201e Quick Service Guide

Physical Standards for Commercial Parcels

Overview

 

Parcel Dimensions
	Length Girth Length plus girth	The longest side of the parcel. Measurement around the thickest part. Cannot exceed 108 inches (Parcel Select cannot exceed 130 inches).

Measuring Length Plus Girth (201.7.0)

For parcels, length is the measurement of the longest dimension and girth is the distance around the thickest part (perpendicular to the length).

Except for USPS Retail Ground and Parcel Select, no mailpiece may measure more than 108 inches in length and girth combined. USPS Retail Ground and Parcel Select pieces measuring over 108 inches but not more than 130 inches in combined length and girth are mailable at the applicable oversized price (253.1.0).

 

Length = 10 inches Girth (8 +5 + 8 + 5) = 26 inches Length + girth = 36 inches	Length = 20 inches Girth (6 + 6 + 6) = 18 inches Length + girth = 38 inches

The Postal Service classifies parcels as machinable parcels, irregular parcels, or nonmachinable parcels.

Machinable Parcels (201.7.5)

If you prepare your parcels so that they can be processed on Postal Service equipment, your mail is “machinable.” Machinable parcels must meet specific standards for size, shape, content, and weight.

Minimum weight: 6 ounces (3.5 ounces for parcels prepared under 201.7.5.2).

Maximum weight: 25 pounds (35 pounds for Parcel Select and Parcel Return Service parcels that do not contain books and other printed matter). Lower weight limits apply to First-Class Package Service, USPS Marketing Mail, and Bound Printed Matter.

Dimensions:

• Minimum: 6 inches long, 3 inches high, and 1/4 inch thick. A mailpiece exactly 1/4 inch thick is subject to the 3-1/2 inch height minimum.
• Maximum: 27 inches long, 17 inches high, and 17 inches thick.

Soft goods wrapped in paper or plastic bags and printed matter are machinable only if all packaging standards in 601 are met.

 

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Machinable Parcels Minimum weight: 6 ounces (3.5 ounces for small lightweight parcels prepared under 201.7.5.2). Maximum weight: 25 pounds (35 pounds for Parcel Select and Parcel Return Service parcels that do not contain books and other printed matter).

Irregular Parcels (201.7.6)

Irregular parcels include parcels that do not meet the dimensional criteria of machinable parcels and other parcels that cannot be processed by parcel sorters, including:

• Rolls and tubes up to 26 inches long and merchandise samples not individually addressed.
• Unwrapped, paper-wrapped, or sleeve-wrapped articles that are not letter-size or flat-size (e.g., catalogs, directories).
• Articles enclosed in envelopes that are not letter-size, flat-size, or machinable parcels.



 

Nonmachinable Parcels (201.7.7)

Nonmachinable parcels exceed any of the maximum dimensions for machinable parcels. This category also includes certain high-density items, cartons containing more than 24 ounces of liquids in one or more glass containers, cartons containing 1 gallon or more of liquid in metal or plastic containers, and items in 201.7.7.

First-Class Package Service (201.8.3)

Maximum weight: less than 16 ounces.

Maximum dimensions: 22 inches in length, 18 inches in width, and 15 inches in thickness.

A surcharge applies for parcels with the following characteristics:

• Parcels that are irregularly shaped, such as rolls, tubes, and triangles.
• Parcels must include a unique Intelligent Mail package barcode with a postal routing code to avoid a surcharge.

See Quick Service Guide 280, First-Class Package Service parcels

Bound Printed Matter (201.8.6)

Maximum weight: 15 pounds.

For additional information, see Quick Service Guide 260b, Bound Printed Matter Nonmachinable and Machinable Parcels.

Media Mail

Maximum weight: 70 pounds.

For machinable parcels, see Quick Service Guide 270b.

For preparation of irregular parcels, see 275.6.3.

Library Mail

Maximum weight: 70 pounds.

Barcode discount: available for machinable parcels (50-piece minimum), mailed at Basic prices.

For prices, eligibility, postage payment, and mail preparation, see Quick Service Guide 270b.

USPS Marketing Mail Parcels (201.8.4)

Maximum weight: less than 16 ounces.

Unless prepared in carrier route (irregular parcels only) or 5-digit/scheme containers, USPS Marketing Mail parcels are subject to a surcharge if machinable parcels do not bear a GS1-128 routing barcode or Intelligent Mail package barcode, or irregular parcels do not bear a GS1-128 routing barcode, an Intelligent Mail package barcode, or POSTNET barcode.

