Parcel dimensions GUIDE
How to measure package girth and length plus girth
Identify the longest edge, calculate the distance around the other two edges and compare your own service limits.
Calculate package girthMeasure the packed parcel
Measure the closed parcel on the outside, including its packaging. Use the largest dimensions if a rectangular carton bulges. The longest measured edge is the length for this calculation, even if your packing list calls that edge width or height.
Enter the three edges in the same unit. The girth calculator accepts centimetres or inches, identifies the longest edge and leaves the dimensions as entered. For an irregular parcel, measure its enclosing rectangular dimensions if that is the method your service requires; a box calculation is not the circumference of a cylinder.
Find girth and length plus girth
Girth = 2 × (the two shorter edges added together)
Length plus girth = longest edge + girth
For a 60 × 40 × 30 cm carton, length is 60 cm. Girth is 2 × (40 + 30) = 140 cm. Length plus girth is 60 + 140 = 200 cm.
| Entered edges (cm) | Longest edge (cm) | Girth (cm) | Length + girth (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 × 40 × 30 | 60 | 140 | 200 |
| 30 × 60 × 40 | 60 | 140 | 200 |
A girth result measures distance around the two shorter sides. It is not the carton’s cubic volume: the same carton has 0.072 m³ outside volume. Use the CBM calculator for a shipment’s total physical volume.
Compare the applicable limits
Enter a longest-edge limit and a length-plus-girth limit from the applicable service. A limit of 0 leaves that comparison off. The worked 60 cm and 200 cm limits below are planning examples you can edit; they do not represent a universal carrier policy.
| Measurement | Value (cm) | Example limit (cm) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longest edge | 60 | 60 | At the limit |
| Length + girth | 200 | 200 | At the limit |
Equality passes this numerical comparison. Increasing the longest edge to 60.001 cm exceeds both example limits by 0.001 cm. The calculator compares fixed-scale integers so floating-point noise does not create a false excess.
Your service may require dimension rounding, impose additional size or weight limits, or apply surcharges before the maximum size is reached. Apply its measurement rule to the entered edges yourself. A unit switch rounds displayed measurements to three decimals, so recheck a boundary after conversion.
Keep size, weight and prices separate
UPS’s US measurement guidance explains length as the longest edge and girth as twice width plus twice height. Its acceptance limits are service-specific. This tool supplies no carrier acceptance decision or automatic service-rounding rule.
After checking size, compare actual and dimensional weight under the applicable divisor and increments. For an identical-carton loading plan, use the pallet planner or container planner. A parcel size check, a load plan and a price quote answer different questions.
Sources and scope
Official references checked 5 October 2026. Numerical tables are worked planning examples using the stated inputs; they are not carrier prices or loading certification.
- UPS: shipping dimensions, weight and girth
Longest edge as length and girth = 2 × width + 2 × height; checked 5 October 2026. Service-specific limits and rounding are not universal defaults.
Read our calculation methods and limitations. To report an error or a changed official rule, contact Freight Layout.
Use your own measurements
Put these steps to work with the free calculator. Check the applicable rules and equipment before using the result.
Calculate package girth