USPS imposes package surcharges known as "Non-Standard Package Fees" on most of their domestic shipping services when packages exceed certain dimensions.

The USPS services subject to these surcharges are USPS Ground Advantage®, Priority Mail®, and Priority Mail Express®.

Media Mail® shipments are not subject to any non-standard package fees.

Here are the new USPS surcharges, and the situations when they apply:

When you buy labels, you'll see these new USPS surcharges upfront if you enter dimensions that exceed any of the length thresholds listed above. However, they can also come in the form of carrier adjustments if you enter incorrect dimensions when buying your label. For instance, if you enter 20" as your length on a Priority Mail shipment and USPS determines your length is actually 23", you will receive the $4 surcharge as a carrier adjustment, as well as the $1.50 since the dimensions were incorrect.

USPS imposes carrier adjustments on your shipment after determining that you entered inaccurate weight/dimension information or used the wrong type of packaging once they run your package through their Automated Package Verification (APV) System.

Carrier adjustment charges will appear as line items in your individual shipment links, and you can see all of these charges listed by clicking on your Reports / Carrier Adjustments 👍

Keep in mind that these new USPS surcharges can "stack," meaning you may see more than one in a single shipment 🙈

For instance, if you send a Ground Advantage package with one side greater than 30 inches and that is also greater than 2 cubic feet in volume, you'll see both the $8.40 non-standard Length Fee > 30", and the $18 non-standard Cube Fee > 2 Cubic Feet for a total of $26.40 in surcharges.

Here are a couple of ways you can avoid these new non-standard package fees from USPS:

By keeping your packaging as small as possible, you can ensure that your packages don't reach the length thresholds where the new USPS surcharges kick in. For instance, if the longest side of your package(s) doesn't exceed 22 inches, you won't be subject to that particular non-standard package fee 😉

That being said, it's still possible for your package to be over 2 cubic feet in volume without any of your dimensions exceeding 22 inches! If this is the case, you'll be hit with that nonstandard fee if your dimensions are less than what's mentioned in the above sections but your volume ends up exceeding 2 cubic feet.

You can order free Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes from the USPS website which will automatically keep your packaging below the length thresholds where the new surcharges apply. None of the free Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express packaging options available on the USPS website exceeds 22 inches in length except for the dual-use tubes (both the medium 1098 tube and the small 1098S):

Unless you're shipping with a Priority Mail/Priority Mail Express tube, you won't need to worry about incurring any dimension-related surcharges!

If you decide to use any of these Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express packaging options, you'll need to pay for the exact service marked on the box, and you may need to select it from your Type of Packaging drop-down menu. If you don't, USPS will impose carrier adjustments and charge your account for the proper postage required.

Any questions? Chat with us by clicking the blue button at the bottom right part of your screen - we're always happy to lend a hook 😄