Parcel girth & size checker
Will it go? Enter the parcel's sides and weight, pick a size limit or type your carrier's, and see what passes and by how much.
Length + girth
Within limits
- Length (longest side)
- 60 in
- Girth 2 × (W + H)
- 44 in
- Length + girth
- 104 in
| Check | Parcel | Limit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length + girth | 104 in | 108 in | OK 4 in spare |
| Weight | 20 lb | 70 lb | OK 50 lb spare |
Length and girth
The longest side is the length. Girth is the distance around the parcel at its thickest point, at right angles to the length: twice the width plus twice the height. Many carriers set their size limit on length and girth added together.
Length + girth = length + 2 × width + 2 × height
Example: a 60 × 12 × 10 inch box has a girth of 2 × 12 + 2 × 10 = 44 inches, so length plus girth is 104 inches, 4 inches inside a 108-inch limit.
The published limits included
UPS small packages: up to 108 inches long, 165 inches in length plus girth and 150 lb. USPS: up to 108 inches in length plus girth for most domestic parcels (Ground Advantage up to 130 inches, at an oversized price above 108) and 70 lb. Royal Mail: small parcels up to 45 × 35 × 16 cm and 2 kg, medium parcels up to 61 × 46 × 46 cm and 20 kg. Edit any number to match your carrier's current rules.
Sources
- UPS, Package dimensions, size limits and weight guide.
- USPS, Parcel size, weight and fee standards.
- Royal Mail, How to send small parcels and its price guides for parcel sizes.
Questions
Which side is the length?
Always the longest side, whichever way up the parcel travels. The checker sorts the sides for you, so type them in any order.
What about a round tube?
Its girth is the circumference, about 3.14 × the diameter. Entering the diameter as both other sides treats the tube as square, which overestimates the girth slightly, so a pass is safe.
What if my parcel is just over?
Carriers may refuse it, add an oversize charge or send it back. Check your carrier's rules for what happens before you post it.