Handle with care · weigh before you ship
Light but bulky parcels are charged by size. Enter the box and its weight to see the dimensional weight, the billable weight, and how much smaller the box would need to be.
Dim weight · billable weight
Billable weight
6 kg
charged on size (dimensional weight)
| Divisor | Dim. weight | Billable |
|---|---|---|
| 139 in³/lb | 5.97 kg | 5.97 kg |
| 166 in³/lb | 5 kg | 5 kg |
| 5,000 cm³/kg | 6 kg | 6 kg |
| 6,000 cm³/kg | 5 kg | 5 kg |
To be charged on actual weight at this divisor, the box would need to be 20,000 cm³ or less (it is 30,000 cm³).
Dimensional weight = length × width × height ÷ divisor
Billable weight = the greater of dimensional and actual weight
Example: a 40 × 30 × 25 cm box holds 30,000 cm³. At a divisor of 5,000 cm³/kg that is 6 kg of dimensional weight, so a 4 kg parcel is billed as 6 kg. To be billed on its real weight, the box would need to be 20,000 cm³ or less: a 40 × 25 × 20 cm box would do.
Each carrier publishes its own, and it can differ by service and account. Commonly published values: 139 in³/lb (UPS daily rates; FedEx in the US), 166 in³/lb (UPS retail rates; DHL eCommerce in the US), 5,000 cm³/kg (the most common metric divisor, for example at FedEx) and 6,000 cm³/kg (the IATA general rule for air cargo). USPS uses dimensional weight for parcels over one cubic foot. Check your carrier's current rate guide before relying on a number.
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Try WebTraceCheckA light but bulky parcel takes up room in a van or plane that could carry something heavier, so carriers charge by size as well as weight and bill whichever is greater.
The box, on the outside, at its widest points including any bulges. Carriers measure the parcel as it is handed over.
Many do, and the rules differ: some round each side to the nearest whole unit, some round up, and UPS rounds dimensional weight up to the next whole pound. Tick the rounding boxes to see the effect.