Volumetric Weight Calculator
Work out the chargeable weight international couriers and air freight forwarders bill, using the metric 5,000 and 6,000 divisors.
Your numbers
Your result · updates as you type
Chargeable (billable) weight
6.3 kg
Volumetric weight (6.3 kg) is higher than actual weight (4 kg): you're paying for the parcel's size, not just its weight.
- Volume
- 31,500 cm³
- Divisor used
- 5,000
- Extra weight billed
- 2.3 kg
Many carriers round the chargeable weight up to the next 0.5 kg or whole kg rather than using the raw figure shown here: check your own carrier's rounding rule. Rounding up any single side of the box lowers the cubic volume fastest.
Breakdown
- Volumetric weight (31,500 ÷ 5,000)
- 6.3 kg
- Actual weight
- 4 kg
- Chargeable weight (the greater of the two)
- 6.3 kg
Two common divisors
Outside the US, carriers typically measure parcels in centimeters and bill in kilograms. Volumetric weight estimates how much space a parcel takes up, and you're billed for whichever is higher: the actual weight or the volumetric weight.
| Use | Divisor |
|---|---|
| Express couriers (DHL Express, and commonly FedEx and UPS international parcels) | 5,000 |
| General air freight, IATA standard | 6,000 |
Example: a 45 × 35 × 20 cm parcel weighing 4 kg
- Volume
- 45 × 35 × 20 = 31,500 cm³
- Courier divisor (5,000)
- 31,500 ÷ 5,000 = 6.3 kg
- Air freight divisor (6,000)
- 31,500 ÷ 6,000 = 5.25 kg
Both are above the 4 kg actual weight, so this parcel is billed at 6.3 kg through a courier, or 5.25 kg through general air freight: the same box costs more to ship through an express courier.
Shipping from the UK, EU or internationally
- Confirm your carrier's divisor. 5,000 and 6,000 are the two most common, but always check your own courier's or freight forwarder's terms: some quote a different figure for specific services.
- Rounding varies by carrier. Many round the chargeable weight up to the next 0.5 kg or whole kg rather than billing the exact decimal. Check your rate card.
- US-based store? Carriers pricing in inches and pounds use a different formula: see the dimensional weight calculator.
Questions people ask
What's the difference between dimensional weight and volumetric weight?
They're the same idea, in different units. "Dimensional weight" usually refers to the US inches-and-pounds version (divisor around 139). "Volumetric weight" usually refers to the metric centimeters-and-kilograms version (divisor 5,000 or 6,000).
Why do couriers and air freight use different divisors?
Express couriers (5,000) price space more expensively than general air cargo (6,000), which follows an IATA industry standard. The same box works out heavier, and costs more, through a courier.
Does DHL Express use 5,000?
Yes, for its Express services: length × width × height in centimeters, divided by 5,000, gives the volumetric weight in kilograms.
How can I reduce volumetric weight charges?
Use the smallest packaging that safely fits the product. Cutting a few centimeters off any one side reduces the cubic volume, and therefore the volumetric weight, fastest.
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Last reviewed 30 September 2026.