Zone 2 (Local – 0-150 miles)
Zone 3 (151-300 miles)
Zone 4 (301-600 miles)
Zone 5 (601-1000 miles)
Zone 6 (1001-1400 miles)
Zone 7 (1401-1800 miles)
Zone 8 (1801+ miles)
Shipping Summary
Estimated Base Rate: $0.00
*Estimates based on standard retail UPS Ground rates. Surcharges for residential delivery, fuel, or remote areas are not included.
How UPS Ground Shipping is Calculated
Shipping costs with UPS Ground aren't determined solely by how much a package weighs. UPS uses a system called Dimensional Weight (Dim Weight) to account for the space a package occupies in their delivery vehicles.
The Dimensional Weight Formula
For domestic shipments, UPS calculates dimensional weight using the following formula:
UPS will bill you based on whichever is greater: the actual weight or the dimensional weight. This is known as the "Billable Weight."
Understanding UPS Zones
UPS Ground rates are also determined by zones. Zones range from 2 to 8 for domestic shipments within the contiguous United States. The zone is determined by the distance between the origin ZIP code and the destination ZIP code.
Zone 2: 0 – 150 miles
Zone 5: 601 – 1,000 miles
Zone 8: 1,801+ miles
Example Calculation
Imagine you are shipping a large but light pillow in a box that is 20″ x 20″ x 20″, weighing only 5 lbs, to Zone 5.
Actual Weight: 5 lbs
Dimensional Weight: (20x20x20) / 139 = 57.55 lbs
Billable Weight: 58 lbs (UPS rounds up to the next pound)
Result: Even though the box is light, you will be charged the 58 lb rate because of its size.
function calculateUPSShipping() {
var length = parseFloat(document.getElementById("upsLength").value);
var width = parseFloat(document.getElementById("upsWidth").value);
var height = parseFloat(document.getElementById("upsHeight").value);
var actualWeight = parseFloat(document.getElementById("upsActualWeight").value);
var zone = parseInt(document.getElementById("upsZone").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("upsResult");
var billableText = document.getElementById("billableWeightText");
var dimText = document.getElementById("dimWeightText");
var costSpan = document.getElementById("estimatedCost");
if (isNaN(length) || isNaN(width) || isNaN(height) || isNaN(actualWeight) || length <= 0 || width <= 0 || height <= 0 || actualWeight <= 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for all dimensions and weight.");
return;
}
// Calculate Dimensional Weight (Domestic Divisor is 139)
var dimWeight = (length * width * height) / 139;
var roundedDimWeight = Math.ceil(dimWeight);
var roundedActualWeight = Math.ceil(actualWeight);
// Determine Billable Weight
var billableWeight = Math.max(roundedActualWeight, roundedDimWeight);
// Simplified Estimate Logic (Standard UPS Ground Model)
// Base price starts around $11-$15 depending on zone
// Additional $0.50 – $1.50 per pound depending on distance
var baseRate = 9.50 + (zone * 1.25);
var weightMultiplier = 0.45 + (zone * 0.15);
var totalEstimate = baseRate + (billableWeight * weightMultiplier);
// Update UI
billableText.innerHTML = "Billable Weight: " + billableWeight + " lbs";
dimText.innerHTML = "Actual weight is " + roundedActualWeight + " lbs. Dimensional weight is " + roundedDimWeight + " lbs.";
costSpan.innerHTML = "$" + totalEstimate.toFixed(2);
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}