Proof of delivery app for drivers: photo, signature, barcode and ID check
A proof of delivery app replaces the paper delivery note. At each stop, the driver's phone records what you ask for — a photo at the door, a signature, a scanned barcode, an ID check or a short note — with the time and place. Here's what good electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) looks like for a small delivery business, and how Route Planner Teams handles it.
What counts as proof of delivery
Proof of delivery (POD) is a record that a parcel or package reached the right place — or of why it didn't. On paper, it was a signed delivery note. In an ePOD app, it's a set of fields the driver fills in before the stop can be marked done:
- Photo
- One or more photos: the parcel on the doorstep, or the damage on a crushed box.
- Signature
- The recipient signs on the driver's screen.
- Barcode or QR code
- The driver scans the code on the parcel, so you know which item was handed over.
- ID check
- The driver confirms they checked the recipient's ID — for age-restricted goods or prescriptions.
- Note
- A few words, such as “Left with neighbour at No. 12”.
Each proof is saved with the time and the place where the phone was at that moment. That's what settles a dispute: not just “delivered”, but delivered at 10:42, a few steps from the front door, with a photo of the parcel on the mat. Photo proof of delivery for every drop, or a delivery signature app for a few valuable orders — it's the same set of fields.
Choose what drivers capture — for the whole team or one stop
Not every stop needs the same proof: a shop delivery may need just a photo, a prescription a signature, a case of wine an ID check. In Route Planner Teams, you set this at two levels.
For the whole team
On the Team page, under Proof of delivery, choose the fields for each type of stop — delivery, pickup and visit — and for each result, such as Delivered and Not delivered. Pick any mix of photo, signature, barcode or QR code, ID check and text note, or nothing. The owner and dispatchers can change these settings; drivers can't.
For one stop
Open a stop in the route builder and choose As team, Not required or Custom. Custom asks for a signature at one address, or an ID check for one order, without changing the rest of the route.
Planning from a spreadsheet? A column such as Signature required or Age verification with Yes sets the proof for those stops on import. See the guide Proof of delivery and parcel control for every option.
Failed deliveries: a reason and proof
A failed delivery means a second trip and often an unhappy customer, so the record of what happened matters as much as a signature. Failed results have their own fields — for example, a photo and a note when a parcel is Not delivered.
The driver can't mark the stop failed until those are filled in. The note becomes the reason — “Nobody home, card left in the letterbox” — and appears in the route's Activity with the photo, the time and how far from the address the stop was marked. A failed stop marked at the front door tells a different story from one marked half a mile away.
When a customer calls, you can answer in seconds and plan a second attempt. Over time, Stats shows delivered, failed and late stops by driver, so you can spot a pattern early.
Parcel control when loading and at the door
A photo at the door only helps if it's the right parcel. Parcel control checks each parcel's code against its stop — the code comes with the stop, for example from a Parcel, Barcode or Tracking column in your file. Turn on Scan parcels on the Team page and choose when drivers scan:
- When loading
- A checklist before the driver leaves: every parcel of the route is scanned into the van, and the counter shows what's still missing.
- At the door
- The driver scans the parcel before marking the stop delivered. If it belongs to another stop, the app shows which one.
- Warn or Block
- With Warn, the driver can still hand it over, and the mismatch is recorded as proof. With Block, the stop can't be marked delivered until the right parcel is scanned.
Parcel control covers delivery stops only: pickups are collected, not handed over.
Every proof in one place: Proofs, Activity and export
Proof is only useful if you can find it. On the website, open a route and click Proofs, or choose Whole day: proofs of delivery in Routes to see every driver at once. Each proof shows the stop, the time, the photos, signature, scanned code, ID check, note and parcel check, and where the phone was when the stop was marked.
Activity tells the route's story in order: assigned, started, every delivered or failed stop with its time and distance from the address, finished. The guide Assign a driver and follow the day shows where to find it.
Need it in a spreadsheet? Export one route or the whole day to Excel, CSV, a printable PDF route sheet or GPX, with each stop's status, the time it was marked, the reason for a failed delivery and which proof was collected. The photos and signatures themselves stay in Proofs, kept with the route for 60 days after its last change.
Weak signal and driver privacy
Drivers deliver to basements, tower blocks and country lanes with no signal. They can still finish the stop: completed stops and proofs are saved on the phone and sync when the connection is back. Until offline photos upload, the proof on the website shows how many are still on the way.
Drivers care about privacy too. Their live position is shared with the team only while a team route they have started is in progress — the map shows just the latest point, with no history of where they've been — and never during their personal routes. You also see each route's progress and updated arrival times.
Pricing: proof of delivery is included
Standard plans are priced per team, not per person or per stop: $99 a month (£99 in the UK) for up to 5 team members, $169 (£169) for up to 10 and $299 (£299) for up to 15 — everyone counts, the owner included — plus any tax at checkout. All packages include proof of delivery, parcel control and delivery time windows, and any member can be made a dispatcher at no extra cost. The driver app is free for your drivers on iPhone and Android, in 28 languages, and opens each stop in Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps.
Right now, we're onboarding a small group of delivery companies in a pilot, with a longer free trial and a founding-partner price. Request access — it takes a minute.
Delivering on your own? Route Planner for Couriers, our app for individual couriers, captures proof of delivery on its paid plans — see how it works.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ePOD app for drivers?
ePOD means electronic proof of delivery: instead of a paper delivery note, the driver captures a photo, signature, barcode, ID check or note on their phone, saved with the time and place, so the office can check it the same day.
Can I ask for a signature at some stops only?
Yes. Set the team default on the Team page, then choose Custom for a single stop in the route builder, or add a Signature required column to your file.
Is the proof of delivery app free for drivers?
Yes. Drivers use Route Planner for Couriers, free on iPhone and Android. While they're in your team, their team routes, label scans and proof of delivery are covered by your team's plan.
Does it work in the UK and the US?
Yes: addresses with postcodes or ZIP codes, distances in miles or kilometres, prices in pounds or US dollars. The driver app comes in 28 languages.
How long are photos and signatures kept?
For 60 days after the route's last change. Before then, you can export routes with each stop's status, time and proof details to Excel, CSV, PDF or GPX.
Do customers get a tracking link or delivery notification?
No. Route Planner Teams doesn't send texts, emails or tracking links to recipients. On the website you see each route's progress and updated arrival times, so you can tell a customer when to expect their parcel.