USPS Adds New Surcharges for April 2022

Starting April 3, 2022, the United States Postal Service is introducing surcharges for oversized packages with sides over 20” or 30.” These surcharges were announced as part of USPS’s 2022 rate increases in January as part of their annual rate increase. These surcharges are part of USPS’s recent measures to help deal with the large shipping volume they have seen in recent years.  

How Much is the Surcharge Going to Cost?

Any parcel shipped with an impacted service with any side exceeding 22” in length will be subject to an additional $4 surcharge. For larger parcels, if its length exceeds more than 30”, or the parcel is over 2 cubic feet in size, it will be subject to a $15 surcharge. 

Additionally, if the dimensions you entered on your parcel are incorrect and result in an oversized charge, an additional surcharge of $1.50 will be applied. 

Services Receiving This Surcharge?

Moving forward, USPS is going to charge more for parcels deemed too large or long. These charges apply to the following services:

• Priority Mail
• Priority Mail Express
• USPS Retail Ground
• Parcel Select 

These surcharges will also be applied to both domestic and commercial shipments. But USPS Media Mail parcels will not be subject to this surcharge. These surcharges also only impact domestic parcels. For the current rate structures and surcharges for international parcels, read this. 

How to Dispute an Adjustment or Surcharge

If you believe the issued adjustment is incorrect, you can dispute the charge. However, this will need to be done with the USPS directly. Contact the USPS Automated Package Verification department directly. Their email is [email protected] and their phone number is 1-844-819-5187. When you contact them, to expedite the process have the following information ready:

• Adjustment ID from your USPS postage account 
• The last four digits of the Tracking Number
• The reason or explanation for the dispute (with as much detail as possible)

How ShipStation Helps You Save on Shipping Costs and Avoid Surcharges

Using shipping software like ShipStation gives you the tools to properly rate parcels and receive discounts on your shipments. This will help you get ahead of any rate increases by the carrier, as well as let you better charge your customers for shipping. 

Access More Shipping Discounts

ShipStation gives you access to a range of shipping discounts—not just for USPS, but for UPS, DHL, and many more carriers. With ShipStation’s discounted shipping rates, you can save up to 69% on shipping rates. To see what you could be saving on USPS shipping costs, you can check our USPS rate calculator.  

Enter Shipment Dimensions

While these surcharges are unavoidable for parcels exceeding these dimensions, you can at least receive the most accurate shipping rate within ShipStation. By entering the appropriate dimensions when getting a rate, you can receive all affiliated surcharges. Additionally, carriers like UPS and FedEx can charge up to $4 for residential deliveries. When you use ShipStation, we authenticate whether or not the address is commercial or residential—taking surprises out of your carrier invoices. 

To see how much ShipSation can save you on label fees for USPS, UPS, DHL, and more sign up for a free 30-day ShipStation trial today!