Checking Shipment Size and Weight
Measuring is simple.
How to Correctly Measure a Parcel
UPS Shipment Size and Weight Limits
- Parcels can be up to 70 kg.
- Parcels can be up to 274 centimetres long.
- Parcels can be up to 400 centimetres in length and girth combined.
- Parcels that weigh more than 31.5 kg (25 kg within the EU) require a special heavy-parcel label.
- Parcels above certain size and weight combinations may require freight shipping services (where available).
Shipping Something Heavy?
If your parcel is over 25 kg, take a look at the guidelines below. If your parcel is over 70 kg, it’s considered freight.
- If your parcel weighs more than 25 kg, there may be an added fee for heavy or large parcels. For more information, go to Costs and Rates.
- Remember, if it weighs more than 70 kg, your parcel is considered freight. Click here to calculate how much it will cost to ship it.
- First things first – you need to pack your items in a sturdy box. If you don’t have one, you can order supplies online.
- Wrap items separately and use cushioning material. Get packaging tips.
- Seal your box with heavy-duty tape (preferably reinforced), by applying three strips to both the top and bottom of the box, so that the middle seam and the two edge seams are sealed.
- You’ll need to know the dimensions and weight of your box. Keep them handy when you create a shipment.
- You must attach a heavy parcel sticker to all your parcels that weigh more than 25 kg.
- Apply the bright yellow UPS heavy parcel sticker to your parcel to the right of the address label for maximum visibility.
- Write the weight of your parcel in the white area on the label.
- Using highly visible heavy-parcel stickers allows UPS to give your heavy parcels the special attention and handling that they need and deserve. The stickers alert our employees and your customers that special care should be taken to safely handle these parcels.
- You can get heavy parcel stickers by going to our Order Supplies page.
FAQ
Parcels can be up to 400 centimetres in length and girth combined.
To accurately determine length and girth, use the formula: Length + 2x Width + 2x Height
Remember, the longest side of your parcel will be your length.
For UPS Express services, actual weight is the parcel weight rounded up to the next half kilogram.
For UPS Expedited, actual weight is the parcel weight rounded up to the next kilogram.
Use a scale to determine the weight of the parcel. Round any fraction of a weight to next half or whole kilogram.
Compare the parcel's actual weight to its dimensional weight. The greater of the two is the billable weight and should be used to calculate the rate. For multiple-parcel shipments, total the billable weight of all parcels in the shipment.
Effective September 30, 2024, a Shipping Charge Correction Audit Fee will be implemented across all International Small Package services.
If the actual billed freight charge is more than 25% of the freight charge filled in at the point of shippers creating the shipment, a fee of AUD 2.50 per shipment or 8% of the total amount of shipping charge corrections resulting from the discrepancies in billed weight will be imposed, whichever is greater.
More information can be found on the UPS Shipping Zones and Rates page.
Dimensional weight reflects parcel density, which is the amount of space a parcel occupies compared to its actual weight. Dimensional weight may apply to all UPS domestic and international parcel services.
Determine the parcel measurement in centimeters. For each measurement, start at the longest point, rounding each measurement to the nearest whole number.
Multiply the parcel length (longest side of the parcel) by the width by the height. The result is the cubic size in centimeters.
Divide the cubic size in centimeters by 5,000.
For UPS Express Services, increase fractions of a weight to the next half kilogram.
For UPS Expedited, increase fractions of a weight to the next kilogram.
Compare the parcel's actual weight to its dimensional weight. The greater of the two is the billable weight and should be used to calculate the rate.
Billable weight is the weight used to calculate the rate. The billable weight will be the greater of the dimensional weight, actual weight, and minimum billable weight. The minimum billable shipment weight is 68 kg.
To determine billable weight:
Step 1. Determine actual weight. Actual weight is the weight of the items on the pallet and the weight of the pallet rounded up to the next half kilogram.
- Use a scale to determine the weight. Round any fraction of a kilogram to the next half kilogram.
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Step 2. Determine dimensional weight. Dimensional weight reflects pallet density, which is the amount of space a pallet occupies in relation to its actual weight. Dimensional weight may apply to all UPS international parcel services.
- Determine the pallet dimensions in centimetres. For each dimension, measure at the longest point, rounding each measurement to the nearest whole number (e.g., 1.00 to 1.49 will be considered 1, and 1.50 to 1.99 will be considered 2).
- Multiply the pallet length by the width by the height. The result is the cubic size in centimetres.
- For import and export shipments, divide the cubic size by 5,000 to determine the dimensional weight. Increase any fraction to the next half kilogramme.
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Step 3. Determine billable weight.
- Compare the pallet's actual weight to its dimensional weight and minimum billable weight. The greater of the three is the billable weight and should be used to calculate the rate. For multiple-pallet shipments, the minimum billable shipment weight is 71 kg.
All parcels are scanned through our Dimensioning, Weighing & Scanning Systems (DWS) at our Export Hubs. This process is where the dimensions and actual weight of your parcels will be audited.
If the weight measured differs from the figure indicated at the time of shipment creation, a Shipping Charge Correction Audit Fee may be imposed.
For more information, please refer to the other FAQs on how to determine the billable weight of your parcel.