Parcel Weight & Size Guide

How To Measure Your Package Size

Girth, represented by number 1 on the diagram, is the total distance around your package or object at its widest point, perpendicular to the length.

Length, represented by number 2 on the diagram, is the longest side of your package or object.

Add the length and girth measurements together to get your total package size.

How to Measure Girth and Length
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Weight and Size Limits for Packages

UPS has established specific weight and size limits for the packages that you send with all UPS services. The restrictions below only pertain to individual packages. There are no limits to the total weight of your shipment or the total number of packages in your shipment.

  • Packages can be up to 70kg
  • Packages can be up to 400 cm in length and girth combined
  • Packages can be up to 274 cm in length
  • Packages that weigh more than 31.5kg (25kg within the EU) require a special heavy-package label
  • Packages with a large size-to-weight ratio require special pricing and dimensional weight calculations


Note: Packages that exceed UPS weight and size limits are subject to an Over Maximum Limits charge.

The limits listed above apply to most packages and destinations, but there are some variances because of different local restrictions in some countries. Please contact UPS for more details.

Guidelines for Packing Your Heavy Package

Dimensional Weight

Contact UPS

Learn More About Freight Services

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How to Determine the Billable Weight of Your Pallet

Billable weight is the weight used to calculate the rate you will be charged. The billable weight will be the greater of the pallet's actual or dimensional weight. A minimal rate may apply.

To determine billable weight:

Step 1. Determine actual weight.Actual weight is the weight of the items on the pallet and the weight of the pallet rounded up to the next half kilogram.

  • Use a scale to determine the weight. Increase fractions of a weight to the next half kilogram.


Step 2. Determine dimensional weight. Dimensional weight reflects pallet density, which is the amount of space a pallet occupies in relation to its actual weight.

  • Determine the pallet dimensions in centimetres. For each dimension, measure at the longest point, rounding each measurement to the nearest whole number (e.g., 1.00 to 1.49 will be considered 1, and 1.50 to 1.99 will be considered 2).
  • Multiply the pallet length by the width by the height. The result is the cubic size in centimetres.


For international shipments:

  • For export shipments, divide the cubic size of the pallet by 5,000 to determine the dimensional weight in kilograms. Increase fractions of a weight to the next half kilogram.
  • For import shipments, divide the cubic size of the pallet by 5,000 to determine the dimensional weight in kilograms. Increase fractions of a weight to the next half kilogram.


Step 3. Determine billable weight.

  • Compare the pallet's actual weight to the dimensional weight. The greater of the two is the billable weight and should be used to calculate the rate you will be charged.
  • For multiple-pallet shipments, add up each pallet's billable weight to determine the shipment's billable weight. The minimum billable shipment weight is 71kg.

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