USPS rates appear straightforward, but oversized package fees can become a financial minefield. One small measurement mistake or misunderstood policy can trigger a cascade of surcharges, potentially adding hundreds in unexpected fees.
After 12+ years of specializing in heavy and oversized shipments, we understand every size threshold and surcharge trigger in the USPS fee structure. Most importantly, we know how all these pieces fit together to impact your bottom line.
In this guide, we break down the key aspects of the USPS size-related surcharges and provide eight tips to lower or avoid the extra cost.
TL;DR:
Key takeaways
If a package exceeds 1 cubic foot in volume, USPS will base its postage on the actual or the dimensional weight, whichever is greater.
Depending on the chosen service, a package will trigger nonstandard fees between $3 and $30 if it exceeds certain length and volume thresholds.
Nonstandard fees are additive, which means one package can incur multiple surcharges.
Shipments with combined length and girth greater than 108″ but not exceeding 130″ incur oversized pricing, regardless of weight (maximum 70 lbs).
If a package weighs more than 70 lbs or exceeds 130″ in combined length and girth, USPS will refuse to ship it or add a $200 surcharge to the base postage.
What you’ll learn
What triggers the different USPS oversized charges
Specific policies and size thresholds
Real-world examples and fee calculations
How different oversized fees fit together
Common questions and answers about the key aspects of the USPS’ oversized fees
PRO TIP: Running an ecommerce business that ships oversized packages? That’s what Red Stag Fulfillment specializes in. Learn how you can benefit from volume-based discounts using our 3PL services for big, heavy, and bulky shipments.
What triggers the USPS oversized charges?
USPS oversized charges are triggered by one of the following package characteristics:
- Length
- Combined length and girth
- Volume
- Weight
We’ll define the thresholds and how they fit together as we break down the specific USPS pricing policies and oversized fees.
A closer look at USPS pricing structures highlights key concepts, including dimensional weight pricing, oversized pricing, and the fees that apply to nonstandard and oversized packages.
USPS’ dimensional weight pricing
Definition
Dimensional weight is a pricing model that allows USPS to charge for shipping based on the package’s size instead of actual weight. The policy accounts for the higher cost of processing bulky packages.
Policy
If a package exceeds 1 cubic foot in volume, USPS will charge for shipping based on actual or dimensional weight, whichever is greater. The USPS formula for calculating dimensional weight is length x height x width (in inches) ÷ 166.
Example
Consider two shipments–a bowling ball and a painting. The two packages might weigh the same, but the painting will require more USPS resources in transit, from cargo space to handling.
The table below illustrates how USPS determines the billable weight for the two items.
| Details of the package | Bowling ball | Painting |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 10″ x 10″ x 10″ | 30″ x 20″ x 10″ |
| Actual weight | 10 lbs | 10 lbs |
| Cubic volume | 1,000 cubic inches | 6,000 cubic inches |
| Dimensional-weight checks triggered? | no | yes |
| Billable weight of the package | 10 lbs | 37 lbs (rounded up from 36.14 based on the dimensional-weight calculation 30″×20″×10″/ 160≈36.14lbs) |
NOTE: USPS rounds up to the nearest whole pound when calculating the dimensional weight of a package, as illustrated by the calculations for the painting shipment above. To calculate the applicable weights for your shipment, use our dimensional weight calculator.
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Applicable services
USPS might use the parcel’s dimensional weight to calculate shipping costs for the following services:
USPS Ground Advantage–except for Limited Overland Routes (LOR)*
Parcel Select
Priority Mail
Priority Mail Express
*LOR pricing is only available for Alaska shipments from and to specific ZIP codes. See 1.3 in this pricing and eligibility guide.
NOTE: When the dimensional weight of a package exceeds 70 lbs, USPS uses a fixed 70-lb weight to assess shipping costs.
Comparable policies of other major carriers
The number 166 from USPS’ dimensional-weight formula is also known as the “DIM divisor” or the “DIM factor.”
In contrast, FedEx uses a lower DIM factor of 139, which results in a higher dimensional weight.
UPS uses both. They use a DIM factor of 139 for customers paying daily rates and 166 for those shipping at retail rates*. The table below illustrates the difference in dimensional weight calculations between major carriers.
| Dimensional weight comparison across major carriers (for a 30″ x 20″ x 10″ package) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | UPS | FedEx | |
| DIM factor | 166 | 139 or 166 | 139 |
| Dimensional weight | 37 lbs | 44 lbs or 37 lbs (for shipping at daily and retail rates) | 44 lbs |
*Most one-off shipments are charged retail rates, while most ecommerce businesses ship through commercial UPS accounts at daily rates.
