Maximum Sizes and Weights for UPS services
Unlike USPS®, which has different size and weight restrictions for almost every service, UPS makes it pretty simple!
UPS size & weight guidelines: Here are the weight and size guidelines for UPS services:
Packages can be up to 150 lbs
Packages can be up to 165 inches in length and girth combined
Packages can be up to 108 inches in length
Packages with a large size-to-weight ratio require special pricing and dimensional weight calculations
All services except UPS Ground Saver: These size and weight restrictions above pertain to all domestic and international services that UPS offers on Pirate Ship, except for UPS Ground Saver®.
UPS Ground Saver® size & weight restrictions
UPS Ground Saver: The size & weight restrictions for UPS Ground Saver are as follows:
Packages must be at least 4 x 6 x 0.75"
Packages may not exceed 130” in length & girth combined
No one dimension can exceed 60” in length
Maximum weight is 70 lbs per package
Minimum billable weight: While qualifying packages can weigh anywhere from 1 oz to 70 pounds with UPS Ground Saver, packages weighing less than 8 oz will be subject to a minimum billable weight of 8 oz
Surcharges apply when exceeding limits
UPS surcharges apply: If you ship a package with UPS that exceeds any of the above weight and size restrictions, UPS will hit you with an "Over Maximum Limits" surcharge, which is $1,325 😱
Learn more about UPS surcharges.
How to Calculate Girth
Calculating girth: To calculate the girth of your package, apply the following steps:
1. Measure the three dimensions of your box, in inches. For example, let's say your box is 12x10x8".
2. Add the measurements of the two smallest dimensions together (in this case, 10" plus 8" equals 18"). Multiply that number by two, and you've got the girth
In the example above, the girth of this package is 36".
Pirate Ship rounds dimensions and weight in line with UPS practices
How we round dimensions & weight: When you enter your package's dimensions and weight, Pirate Ship automatically takes care of any rounding to calculate your shipping costs. You should always still enter your package's actual dimensions - we only do this so that your package's weights and dimensions are in line with UPS rounding practices 😉
Don't enter the dimensions printed on the box: While you may see dimensions printed on your packaging, we still recommend you measure your packages yourself. These measurements you see on boxes can sometimes be inaccurate and lead to carrier adjustments if you use them 🙈
For more info on that, check out our article on Inner Dimensions vs. Outer Dimensions.
Weights are rounded up to the nearest whole pound
Rounding weight: UPS rounds your package's weight to the nearest whole pound when calculating shipping costs.
For example, if you enter 5 lbs as your weight, you'll be billed for the 5 lb rate. However, if you enter any value between 5 - 6 lbs (5.1 lbs, for instance), you'll be billed at the 6 lb rate.
Dimensions are rounded up or down to the nearest whole inch
Rounding dimensions: UPS rounds package dimensions to the nearest whole inch, rounding up or down based on 0.5 inches. If a dimension's decimal value is less than 0.5, that dimension gets rounded down. If its decimal value is greater than 0.5, that dimension gets rounded up.
For example, if you enter 10.6 x 8.2 x 5.8" as your package's dimensions, our software will automatically round the dimensions to 11 x 8 x 6" 👌
Watch out for dimensional weight surcharges
Dimensional weight for UPS shipments: If your packages are large but lightweight, watch out for Dimensional Weight (or "DIM") surcharges! UPS handles dimensional weight nearly identical to how USPS does, but there are some differences depending on the specific UPS service you paid for.