Can you bring your own box to ship?

Families and friends of victims of Hurricanes Irma and Maria heavily relied upon the U.S. Postal Service® to ship items to the Caribbean before the disasters; now they are looking to USPS® even more.

With packages being shipped thousands of miles to the Caribbean, some were received damaged due to improper packing or were too heavy for the packaging and broke open. “You have to take into account the size and condition of the box and how much you put it in,” says Marlborough, MA Retail Associate Enid Cordero, who is originally from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. She cautions that “just one piece of tape will not hold a box together.”

The helpful video “How to Pack a Box” can be viewed on USPS TV. In addition, even though there may not be a problem when sending lighter-weight items like diapers, consider the following tips on how to ship a package if sending canned goods or heavier items such as rice and beans across the miles.

Essential Packaging Tips  

How can you tell if your box is strong enough for what it will carry inside?

First, to make sure your item is not hazardous and can be shipped, check the Shipping Restrictions on usps.com. Otherwise, some clues that the load might be too heavy: if you can’t carry the box or it starts to rip at the corners, then you’ll need to reduce its weight or find a stronger replacement.

Even though it seems like the perfect size, a box that, for example, contained copier paper would be too light of a box for a heavier load.

Remember to load heavier items in smaller boxes.

If items don’t fit, do not try to reshape the box as this will weaken it.

Where can I get good quality boxes?

You can order Priority Mail Flat Rate® Boxes from The Postal Store® for USPS shipping for free. Regular boxes can also be purchased from retail companies. Boxes that are reused tend to be less sturdy so it is best to not re-use one from a supermarket or use one leftover from a friend’s recent move. If you do use an old box, remember to obliterate the barcodes, shipping information, and other markings with a thick, black marker.

Guide to Shipping Box Dimensions and More

What are weight restrictions for packages?

A package must weigh less than 70 pounds and in most cases measure no more than 108 inches in length and girth combined. To calculate girth, measure the distance around the thickest part of the package. There is an exception for USPS Retail Ground® products, which may not measure more than 130 inches in length and girth combined.

What about the size of a box?

This can be tricky. You want a box bigger than the items contained within it, so you can cushion them as they are being shipped. But if there’s too much empty space inside, contents tend to shift around. Movement inside the box can weaken it.

What kind of cushioning can I use?

Ready Post® bubble wrap packaging material, clothes, clean rags, bedding, newspaper, towels. Perhaps even plastic grocery bags; you may need a lot of them. Not to worry, though, since they don’t add much weight to the package.

Additional Considerations

So if I have a good box and it’s adequately cushioned, is it all set to ship?

Almost. Cover the seams with 2-inch wide packing tape for reinforcement. Transparent tape, duct tape or masking tape, as they do not provide sufficient support. Do not use cord, string, or twine because it gets caught in mail processing equipment.

What else is important?

Fill out a second label (you can use an index card or a piece of paper) with the recipient’s address and your return address to put inside the package — just in case the outer label becomes unreadable.

For additional information on how to ship a package, go to the Postal Service’s website, usps.com: in English or in Spanish. Other USPS blog posts with even more specific tips are: “This year, graduate to being a smart mailer” and “Everything you need to know about how to send mail.”

USPS employees want to see all mail processed and delivered quickly to your loved ones. Our letter carriers in the Caribbean are working hard to bring important supplies to those in need. The Postal Service™ encourages senders to go over these guidelines as a refresher for shipping your items. Take extra care in the preparation to know that the package will be well received by your family or friends as it arrives intact.

One of the marks of adulthood is keeping a box because it’s a “good box,” and this practice comes in handy when it comes time to ship something.

The United States Postal Service carries plenty of Flat Rate box options, and they will even ship them to you for free if you order them online.

But you might be wondering: Can you use any box to ship USPS? Are you locked into the USPS Flat Rate service? I have the answer you seek.

Table Of Contents show

1 Can You Use Any Box To Ship USPS In 2022?

1.1 How Do You Use Or Reuse A Box To Ship USPS?

1.2 Is It Cheaper To Use Your Own Box To Ship With USPS?

1.3 Can You Use Any Box To Ship USPS Priority Mail?

1.4 Can You Use Any Box To Ship USPS First Class?

1.5 Can You Use Any Box To Ship Internationally With USPS?

1.6 What Is The Smallest Box You Can Ship USPS?

1.7 What Is The Largest Box You Can Ship USPS?

1.8 Conclusion

Can You Use Any Box To Ship USPS In 2022?