BOTTOM LINE: Depending on the base rates, chosen service, and shipping distance, USPS’ lower dimensional weight (compared to other major carriers) might translate into reduced shipping costs for some bulky packages.
USPS’ oversized pricing
Definition
The oversized price is a USPS postage tier applied to packages nearing the USPS’ maximum size limits.
Policy
Packages with combined length and girth greater than 108″ up to and including 130″ fall into oversized pricing tiers based on shipping zones, as long as they don’t exceed the 70-lb weight limit.
Example
Consider shipping a low stool and a counter-height stool, weighing 15 lbs each. Packaged, the low stool measures 23″ x 20″ x 20″, while the counter stool measures 30″ x 20″ x 20″.
The combined length and girth of the low stool is 103″, which doesn’t break the USPS threshold for oversized pricing. It’s still a bulky package, so the postage will be based on its dimensional weight, which is 56 lbs (23″ x 20″ x 20″ ÷ 166).
On the other hand, the combined length and girth of the counter stool is 110″, which exceeds the 108″ threshold and triggers the oversized price.
NOTE: Estimating the postage: The oversized price is the last row in the pricing tables for each applicable service in the USPS price list. However, other surcharges might still apply. For instance, the stools from our example will incur two nonstandard fees because the packages exceed 22″ in length and 2 cubic feet in volume (explained below).
Applicable services
The oversized price applies to the following services:
USPS Ground Advantage
USPS Ground Advantage–Limited Overland Routes
Parcel Select
Parcel Return Service
USPS Connect Local
USPS’ nonstandard fees
USPS has three add-on fees for nonstandard packages that might cause disruption in their automated systems or require manual handling. These fees compensate for the extra time and resources needed to process these packages.
Length fee
Definition
The length fee is a two-tier surcharge that USPS applies to packages that exceed certain length thresholds.
Policy
Packages measuring between 22″ and 30″ in length trigger the first-tier length fee, while those exceeding 30″ incur the second-tier length fee.
The first table below shows the length threshold and applicable fees for the most popular USPS services, and the second table covers length surcharges for commercial and bulk shipping options.
| USPS length fees for ground and expedited shipping | ||
|---|---|---|
| Length of the package | USPS Ground Advantage surcharge | USPS expedited shipping (Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express) surcharge |
| Between 22″ and 30″ | $4.00 | $4.00 |
| Over 30″ | $8.40 | $18.00 |
| Volume greater than 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches) | $18.00 | $30.00 |
| USPS length fees for commercial shipments sent via DDU, DHUB, DNDC, and DSCF | ||
|---|---|---|
| Length of the package | Fees for Parcel Select Delivery Destination Unit (DDU) or Destination Hub (DHUB) | Fees for Ground shipping via Parcel Select Delivery Network Distribution Center (DNDC) or Delivery Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) |
| Between 22″ and 30″ | $2.00 | $3.00 |
| Over 30″ | $6.00 | $7.20 |
| Volume greater than 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches) | $18.00 | $18.00 |
NOTE: These terms refer to different entry points where businesses can drop off commercial shipments into the USPS network:
• DDU: When a business drops packages directly at the local post office that will deliver to the final recipient.
• DHUB: Dropping shipments at a regional sorting facility closer to the final delivery area.
• DNDC: When packages are entered at major regional facilities that serve multiple states.
• DSCF: Dropping shipments at intermediate facilities serving specific ZIP code ranges.
The closer to the final destination a business drops their shipments, the lower their postage costs, as USPS handles less transportation.
Example
Consider the two stools we used as examples for oversized pricing. Both stools trigger the lower length fee because the longest dimensions of the assumed packages are 23″ and 30″.
If the counter-stool package were an inch longer (31″ x 20″ x 20″), it would trigger the higher length fee. Similarly, if the low-stool shipment were an inch smaller in all dimensions (19″ x 19″ x 19″), it would not incur ANY length fees.
Cubic fee
Definition
The cubic fee is a USPS surcharge for packages with volumes greater than 2 cubic feet.
Policy
If a parcel exceeds 2 cubic feet in volume (3,456 cubic inches), a surcharge of $18 or $30 will be added to the postage, depending on the chosen service.
| Cubic fees for ground and expedited shipping | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volume of the package | USPS Ground Advantage surcharge | USPS expedited shipping (Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express) surcharge |
| Greater than 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches) | $18.00 | $30.00 |
| Cubic fees for commercial shipments sent via DDU, DHUB, DNDC, and DSCF | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volume of the package | Fee for Parcel Select DDU or DHUB | Fee for Ground shipping via Parcel Select DNDC or DSCF |
| Greater than 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches) | $18.00 | $18.00 |
Examples
Both aforementioned stools exceed the cubic-fee threshold. For instance, if the packaged counter stool measures 30″ x 20″ x 20″, its volume is 4.63 cubic feet, which triggers the cubic fee.
