Checking Shipment Size and Weight

Packages can be up to 165 inches 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 package will your length.

Measure irregularly-shaped packages as if they were in a rectangular box. Measure length, width and height of the theoretical package from its extreme points to determine the package’s dimensions.

The actual weight is the package weight rounded up to the next whole pound.

Use a scale to determine the weight of the package. Round any fraction of a pound to the next whole pound for UPS Express^® Envelopes (letters) over eight ounces and all other packages.

Compare the package'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-package shipments, total the billable weight of all packages in the shipment.

Refer to the Determine the Weight and Size section of the Rate and Service Guide.

Dimensional weight reflects package density, which is the amount of space a package occupies compared to its actual weight. Dimensional weight may apply to all UPS domestic and international package services.

Determine the package measurement in inches. For each measurement, start at the longest point, rounding each measurement to the nearest whole number.

Multiply the package length (longest side of the package) by the width by the height. The result is the cubic size in inches.

Divide the cubic size in inches by the divisor to calculate the dimensional weight in pounds. Increase any fraction to the next whole pound.

The divisor varies by rate type: 139 for Daily Rates; 166 for Retail Rates. Dimensional Weight = (L x W x H) ÷ Divisor.

Our “less-than-truckload” (LTL) carrier, UPS Freight, can take on your heavy shipments. LTL typically refers to pallet, freight weighing over 150 lbs. UPS Freight handles LTL shipping throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

If you want to ship multiple packages weighing a total of 151 lbs or more without a pallet, UPS Ground with Freight Pricing may be a good option for you.

Already have a UPS-approved scale? Awesome! You can connect your scale to your laptop or desktop computer to help speed things up. First, start by updating your shipping preferences to active the scale. Sign in using the link here and mark the checkbox Weigh My Packages With My USB-Connected Scale, then click Save.

Note: UPS CampusShip users will need to update their preferences on the CampusShip site. After logging in, select Shipping Preferences on the left-hand side and click on View/Edit to expand your Shipping Options. Mark the checkbox for Use My USB Scale and finish by clicking Update.

Once you’ve set your preferences to allow for your scale, return to the Create a Shipment page and authorize the installation of a downloaded component. After completion, the package weight will show up in the weight field. The Weigh It button will then capture the current scale reading.

Download for Windows Users* | Download for Mac or Linux Users**

*If you receive a message saying your browser doesn’t support this function, run the installer (the file above). This will place the UPS Weight Scale App in the Startup folder, running the application each time you start your computer.

**To use the file above, download the .zip file and extract the script file (make sure to note what folder you extracted it to). After extracting, find and run the script file.