A UPS package can weigh up to 150 pounds, be up to 108 inches long, and measure up to 165 inches in length and girth combined, according to UPS's size and weight limits as of October 2026. For what goes inside the box, UPS uses three groups: items it won't carry, items it carries only for shippers who have signed a contract with UPS, and everything else, which ships under normal packing rules plus federal hazmat law where it applies.
Each UPS rule below links to the ups.com page that states it. We read those pages in October 2026, and UPS can change them, so check the linked page before you ship anything regulated.
UPS weight limit and size limits
UPS's limits page sets three maximums for a single package: 150 pounds, 108 inches in length, and 165 inches in length and girth combined.
Girth is the distance around the box: twice the width plus twice the height, per UPS's size and weight guide. Add the length (the longest side) and compare the total with 165. A 48 × 30 × 24 inch box has a girth of 2 × 30 + 2 × 24 = 108 inches, plus 48 inches of length, for 156 inches. That is under the cap.
A package over any of those limits "is subject to an Over Maximum Limits charge," according to the same UPS page. If you're sending several boxes that weigh 151 pounds or more in total without a pallet, UPS's size and weight guide says UPS Ground with Freight Pricing "may be a good option."
For a large, light box, also work out its dimensional (DIM) weight: multiply length × width × height in inches and divide by 139 for UPS Daily Rates or 166 for Retail Rates, per UPS's size and weight guide.
UPS prohibited items vs. restricted items
UPS's list of prohibited and restricted items has two parts, and the second one is easy to misread.
What UPS won't ship
Examples UPS lists as prohibited include currency, common fireworks, hazardous waste, human remains, ivory, marijuana (including medical marijuana and CBD derived from marijuana), postage stamps, shark fins, and vape products within, to or from the U.S., according to UPS's prohibited items list as of October 2026. The same list also prohibits goods that attract excise duty or that need special facilities, safety precautions or permits. If UPS finds a prohibited item in a package, UPS's list says the shipper owes an extra administration fee on top of the normal charges.
What UPS ships only under contract
Restricted items are ones UPS will accept "on a contractual basis for shippers with regular volume and the ability to comply with all applicable laws and regulations," per UPS's restricted items list. That list includes alcoholic beverages, ammunition, dangerous goods, firearms, hemp and CBD, live animals, perishables, tobacco, articles of high or unusual value, furs, and gold or other precious metals, according to UPS's list. UPS describes these as items "we list as prohibited" that it will carry under those terms, so without the contract they are off-limits for you too.
The drop-off rule for hazmat
Fully regulated hazmat means any dangerous goods shipment that legally needs a hazardous materials shipping paper or a dangerous goods declaration. UPS prohibits those shipments over the counter and in UPS return services, and it bars dropping them, firearms, or ammunition at a UPS Access Point or third-party retailer.
UPS shipping restrictions by product
Product | UPS status (domestic, October 2026) | What you'd need to do |
|---|---|---|
Lotion, shampoo, syrup, sauce and other non-hazardous liquids | Not named on UPS's prohibited or restricted lists | Pack to stop leaks; see the liquids section below |
Perfume and cologne with flammable solvents | Hazmat: Class 3 flammable liquid, UN1266, in the federal hazmat table | Ship small bottles as Limited Quantity by UPS Ground in the 48 contiguous states, or open a UPS hazmat agreement |
Beer, wine and spirits | Restricted: licensed shippers with a signed UPS alcohol agreement only | License, UPS agreement, Adult Signature Required (21+), allowed destination state |
Shelf-stable packaged food | Not named on UPS's prohibited or restricted lists | Standard packing |
Perishable food | Restricted: contract basis for shippers with regular volumes | UPS contract; plan for 30 hours in transit at most |
Hemp and CBD | Restricted on UPS's list; CBD derived from marijuana is prohibited | Follow UPS's hemp guide, including Adult Signature Required |
Vapes | Prohibited within, to or from the U.S. | Can't ship with UPS |
Ammunition and firearms | Restricted (contract) on UPS's list | Contract; read UPS's ammunition guide; don't drop at Access Points |
Batteries | Covered by UPS's battery shipping guide | Check the guide for your battery type before you ship |
Can you ship alcohol through UPS?
