Sellers prepare: the USPS will apply Nonstandard Fees to more types of packages in July. On April 3, 2022, the USPS introduced two brand-new types of fees, and this year, it will expand the surcharges so they apply to more packages. The plans were outlined in a February 11th report describing changes coming in July as part of its twice-yearly rate changes.
April of 2022 was the first time shippers had to pay a significant surcharge (“nonstandard fees”) on items like movie posters and golf clubs. Sellers shipping long, skinny packages greater than 22″ long would pay $4, and those shipping long, skinny packages greater than 30″ long would pay $15 (in addition to the postage costs they would normally pay).
Beginning in July of 2025, the USPS will charge nonstandard fees on all cylindrical tubes or rolls. In addition, the USPS will charge nonstandard fees on any package that with contents that may cause the parcel to roll.
The USPS notice explained the changes as follows, first listing the way it currently assesses nonstandard fees followed by a description of the packages that will have nonstandard fees assessed beginning later this year:
The Nonstandard Fee is currently charged for packages meeting the following criteria:
a) Length greater than 22 inches but less than or equal to 30 inches.
b) Length greater than 30 inches.
c) Cubic volume greater than 2 cubic ft.
The Nonstandard Fee will now also include the Package Characteristics as a criterion:
a) Cylindrical tubes or rolls.
b) A can, or wooden or metal box.
c) A parcel containing more than 24 ounces of liquid in glass containers, or 1 gallon or more of liquid in metal or plastic containers (see DMM 601.3.4).
d) Other (e.g., parcels prepared under DMM sections 601.3.0 and DMM 601.4.0. with contents that may cause the parcel to roll or not maintain the integrity of the packaging during processing)
The Nonstandard fees and the Dimension Noncompliance fees apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, USPS Connect Local and Parcel Select packages.
A graphic included in the February 11th notice on PostalPro states:
In summary, the price of commercial, rectangular package with non-standard fee is:
Base Postage + Applicable Non-Standard Length Fee + Non-Standard Cubic Fee + Non-Standard Characteristic Fee.
The notice includes other changes coming this summer, though not the specific date in July that the changes will take effect.
Update 2/12/2025: Despite what the graphic says about fees, the body of the text states, “Only the greater of the two: Length vs. Package Characteristics may be assessed per package.” Thanks to shipping consultant (and USPS expert) Gordon Glazer for pointing out this discrepancy.
Any word on how much the fee will be for tubes? Also, judging from the end of the article, it seems tubes over 22″ will be subject to both the tube fee AND the length fee, is that correct? I seem to remember some time ago when this idea was proposed that it would be one or the other. As anyone who ships tubes knows, they take FAR longer than square or rectangular packages to be delivered (3 day delivery estimate, 3 WEEK actual shipping time). Why should I pay EXTRA for something they consistently execute poorly?
The end says “rectangular” packages, so hopefully not both fees.
The filing didn’t mention specific fees, only the expansion of the fees to more types of packages.
USPS is it’s own worst enemy. It would appear that no one bothered to check how the newer sorting machines would handle cylindrical objects properly before purchase, so now someone has to manually sort these items? The salesman/manufacturer apparently missed it also?
*** USPS chooses it’s business model ***
Last year, I read an article that the USPS is refining their operation by CHOOSING what they want to ship. I suspect USPS really does not want to deal with cylindrical objects anymore, period.
And if your package is too large, USPS sends customers to Fedex or UPS….I saw this last month at the P.O. counter. The USPS clerk measured a long box to then tell the customer that their box was too large for the postal service.
Interesting that out of the hundreds of parcels I have shipped in a the last few years via USPS, the only 2 that have gone missing (with no scanning information entered into the system) have been tubes. After a few weeks they eventually got scanned in (on day of delivery). I have heard the same thing from a couple other dealers.
I also have heard complaints from sellers who put the barcode label around instead of longways down the tube. This will usually lead to the items not being scanned because the clerks / letter carriers don’t want to enter the number digit by digit.