Shipping rates are constantly changing. Every time you log into LinkedIn or open your newsfeed, there's another service guide update, rate table change, or blog post about yet another way things are shifting.
It can start to feel daunting. By the time you figure out one update, three more are already live. By the time you've adjusted for the divisor, there's a new surcharge. By the time you've adjusted for the surcharge, there's a new fee. Before you know it, your shipping line item creeps up 15%, and you're still trying to find time to address the last change.
This page tracks the carrier rule updates that matter to merchants, and we update it whenever a new one is announced. No need to bookmark five different carrier newsletters. Check back here.
Each of these updates hits differently depending on your packaging, product mix, and shipping zones. The only way to know your real exposure is to test it against your actual catalog, not an industry average. As you sort through the most recent updates, we invite you to run a free Shipping Health Check to see if (and how) they are costing you money, before your next invoice does. Then, hop on a call with a shipping expert to walk through your health check and see how to fix any issues that come up.
Here's what's live right now, and what to do about each one.
FedEx's 2026 Peak Season Surcharges Just Dropped, and Residential Ground Took the Biggest Hit
Effective: October 25, 2026
FedEx released its 2026 peak season demand surcharges, and they're higher across the board than last year. All surcharges will be active by October 26 and run through January 17, 2027, with pricing peaking November 23 through December 27.
The steepest year-over-year jumps are concentrated in the segments with the highest eCommerce volume, not the premium services. This means:
- Ground Residential demand surcharges peak at $0.80 per package this year versus $0.65 last year, a 23% increase.
- Ground Economy climbs to $2.55–$4.05 per package. Additional Handling runs $8.80–$11.85.
- Oversize climbs to $95.75–$117.25.
Enterprise-level shippers moving high residential and Ground Economy volume also face a separate Residential Delivery Charge, priced based on how much their peak volume deviates from a baseline set in June.
What changed: FedEx's 2026 peak season surcharges are live, running higher than 2025 across nearly every service, with the sharpest increases hitting Ground Residential and Ground Economy specifically.
Who it hits: Nearly every eCommerce merchant using FedEx during Q4, but hardest on merchants with high residential delivery volume, since that's where FedEx concentrated on this year's biggest increases.
Your move: Run your projected Q4 Ground Residential and Ground Economy volume against the new 2026 rates now, since that's where the real exposure moved this year. This is also the moment to revisit whether your rate-shopping logic compares carriers using current peak pricing rather than stale rate tables from a few months ago. Shipping Rules allow you to set shipping thresholds, surcharges, and discounts by cart value, product, or customer to protect margin, helping you balance customer expectations for fast, free shipping with the realities of peak-season surcharges.
The US Just Tightened HS Code Requirements for Incoming International Parcels
Effective: July 24, 2026
US Customs and Border Protection will only accept 10-digit HS (Harmonized System) codes on postal parcels entering the US. The old 6-digit and 8-digit codes are no longer sufficient, and packages that arrive without a valid 10-digit code risk being returned to sender.
At the same time, the flat 10% global tariff on incoming parcels is expiring, replaced by tariffs calculated per HS code and country of origin, meaning duty rates now vary shipment by shipment instead of applying a single flat rate. The $800 de minimis exemption remains suspended, so low-value shipments still aren't exempt from duties.
What was updated: CBP now requires 10-digit HS codes on postal parcels entering the US (up from 6 or 8 digits), and the flat 10% tariff is being replaced with per-HS-code, per-country-of-origin duty calculations.
Who it hits: All merchants based outside of the US, or US merchants who rely on postal networks rather than commercial carriers for inbound fulfillment.
Your move: Make sure duty and tax calculations reflect actual per-shipment rates rather than an outdated flat percentage. ShipperHQ’s Duties & Taxes tool accurately calculates landed cost at checkout based on real HS classifications and country of origin, so customers see the true cost upfront rather than being surprised at customs. Also, update your documentation to ensure you are shipping with 10-digit codes (instead of 6- or 8-digit HS codes), or your shipments risk getting sent back.
USPS Shrunk Its Dimensional Divisor, and Every Box Just Got More Expensive
Effective: July 12, 2026
USPS dropped the dimensional divisor for packages over 1 cubic foot from 166 to 139. Same formula (length times width times height, divided by the divisor), smaller number on the bottom, bigger billable weight on every box that crosses the 1,728 cubic-inch threshold.
Run the math on a typical bulky-but-light box, and you're looking at close to a 19% jump in billable weight for the same product, same packaging, same customer.
Read more: ShipperHQ’s Rundown on USPS 2026 Policy Changes.
What was updated: Divisor drops from 166 to 139 for packages over 1 cubic foot.
Who it hits: Anyone shipping bulky, lightweight goods. Furniture, home goods, apparel in bulk, sporting equipment.
Your move: ShipperHQ's Dimensional Packing feature was built to ensure right-sized boxes (and the smallest possible dimensional size) for each cart, helping you keep shipping costs down.
USPS Rounds Every Fractional Inch Up, Not Down
Effective: July 12, 2026
Paired with the divisor update, USPS now rounds fractional dimensions up to the next whole inch instead of down. Before this update, a box that measured 12.2 inches was rounded to 12. Now it rounds to 13.
Stack this on top of the divisor change, and boxes that used to sit safely under the dimensional weight threshold can get pushed over it entirely, just from rounding.
What was updated: Fractional inches round up, not down, on every dimension.
Who it hits: Anyone whose packaging sits close to a whole-inch measurement on any side.
Your move: Find ways to resize packaging down when it's close to a smaller size. Our Dimensional Packing feature automatically rates each cart based on available packing information, including product dimensions, to help you fit items into the smallest and least expensive box possible.