Only if you're licensed. UPS accepts spirits only from shippers who are licensed under applicable law and who have signed a contract with UPS to carry them, according to UPS's spirits guide as of October 2026, and its wine guide and beer guide set the same condition for wine and beer. Each of those guides says you open a dedicated account and give UPS your licenses and a signed agreement, per UPS's wine guide.
Every wine and spirits package must ship with Delivery Confirmation Adult Signature Required, so an adult 21 or older signs for it, per UPS's spirits guide and wine guide. Where you can send it depends on your license type and the destination state's law; UPS lists the allowed states in Addendum A of each agreement, which UPS's wine guide says was updated August 27, 2026.
So a brand without an alcohol license can't ship alcohol through UPS, and neither can a person mailing a bottle to a friend. If a drink you sell contains alcohol, the shipment has to come from a licensed winery, brewery, distillery or retailer that holds its own UPS agreement.
Can you ship perfume with UPS?
Yes, but a perfume made with a flammable solvent ships as hazmat, not as an ordinary liquid. The federal hazmat table lists "perfumery products with flammable solvents" as a Class 3 flammable liquid, UN1266, in 49 CFR 172.101. If you aren't sure whether your fragrance uses a flammable solvent, the safety data sheet (SDS) from your manufacturer will say.
For a small brand, the workable route is usually Limited Quantity. Limited Quantity is a federal hazmat exception for small inner bottles packed to the rules in 49 CFR 173.150. UPS's hazardous materials guide says Limited Quantity ground shipments in the 48 contiguous states do not need shipping papers or a UPS hazmat agreement, though they still have to meet the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations.
Anything outside that exception, such as larger containers or air service, needs UPS's hazmat contract service and hazmat shipping software, per UPS's hazardous materials guide. Our guide to shipping hazardous materials covers labeling and packing in more depth.
Can you ship food through UPS?
It depends on whether the food is perishable. Packaged, shelf-stable food such as coffee, snacks or jarred sauce is not named on UPS's prohibited or restricted lists as of October 2026. Perishable food is different: UPS ships it "on a contractual basis" for shippers with regular volumes, according to UPS's food shipping guide.
UPS's food guide recommends planning for a maximum transit time of 30 hours, using UPS Next Day Air, and shipping early in the week so a box doesn't sit over a weekend; it says 2nd Day Air may suit foods that need little temperature control. Our guide to UPS Next Day Air Saver explains the overnight options.
If you pack with dry ice, UPS's food guide notes that dry ice counts as a hazardous material and that air shipments using more than 5.5 pounds of it are restricted. UPS's dry ice guide has the packing and labeling steps.
Can you ship liquids with UPS?
Yes, for most non-hazardous liquids. Lotions, shampoos, syrups and sauces are not named on UPS's prohibited or restricted lists. A liquid that is itself a hazardous material, such as a flammable one, follows UPS's hazardous materials guide instead.
The packing basics:
- Tighten every cap and tape it shut.
- Seal each container in its own plastic bag.
- Add absorbent material inside the box.
- Use a sturdy box and fill empty space so bottles can't shift.
Our guide to shipping liquids walks through packing step by step.
Batteries, CBD, vapes and ammunition
Vape products are prohibited within, to or from the U.S., per UPS's prohibited items list. Hemp and CBD are on UPS's restricted list, but CBD derived from marijuana is prohibited, according to the same list. UPS's hemp guide requires Adult Signature Required on every U.S. shipment containing hemp or hemp derivatives and prohibits hemp products meant to be inhaled as an aerosol.
Ammunition is restricted, not prohibited, on UPS's domestic list, and UPS's ammunition guide sets the packing and service rules. Batteries have their own rules by type in UPS's battery shipping guide; read it before you send anything with a lithium cell.
Where a 3PL fits
Simpl Fulfillment ships orders on UPS, USPS, and FedEx, and every shipment gets a tracking number. Carrier cost is included in the per-order rate, with no carrier markup, so you aren't buying labels or comparing carriers yourself. If your product is on UPS's restricted list, ask any 3PL directly whether it can ship that item before you send inventory. See Simpl's pricing for what the per-order rate covers.