UPS & FedEx Surcharge Checker
Enter a box's size and weight to see if UPS or FedEx will add Additional Handling, Large Package or Oversize charges under the 2026 rules.
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Size and weight surcharges
Additional Handling
UPS: Additional Handling for cubic size ($38.50 list, zones 5-6). FedEx: Additional Handling for cubic volume ($38.50 list, zones 5-6). Fees shown are 2026 list rates before fuel, demand surcharges and any discount.
- UPS surcharge (list)
- $38.50
- FedEx surcharge (list)
- $38.50
- Billable weight
- 75 lb
Size-based surcharges also raise the billable weight: at least 40 lb for Additional Handling, 90 lb for Large Package or Oversize. Cutting the length from 36 in to 35 in would clear every size-based surcharge at both carriers.
Breakdown
- Size used (each side rounded up)
- 36 × 17 × 17 in
- Longest side
- 36 in (over 48 = Additional Handling, over 96 = Large/Oversize)
- Second-longest side
- 17 in (over 30 = Additional Handling)
- Length + girth
- 104 in (over 105 / over 130)
- Cubic size
- 10,404 cu in (over 10,368 / over 17,280)
- Actual weight (rounded up)
- 25 lb (over 50 / over 110)
- Dimensional weight (L × W × H ÷ 139)
- 75 lb
- UPS
- Additional Handling: cubic size
- FedEx
- Additional Handling: cubic volume
The 2026 UPS and FedEx thresholds
Both carriers measure the packed box, round each side up to the next whole inch and round weight up to the next pound. Length is the longest side. Girth is 2 × width + 2 × height.
| Surcharge | UPS | FedEx |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Handling | Over 50 lb; longest side over 48 in; second-longest side over 30 in; length + girth over 105 in; cubic size over 10,368 cu in; packaging that isn't corrugated cardboard, or is cylindrical; soft packs over 18 in long, 14 in wide or 6 in high | The same weight, side, length + girth and cubic lines (cubic volume from January 12, 2026); non-corrugated or cylindrical packaging; soft packs over 18 in long, 13 in wide or 5 in high |
| Large Package (UPS) / Oversize (FedEx) | Length + girth over 130 in; longest side over 96 in; over 110 lb; cubic size over 17,280 cu in | The same four lines (cubic volume and weight from January 12, 2026) |
| Over the limits | Over 150 lb, over 108 in long or over 165 in length + girth: not accepted, and $1,875 if found in the network | The same limits: Unauthorized Package Charge of $1,875 for FedEx Ground and Home Delivery |
- Minimum billable weight: Additional Handling for size sets a 40 lb minimum at both carriers. Large Package and Oversize set a 90 lb minimum.
- One charge at a time at UPS: UPS assesses one Additional Handling charge per package and doesn't add it to a Large Package. FedEx lists separate dimension, weight and packaging rates, and its guide doesn't say which applies when several match, so this tool shows the highest.
- Fees are 2026 list rates by zone, before fuel surcharges, peak-season Demand Surcharges and any contract discount.
Worked example: the box the 2026 cubic rule catches
36 × 17 × 17 in, 25 lb, corrugated box, zones 5-6
- Longest side
- 36 in (under 48)
- Second-longest side
- 17 in (under 30)
- Length + girth
- 36 + 34 + 34 = 104 in (under 105)
- Cubic size
- 36 × 17 × 17 = 10,404 cu in (over 10,368)
- Dimensional weight
- 10,404 ÷ 139 = 75 lb
Both carriers add Additional Handling for cubic size: $38.50 list at UPS and at FedEx for zones 5-6, and you're billed on 75 lb. Cutting the length to 35 in (10,115 cu in) clears every size-based surcharge.
Nothing about this box is long or heavy. Before 2026 it would have shipped without a surcharge; now the cubic line catches it.
Avoiding and charging for surcharges
- Check your standard box sizes here. One inch can move a box over a line, and you pay for it on every order.
- Split orders over 50 lb into two boxes when the item allows it.
- Use corrugated boxes for anything bigger than a small poly mailer. Poly bags over 18 × 14 × 6 in (UPS) or 18 × 13 × 5 in (FedEx) count as Additional Handling.
- Shopify: put oversized products in their own shipping profile (Settings → Shipping and delivery → Add custom profile) with rates that cover the surcharge.
- WooCommerce: give them a shipping class (WooCommerce → Settings → Shipping → Classes) and add a class cost to your shipping method.
Questions people ask
What triggers the UPS Additional Handling fee?
Any one of: over 50 lb, longest side over 48 in, second-longest side over 30 in, length + girth over 105 in, cubic size over 10,368 cu in, or packaging that isn't a corrugated box (including large poly bags and cylinders).
How much is the UPS Additional Handling fee in 2026?
At list rates, from $30.00 (zone 2) to $40.50 (zones 7+) for size, from $46.50 to $58.75 for weight, and from $26.75 to $33.75 for packaging, before fuel and Demand Surcharges.
What's the difference between Additional Handling and Large Package?
Large Package is the next step up: length + girth over 130 in, longest side over 96 in, over 110 lb or over 17,280 cu in. It costs far more and sets a 90 lb minimum billable weight. UPS doesn't charge both on one package.
Does FedEx use the same thresholds as UPS?
Mostly. The size, weight and cubic lines match. The soft pack limits differ slightly: FedEx flags poly bags and mailers over 18 × 13 × 5 in, UPS over 18 × 14 × 6 in.
How do carriers measure a box?
At its widest points, including bulges, with each side rounded up to the next whole inch. A 36.2 in side counts as 37 in.
Related tools
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Last reviewed 30 September 2026.
Sources: UPS: 2026 Rate and Service Guide, Daily Rates (updated September 7, 2026) · FedEx: 2026 Service Guide · FedEx: 2026 changes to surcharges and fees