To illustrate postage calculations for this package, we’ll use an assumed Zone-5 ground shipment.
| Calculating the USPS postage for a packaged counter stool | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 30″ x 20″ x 20″ |
| Actual weight | 15 lbs |
| Billable weight tier | oversized |
| Base-rate postage (ground, Zone 5, oversized price) | $178.20* |
| Length fee triggered? | yes – $4 |
| Cubic fee triggered? | yes – $18 |
| Total postage | $200.2 |
NOTE: *Price is based on the shipping prices for Ground Advantage Retail from the latest USPS Price List (page 7, last row). To get precise cost estimates for your package, use the USPS postage calculator.
Applicable services for length and cubic fees
USPS applies length and cubic fees to the following services:
USPS Ground Advantage (Retail and Commercial)
Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express (Retail and Commercial)
Parcel Select Destination Entry
USPS Connect Local
Dimension Noncompliance Fee
Definition
The USPS’ dimensional noncompliance fee is a commercial-mail* surcharge for packages with inaccurate or missing measurements in shipping file manifests or other relevant electronic documents.
NOTE: *The commercial-mail prices are reserved for shippers sending large quantities. To ship at the lower commercial rates, you must meet a certain minimum number of pieces per shipment and provide additional paperwork. Learn more about the minimum quantities per service.
Policy
If a commercial customer ships a package longer than 22″ and fails to provide accurate measurements or pay the dimensional-weight price (when applicable), a dimension noncompliance surcharge of $1.50 will be added to the postage.
Example
If you send 50 commercial mail parcels through Parcel Select and don’t declare accurate dimensions in the shipping statements or don’t pay for the dimensional weight when it applies, USPS will add a $75 charge to your postage.
Oversize/Overweight item fee
Definition
The oversize/overweight item surcharge applies to shipments exceeding the maximum weight or size thresholds for the USPS Postal Service.
Policy
Packages that weigh more than 70 lbs or exceed 130″ in combined length and girth are qualified as “nonmailable” by USPS. The carrier will refuse shipments that exceed these limits or add a $200 oversize/overweight item surcharge to the postage.
Example
Consider two examples of packages that might trigger the oversize/overweight surcharge in different ways.
- Packaged, a stool with a backrest might measure 50″ x 22″ x 20″. The combined weight and girth of this shipment is 134″. USPS might refuse to ship this package because it’s too big.
- A pair of 50-lb adjustable dumbbells might stay within the size limits, but the shipment will weigh around 100 lbs. USPS might refuse to ship this package because it’s too heavy.
If either of these two shipments is found in the USPS’ postal network, it will trigger the $200 surcharge for oversized/overweight items.
FAQs about the USPS oversized fees
The following questions and answers offer insight into the reasoning and nuances behind the USPS oversized fees.
Why does the USPS have oversized fees?
The primary goal of USPS’ oversized fees is to pass the extra costs of transporting nonstandard packages to the shipper. The secondary goal is to route oversized packages away from the USPS parcel services to freight transport providers.
As the only shipping provider with legal access to every U.S. mailbox, USPS has positioned itself as the “people’s carrier.” However, the 2021 “Delivering for America” 10-year strategy brought on a significant shift.
That plan is geared toward transforming USPS into a self-sustaining system. In that context, the twice-a-year price increases and constant fee adjustments make sense.
Specifically, the oversized fees we’re analyzing today are designed to push oversized packages out of the USPS parcel network and divert them to the transport systems of freight carriers.*
In USPS’ defense, they’re not the only ones with that idea. All the major carriers are taking strides in the same direction–and some more aggressively, too. For comparison, the FedEx Ground Unauthorized Package Charge and the UPS Over Maximum Limits Fee are 562.5% higher than the USPS oversize/overweight item fee.
NOTE: *USPS does not offer freight-transport services. While UPS or FedEx might offer to divert oversized packages to their respective freight networks, USPS will unequivocally refuse shipments that exceed the maximum size and weight thresholds.
Are the USPS nonstandard fees additive?
Yes, the USPS nonstandard fees are additive, which means that one shipment can trigger multiple add-on fees.
For example, a package that measures 32″ x 15″ x 10″ will incur both the length and cubic fees. It triggers the length surcharge because it’s longer than 30″, and it triggers the cubic fee because its volume exceeds 2 cubic feet.
Moreover, if you’re shipping at commercial rates and fail to provide accurate dimensions, USPS will charge an additional $1.50 for dimensional noncompliance.
How can a nonmailable item incur an oversize/overweight surcharge?
This scenario can happen if the shipment isn’t scanned or measured in detail at the entry point, like your local Post Office, or if the package’s dimensions change in transit.
