UPS weight and size limits for packages

UPS takes packages up to 150 lb (68 kg), up to 108 inches (274 cm) long, and up to 165 inches (419 cm) in length plus girth. Packages that are heavier or longer than certain thresholds below those limits cost extra, and anything over them has to go as freight.

These are the limits UPS Canada publishes for its small-package services, checked on November 6, 2026. They apply to each package, not the whole shipment, and your specific service or destination may have different limits.

UPS package limits

There's no limit on the total weight or the number of packages in a multi-package shipment.

How to work out length plus girth

The longest side is the length. Girth is the distance around the package at its thickest point: twice the width plus twice the height. So:

Length + girth = length + (2 × width) + (2 × height)

A 30 × 20 × 15 in box is 30 + (2 × 20) + (2 × 15) = 100 in, well under 165 in. A 50 × 30 × 20 in box is 50 + 60 + 40 = 150 in: under the limit, but past the Large Package line below. See what is shipping girth and how to measure a package for the details. Round each measurement up to the next whole inch.

When UPS charges extra

Two thresholds well below the maximums add a charge, and they're where most surprise bills come from.

Additional Handling applies to a package that has any of these:

• the longest side over 48 in (122 cm)
• the second-longest side over 30 in (76 cm)
• length plus girth over 105 in (266 cm)
• an actual weight over 50 lb (22 kg) for a domestic or export package

Large Package applies when length plus girth is over 130 in (330 cm), or a domestic package is longer than 96 in (244 cm). A Large Package is billed at at least 90 lb (41 kg), plus a Large Package Surcharge. Additional Handling isn't charged on top of it.

What that looks like in real quotes on GoorooShip on November 6, 2026, Toronto to Vancouver, Business Plus plan, before GST/HST:

Going from 45 lb to 55 lb in the same box more than doubled the UPS price, while GLS went up about 17%. Each carrier sets its own thresholds, so a box that triggers a UPS surcharge may not trigger one elsewhere.

What to do if your package is near or over the limits

1. Compare carriers. The 55 lb box above cost C$122.46 with UPS and C$58.58 with GLS. Compare live rates in the shipping calculator before you book.
2. Consider LTL freight for a large, light box. The 50 × 30 × 20 in box cost C$254.54 by the lowest-priced courier and C$151.57 by LTL freight (Western Canada Express). LTL goes by truck and usually takes longer, and a home or an address without a loading dock may need a liftgate. GoorooShip's calculator now shows both for boxes past the Large Package line.
3. Over 150 lb or 165 in: ship it as freight. UPS can refuse a package over its maximums or add an Over Maximum Limits charge. On November 6, 2026, a 50 lb box measuring 120 × 20 × 20 in (200 in length plus girth) was refused by the couriers, and LTL freight from Toronto to Calgary started at C$328.60. Our calculator quotes these as LTL automatically, our LTL freight service explains how pallet shipping works, and how to palletize a shipment shows how to prepare one.
4. Use a smaller box. Dimensional weight and the thresholds above are both driven by size. See how to determine billable weight.

Size isn't the only limit: check what you can't ship with UPS before you pack, and for overseas shipments see UPS international shipping rates from Canada. Once your package is booked, see how to read a UPS shipping label to understand the tracking number, barcode and service information printed on it.