See Quick Service Guides:

240h USPS Marketing Mail Machinable Parcels

240i USPS Marketing Mail Irregular Parcels

240j USPS Marketing Mail Carrier Route Irregular Parcels

Parcel Select (201.8.5)

Parcel Select Destination Entry packages are priced as machinable or nonmachinable. Nonmachinable parcels are subject to the applicable nonmachinable surcharge unless the special handling fee is paid. There is no Parcel Select nonmachinable surcharge for Parcel Select Ground.

Oversized Price: pieces measuring more than 108 inches in combined length and girth, but not more than 130 inches in combined length and girth, are mailable at the applicable Parcel Select oversized price. Oversized pieces are not subject to nonmachinable prices.

Balloon Price: Parcel Select pieces measuring more than 84 inches in combined length and girth, but not more than 108 inches in combined length and girth, and weighing less than 20 pounds are mailable at the price equal to that of a 20-pound parcel for the zone to which the parcel is addressed.

Nonmachinable Parcel Select Destination Entry: Except for pieces mailed at oversized prices or parcels sent with special handling, pieces that meet any of the following criteria must pay nonmachinable prices.

1. A parcel more than 27 inches long, 17 inches wide, or 17 inches high.
2. A parcel less than 6 inches long, 1/4 inch thick, or 3 inches high.
3. A parcel that weighs less than 6 ounces (except under 201.7.5.2) or more than 35 pounds.
4. A parcel containing more than 24 ounces of liquid in glass containers, or 1 gallon or more of liquid in metal or plastic containers.
5. An insecurely wrapped or metal-banded parcel.
6. A can, roll, or tube, or wooden or metal box.
7. Books, printed matter, or business forms weighing more than 25 pounds.
8. A high-density parcel weighing more than 15 pounds and exerting more than 60 pounds per-square-foot pressure on its smallest side.
9. A film case weighing more than 5 pounds or with strap-type closures, except any film case the USPS authorizes to be entered as a machinable parcel under 201.7.5 and to be identified by the words “Machinable in United States Postal Service Equipment” permanently attached as a nontransferable decal in the lower right corner of the case.
10. Parcels with characteristics (such as inadequate packaging) that could result in damage to the contents of the mailpiece, other parcels, or postal machinery if mechanical sortation is used.

 

Examples of Balloon Price, Oversized Price, and Priority Mail Dimensional Weight
Priority Mail (zones 1–4) and Parcel Select (all zones) Balloon Price if: Weight less than 20 pounds and length plus girth combined is more than 84 but not more than 108 inches.		Nonmachinable Price: No Balloon Price: Yes Oversized Price: No In this example, length and girth is 90 inches.
Priority Mail (zones 5-9) Dimensional weight for rectangular shaped parcels. For Priority Mail dimensional weight for nonrectangular shaped parcels to zones 5–8, see 223.1.6.		Dimensional Weight: Yes Balloon Price: No In this example the dimensional weight for a package to zones 5–9 is 44 pounds. Round off each measurement to the nearest whole number (length = 21, height = 20, and width = 20). Multiple length x height x width (21 x 20 x 20) = 8,400 cubic inches If more than 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 194 and round up to the next whole number to determine dimensional weight (8,400/194 = 43.29). Dimensional weight = 44 pounds.
Parcel Select Destination Entry Nonmachinable prices if: Length more than 27 inches or Height more than 17 inches or Width more than 17 inches or Maximum weight: 25 pounds (35 pounds for Parcel Select and Parcel Return Service parcels that do not contain books and other printed matter) or Meets any nonmachinable criteria on page three. Nonmachinable prices do not apply to parcels mailed at oversized prices or parcels sent with special handling.		Nonmachinable Price: Yes Balloon Price: No Oversized Price: No In this example, length and girth is 82 inches.
Parcel Select Oversized Price if: Length plus girth combined is more than 108 but not more than 130 inches. The oversized price does not apply to pieces with special handling fee.		Oversized Price: Yes In this example, length and girth is 130 inches.
Balloon price: Priority Mail (zones 1–4) and Parcel Select only. Nonmachinable price: Parcel Select Destination Entry only. Oversized price: Parcel Select only Priority Mail dimensional weight zones 5–9 only.