Starting July 13, 2025, USPS is rolling out changes that affect shipping rates and packaging declarations. If you ship with USPS, you may need to start declaring nonstandard characteristics when creating shipping labels to avoid additional fees.
Topics
- What qualifies as a Nonstandard Characteristic?
- How to declare Nonstandard Characteristics with USPS via Pitney Bowes
- How to declare Nonstandard Characteristics with USPS Ship
What qualifies as a Nonstandard Characteristic?
USPS defines nonstandard characteristics as those that meet any of the following criteria:
- Cylindrical tubes or rolls.
- A can, or a wooden or metal box.
- A parcel containing more than 24 oz of liquid in glass containers
- A parcel containing 1 gallon or more of liquid in metal or plastic containers.
- Parcels that may roll or fail to maintain packaging integrity during processing, per USPS standards in DMM 601.3.0 and 601.4.0.
How to declare Nonstandard Characteristics with USPS via Pitney Bowes
- In the shipping label panel, open the Additional Carrier Options.
- Under the Nonstandard Characteristics dropdown, select one of the following options:
- Nonstandard Tube or Roll
- Nonstandard Can, Wood, or Metal Box
- Nonstandard Liquid Container
- Nonstandard Package Preparation
- Click Save.
How to declare Nonstandard Characteristics with USPS Ship
- In the shipping label panel, open the USPS Ship Additional Carrier Options.
- Select the checkbox for “Has Nonstandard Characteristics.”
- Click Save.
- USPS will automatically determine which Extra Service Code to apply based on your package specs.