Many shippers open their weekly UPS invoices to find a few surprises in the form of a UPS large package surcharge. Therefore, we are going to examine this surcharge in more detail. What is a large package surcharge? What is the cost? How can we negate the charge to lower your business shipping fees?
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of contents
What is the UPS large package surcharge?
For domestic shipments, a UPS large package surcharge is applied if the length (longest side of the box) plus girth [(width x 2) + (height x 2)] combined exceeds 130 to 165 inches or the package length is 96 to 108 inches. Large Packages are subject to a minimum billable charge of 90 pounds. Consequently, an additional handling charge will not be assessed when a large package surcharge is applied.
Next, let us examine international shipments. A UPS large package surcharge is applied when the package’s length (longest side of the box) plus girth [(width x 2) + (height x 2)] combined is over 130 inches. Incidentally, length does not matter for international packages as it does for domestic packages.
How much is the 2024 UPS large package surcharge?
In April of 2021, UPS changed how hefty package surcharges are applied. The cost will be in the range of $100 to $145. To determine the price of this fee, you will need to know three characteristics:
- Length or Length + Girth ( What is UPS girth?)
- Commercial or Residential
- Zone
| 2024 | Zone 2 | Zone 3 – 4 | Zone 5 & up |
| Commercial | |||
| *Length + girth >130” | $160 | $175 | $197.50 |
| *Length >96” | $160 | $175 | $197.50 |
| Residential | |||
| *Length + girth >130” | $190 | $205 | $235 |
| *Length >96” | $190 | $205 | $235 |
| International | $200 | $200 | $200 |
What else do you need to know?
- The UPS large package surcharge applies to domestic and international shipments.
- An additional handling charge will not apply when a large package surcharge is present.
- Large packages are subject to a minimum billable weight of 90 pounds.
How can a shipper lower large package surcharge fees?
1: Know your box dimensions
Size limits indicated by a box manufacturer do not reflect the exterior dimensions of a package. Furthermore, a package may have bulges or may not be uniform across each face. Therefore, do not use the box dimensions when determining the actual length, width, and height measurements. As a rule, always measure each package when choosing dimensional weight.
2: Pack your items correctly
Improper packaging may alter a package’s dimensions during transit. This can affect the package’s dimensional weight and result in a shipping charge correction. Consequently, a mistake could incur an additional UPS shipping charge correction audit fee.
3: Negotiate a lower fee with UPS
If you are paying a lot of UPS large package surcharge fees, it might be an excellent plan to have UPS lower the cost altogether. The discount will be a percentage of the total cost or a dollar amount. Request a 25% to 75% reduction in the price.
4: Request a variance in the definition of the UPS large package surcharge fee
In some situations, a definition variance might be a better plan to explore during a UPS contract negotiation. For example, if you ship a specific package size that is always 97 inches, request a 2-inch variance in the 96-inch length rule. A variation will eliminate the UPS large package surcharge from your invoices.
The UPS large package surcharge can cost your company an additional $95 to $115 per package. Likewise, the UPS over maximum charge will apply if the package dimensions are combined over 165 inches or 108 inches in length. The over maximum charge is an additional $1250 per package. Read more about the UPS over maximum limit charge on the blog below.
