201e Quick Service Guide

Physical Standards for Commercial Parcels

Overview

 

Parcel Dimensions

Parcel dimensions: length, girth, and length plus girth.

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 Parcel Select, no commercial priced mailpiece may measure more than 108 inches in length and girth combined. 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).

 

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. Lower weight limits apply to USPS Marketing Mail and Bound Printed Matter.

Dimensions:

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

 

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:

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.

Nonmachinable parcel examples: metal strapped boxes, containers more than 26", and liquid containers.

USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial (201.8.3)

Maximum weight: 70 pounds.

Maximum dimensions: 130 inches in length and girth combined.

See Quick Service Guide 280, USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial 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.

All USPS Marketing Mail parcels must bear the correct Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb). Parcels not meeting the requirements for use of Intelligent Mail package barcodes will be assessed a nonbarcoded fee.

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 based on weight increment and the entry of each adddressed package.

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.

 

Examples of Dimensional Weight and Oversized Price

Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial, and Parcel Select Destination Entry Dimensional Weight for Rectangular-Shaped Parcels.

For dimensional weight for nonrectangular shaped parcels, see 213.1.5.2, 223.1.5.2, 253.1.3.2, 283.1.4.2.

Ten pound (actual weight) parcel measuring 20 3/4 inches long, 20 inches wide, and 20 1/4 inches tall. Dimensional weight example.

Dimensional Weight: Yes

In this example the dimensional weight for a package is 51 pounds.

  1. Round off each measurement to the nearest whole number (length = 21, height = 20, and width = 20).
  2. Multiply length by height and then this total by width (21 x 20 x 20) = 8,400 cubic inches
  3. If more than 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 166 and round up to the next whole number to determine dimensional weight (8,400/166 = 50.60). Dimensional weight = 51 pounds.

Parcel Select Destination Entry and USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial

Oversized Price If:

Ten pound parcel measuring 30 inches long, 25 inches wide, and 25 inches tall. Oversize price example.

Oversized Price: Yes

In this example, length and girth is 130 inches.