Length Plus Girth Calculator
On a parcel, girth is the distance around its thickest part: twice the width plus twice the height. Carriers add it to the longest side, the length, to check that a box is not too big to ship.
Length plus girth limits for USPS, UPS and FedEx
| Carrier | Length plus girth | Longest side | Heaviest parcel |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS, most services | 108 in (274 cm) | No separate limit | 70 lb (31.8 kg) |
| USPS Ground Advantage, retail | 130 in (330 cm) | No separate limit | 70 lb (31.8 kg) |
| UPS | 165 in (419 cm) | 108 in (274 cm) | 150 lb (68 kg) |
| FedEx Ground | 165 in (419 cm) | 108 in (274 cm) | 150 lb (68 kg) |
UPS charges extra for a large package: one whose length plus girth is over 130 in (330 cm), or whose longest side is over 96 in (244 cm).
Sources: the USPS Domestic Mail Manual (section 101), the UPS Rate and Service Guide and the FedEx Ground service page. Carriers change their limits from time to time, so check the carrier's own page before you buy a label.
What does girth mean when shipping a package?
Girth is the distance around the thickest part of a parcel, measured across it, not from end to end. On a box, that is the width twice plus the height twice. The length is the longest side, and it is never part of the girth.
For a tube or a roll, the girth is simply the distance around it, so wrap a tape around it. If you only know how wide the tube is, multiply that by 3.14 to get the distance around, as the circumference to diameter formula page explains.
How to measure a box for length and girth
- Measure the longest side. That is the length.
- Measure the two other sides, the width and the height, where the box is thickest, bulges included.
- Double the width, double the height and add them: that is the girth. Add the length to get length plus girth.
If you type the sides in another order, the calculator still uses the longest one as the length.