USPS Killed Ounce-Based Pricing for Small Packages
Effective: July 12, 2026
This is perhaps the easiest to miss and the hardest to absorb if your catalog skews toward the small side. USPS used to bill commercial Ground Advantage packages based on weight tiers of 1 lb, 4 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, and 2 oz. That's gone. Every sub-1-lb commercial package now bills at the top rate for that weight class, 15.999 oz, no matter what it actually weighs.
A 3-ounce item now pays the same postage as a 15-ounce item. Depending on zone, that's a 36% to 43% jump for anyone shipping jewelry, supplements, cosmetics, or small electronics.
What was updated: Sub-1-lb Ground Advantage packages all bill at the top rate, up to 43% more depending on zone.
Who it hits: Small, light SKUs across nearly every DTC category.
Your move: Rate Shopping automatically compares rates across carriers, helping you find the best option and make a data-driven call on whether to absorb part of the increase or pass it through, rather than letting the new tier silently eat your margin.
USPS's "Temporary" Fuel Surcharge Is Stacking on Top of Peak Season Charges
Effective: April 26, 2026
USPS added an 8% fuel surcharge running April 26, 2026 through January 17, 2027. That window isn't an accident. It covers the entire holiday peak season, meaning this surcharge stacks directly on top of whatever peak surcharges USPS announces separately.
What was updated: An 8% fuel surcharge applies from April 26, 2026 through January 17, 2027, layering on top of peak-season pricing.
Who it hits: Anyone shipping USPS during Q4, which is most merchants during their highest-volume stretch of the year.
Your move: Budget for both surcharges together, not one or the other. Do a shipping health check to see where you’re at, then run your projected Q4 volume through current rate tables now so the combined impact doesn't surprise you when the invoices start rolling in.
UPS and FedEx Both Added New Cubic-Volume Surcharge Triggers
Effective: January 26, 2026
Both carriers introduced a cubic volume threshold for Additional Handling and Large Package surcharges this year, in addition to the existing weight and dimension criteria. Additional Handling now kicks in above 10,368 cubic inches. Large Package kicks in above 17,280 cubic inches. Both carriers also now round fractional inches up when measuring, the same change USPS made.
The net effect: more of your packages qualify for these surcharges in 2026 than in 2025, even if your packaging hasn't changed at all.
What was updated: New cubic-volume thresholds for Additional Handling and Large Package surcharges, plus rounding up on fractional inches.
Who it hits: Anyone shipping bulky items close to these thresholds. Furniture, appliances, patio and outdoor goods, exercise equipment.
Your move: Install rate shopping to make sure you get the best possible rates. Avoid unnecessary surcharges by packing products as efficiently as possible using Dimensional Packing, optimizing for both the new cubic thresholds and the rounding rule.
UPS and FedEx's 2026 Rate Increase Is Already Running Well Past 5.9%
Effective: January 2026
Both UPS and FedEx announced a 5.9% general rate increase for 2026. UPS's took effect December 22, 2025. FedEx followed on January 5, 2026. A general 5.9% increase sounds simple and specific. The reality is anything but.
Surcharges, minimum charges, and dimensional thresholds are rising faster than the base rate, meaning industry modeling puts the real-world cost impact for most shippers at 8%-12%, not 5.9%, once you factor in everything stacked on top.
Read more: ShipperHQ’s Rundown on UPS General Rate Increases
What was updated: Headline 5.9% GRI, real impact closer to 8-12% once surcharges are factored in.
Who it hits: Nearly every shipper, but hardest on lightweight, fast-service shipments.
Your move: There's no one-size-fits-all number for merchants, and assuming a flat 5.9% increase is an easy way to lose a whole lot of money on shipping. Shipping Rules let you set your own logic for every cart, based on your product mix, your warehouses, and the specific surcharges merchants in your industry actually face.
Don't Let the Next Update Catch You Off Guard
The good news: carriers aren't slowing down. They're delivering more packages, faster, than ever. The bad news: neither are the updates. You don't have the time or capacity to chase down every divisor, threshold, and surcharge the moment it drops. Nobody does.
Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll keep you updated on carrier rate changes.
And don’t forget: If you want to know exactly where your catalog is exposed, and fix it before the invoice tells you, run your free Shipping Health Check today, or schedule a demo to see how a few simple tweaks to your checkout can keep these changes from touching your bottom line.
FAQs
Why did USPS lower its dimensional divisor?
USPS aligned its divisor with those of UPS and FedEx to bring its dimensional pricing in line with industry standards, but the net effect is a higher billable weight for bulky, lightweight packages. Dimensional Packing helps offset the impact by fitting items into the smallest possible box.
Is the UPS/FedEx 2026 rate increase really just 5.9%?
No. The headline GRI is 5.9%, but surcharges, minimum charges, and new dimensional thresholds are rising faster than the base rate, resulting in a real-world impact closer to 8-12% for most shippers.
Does the USPS ounce-tier change affect merchants on negotiated commercial rates?
No. USPS has confirmed that this change applies only to published Commercial Ground Advantage rates. Merchants on negotiated commercial pricing keep their existing ounce tiers.
How do I know if my packaging is at risk of new cubic-volume surcharges?
Measure your top-shipping SKUs' actual packed dimensions against the new thresholds (10,368 cubic inches for Additional Handling and 17,280 cubic inches for Large Package), accounting for the fact that both carriers now round fractional inches up. Dimensional Packing automates this check across your full catalog.
How often is this page updated with the latest carrier updates?
We update it every time a carrier announces a rule change that affects merchant shipping costs.