While the United States Postal Service does encourage the use of their Flat Rate shipping boxes, customers can send packages using pretty much any box they desire. There are a few limitations in terms of size and appearance, but most boxes, if prepared correctly, are eligible for USPS shipping.

For more details on using or reusing a box properly to ship USPS, which services require a USPS box specifically and some shipping best practices, keep reading below!

How Do You Use Or Reuse A Box To Ship USPS?

The USPS.com site has a lot of advice for how to use or reuse a box of your own for shipping through their system.

To start off, there are five things you’ll want to consider when choosing your own box:

• Is it plain, or does it have logos/labels that need to be covered/removed?
• Does it advertise any of the items that are prohibited by USPS from being mailed? This includes firearms, alcohol, toxic materials, etc.

According to the USPS website, if a box contains any words or pictures referencing these items, the package will be taken out of circulation.

• Is the box a standard size? Boxes in irregular sizes/shapes won’t go through the scanning/sorting/processing machines and may be subject to extra fees.
• Is the box sturdy enough? USPS doesn’t make a habit of abusing packages, but boxes do need to stand up to a certain degree of handling and jostling.
• Is the box small enough? While the Postal Service’s limits on box sizes are by no means small, customers must nonetheless ensure their packages do not exceed 108 inches in total length and girth.

For more information on preparing your box for shipment, check out the USPS page here.

Is It Cheaper To Use Your Own Box To Ship With USPS?

When it comes to using your own box, versus a USPS Flat Rate box, to save money, it really depends on the dimensions and weight of your package, as well as the destination.

For example, ShippingEasy.com points out that if you’re sending something lighter, regular Priority Mail can actually be cheaper than Priority Mail Flat Rate prices.

So if you want to determine which service is cheapest, you are going to have to do the legwork to compare and contrast.

You can do this easily with the USPS.com postage calculator tool; enter the shipment information and you will receive all the shipping possibilities, with estimated prices.

Can You Use Any Box To Ship USPS Priority Mail?

As long as you are not attempting to access the USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping prices, you can use any box to ship Priority Mail.

If you want to pay Priority Flat Rate prices, however, you will need to use a Flat Rate box. That said, they are totally free at Post Office locations or online.

(In case you were wondering about Priority Mail Express, this service does not ship boxes – only letters and envelopes.

If you want to send a box domestically overnight or two-day, you will have to choose a different shipper, like FedEx or UPS.)

Can You Use Any Box To Ship USPS First Class?

You can use any box to ship USPS First Class, provided your item meets the 15.999-ounce weight limit.

First Class package shipping is really only for small, light boxes – if you want to send something heavier/bigger, you’ll have to choose a different shipping service.

That said, USPS doesn’t sell any boxes specifically for First Class, so this is the one shipping service where you are expected to provide your own.

Can You Use Any Box To Ship Internationally With USPS?

If you do not want to ship using any of the USPS Priority Mail International Flat Rate boxes, you can certainly use your own box to ship internationally.

You can send parcels internationally using Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail Express International, Priority Mail International and First-Class Package International.

However, you will want to ensure that the box you intend to use for any of these services meets all the requirements for international mail shipping.

What Is The Smallest Box You Can Ship USPS?

At ShippingSchool.com, the site reports that the smallest package USPS will accept is six inches by three inches by ¼ of an inch, or 6” x 3” x .25”.

The site also has a helpful recommendation if the box you have chosen is smaller than that.

Their advice? Go ahead and enter the minimum box dimensions (if you are purchasing postage online), print it out and affix it.

Very rarely does USPS, in their opinion, remove a box for being too small.

What Is The Largest Box You Can Ship USPS?

Each mail class is different in terms of maximum box size with USPS, but ShippingSchool.com cites the two most popular classes and their max box sizes:

• First-Class Package: Maxes out at 22”x18”x15”
• Priority Mail: Total size (Length x Girth) cannot exceed 108 inches

For the other classes, the maximum size is the same as Priority Mail, with the one exception of USPS Retail Ground, which is 130 inches total.

To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether or not USPS notarize documents, if USPS scans packages, and also if USPS delivers to door.

Conclusion

USPS offers flexible services, like package pick-up and yes, use-your-own box shipping for pretty much all of their mail classes, including International shipping.

If you want to use your own box to save money, use the USPS.com postage calculator to find all the different services for which your parcel is eligible, as well as the estimated cost.

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