If USPS identifies the oversized shipment at the entry point and the shipper picks it up at the same facility, no additional charge is applied. However, if USPS identifies the offending item in further processing (e.g., at a sorting facility), they might choose to transport the package but tack on a $200 penalty surcharge.
Finally, if USPS ships the item and the recipient chooses not to pay the surcharges, the carrier will consider the shipment abandoned and might dispose of it.
What’s the difference between balloon pricing and dimensional weight?
USPS applies balloon pricing specifically to parcels shipped through Ground Advantage—Limited Overland Routes (LOR); whereas, dimensional weight pricing applies more universally, across multiple USPS services and shipping zones.
With balloon pricing applied, an LOR package* that exceeds 84″ in combined length and girth (up to 108″) and weighs less than 20 lbs will be treated as a 20-lb shipment, regardless of its actual weight.
*LOR pricing only applies to some intra-Alaska shipments.
8 Tips to lower or avoid the oversized fees
Measure the package’s final dimensions
01
Ensure that you and USPS measure the packaged shipment as opposed to measuring the item prior to packaging it.
For example, if you’re shipping a footstool that measures 18″ x 18″ x 13″, its dimensions would trigger the cubic fee. However, the packaged stool will likely incur both the cubic fee and the length fee.
Measure the outermost edges
02
USPS’ measurement system only considers the package’s furthest edges. So, always include protruding elements like flaps or handles when determining your package dimensions.
For example, if you’re shipping a bike without a box, the package size will include the space around the frame, wheels, and protruding parts. So, the width of that package might be the distance between the edges of the handlebars or pedals, whichever is greater.
Understand the measurements
03
To understand shipping costs and size-based surcharges, you need clarity on USPS’ terminology and policies for key measurements, including:
Length: measurement of the package’s longest side
Width: measurement of the side perpendicular to the length
Height: measurement of the side perpendicular to width and length
Girth: measurement of the thickest part, measured perpendicular to the length. (For rectangular shipments, like boxes, girth is the doubled sum of width and height. For cylindrical packages, girth is the circumference.)
Cubic volume: measurement of the package’s volume. (For rectangular boxes, volume is calculated by multiplying length, width, and height. For example, a package that measures 10″ x 10″ x 15″ has a cubic volume of 1,500 cubic inches or 0.87 cubic feet.)
NOTE: When calculating the cubic volume for shipping costs assessment, round each dimension to the nearest inch. For example, if a box measures 15.7″ x 20″ x 15.2″, the cubic volume will be 4,800 (16″ x 20″ x 15″).
Pack compactly
04
Pack efficiently and compactly, with 2″–4″ of padding between the object and the box. This will avoid any unnecessary oversized fees without compromising protection.
If the shipping charge is based on the dimensional weight, a smaller package will also have a lower base shipping rate. In this scenario, a neatly packed box will cost less to ship, with or without oversized fees. For more handy tips, see our guide on shipping oversized packages.
Choose the right shipping box
05
Don’t improvise with used or DIY boxes; choose a sturdy shipping box that won’t yield under pressure. This will allow you to use less padding without compromising safety.
In turn, less padding means you can pack into a smaller box, lower the base rates, and potentially avoid oversized fees.
Pack in rigid containers
06
Sturdy packages are easier to measure and leave less room for mistakes in shipping cost estimates.
For example, a rectangular box or a rigid shipping tube has fixed dimensions that won’t change in transit. On the other hand, the shape and dimensions of a soft bag might vary depending on position.
These changes in shape and dimensions might trigger oversized fees or even cause your package to exceed the maximum mailable dimensions (130″ in combined length and girth).
Ship from the USPS location
07
If you suspect that your package might incur any size-related surcharges, it’s wise to ship from a USPS location.
Shipping from a store allows you to confirm the package’s dimensions and fix minor issues on the spot. For example, you might patch up a loose piece of tape that would otherwise trigger an oversized fee.
Ship in multiple packages
08
It might make financial sense to split the contents of a package into multiple shipments.
For example, if you’re shipping two boxes that measure 35″ x 10″ x 10″ each, they will exceed the nonstandard thresholds and trigger length and cubic fees. Shipped via expedited USPS services, the packages will incur $96 in additional charges.
However, if you split the contents of the shipment into three packages that measure 15″ x 15″ x 12″ each, you can send a greater volume while avoiding all nonstandard fees.
Ship large packages at volume-based discounts
If you’re running an ecommerce business that ships large packages through USPS, oversized fees can erode your profits.
To navigate around that problem, join forces with a reliable 3PL provider like Red Stag Fulfillment.
We specialize in handling large and heavy packages, so we negotiate volume-based discounts with USPS and other carriers. As our partner, you’d benefit from those discounts without any of the fulfillment hassle.
