to confirmation. We confirm availability and lead time on every quote.
For what drives the price of a system — door count, kiosk, software plan, refrigeration, site work and installation — read our smart locker cost guide.
How to Get a Parcel Locker Quote
Send what you have; we fill the gaps on a call, a Zoom or a site visit.
Discovery
We review volumes, site photos, carrier access and how users will be notified.
Layout
A drawing shows the door mix, kiosk position, clearances, power and data.
Quote
One itemized quote covers lockers, kiosk, software, freight and installation, with lead time.
Install & launch
Crews set and anchor the bank, connect it, load users and train staff.
We deliver and install nationwide from our Salt Lake City home office, and we also design the storage around the lockers through our full design services. Browse every locker type on our lockers page.
Shop Standard Steel Lockers Online
Our online store doesn’t sell smart lockers. These standard steel employee and storage lockers are priced and ready to order for employee locker rooms, break rooms and storage where a keyed or padlock locker is enough. Smart locker systems are quoted per project — call (800) 326-4403.
Parcel Locker FAQs
How do parcel lockers work?
Can anyone use a parcel locker?
What happens if a package is too big for the locker?
How do I retrieve my package from a parcel locker?
Are parcel lockers secure?
Can parcel lockers hold food or groceries?
What if a package isn’t picked up on time?
Do parcel lockers accept deliveries from all carriers?
How are parcel lockers installed?
Can parcel lockers be used for returns or outgoing packages?
Are outdoor parcel lockers weatherproof?
Do you have parcel lockers in stock?
Planning a Parcel Locker System?
Send your delivery numbers and a few photos for a free layout and quote.