UPS Guide
With operations in over 200 countries and territories, UPS is committed to advancing global communities through reliable delivery services supported by a foundation of justice and economic opportunity for all. While this guide does not cover UPS Mail Innovations service levels, users can explore this UPS-USPS partnership service for mail and small parcel delivery in more detail separately. Additionally, UPS Worldwide Economy offers a cost-effective solution for lightweight, low-value cross-border B2C shipments, supporting ecommerce businesses in expanding into new international markets.
This guide includes detailed information on utilizing UPS for shipping with the EasyPost API, focusing on account setup, rate retrieval, service levels, label generation, tracking, and more.
Sign up for an EasyPost account to obtain a Test and Production API key. See Authentication for more information.
Note: Negotiated rates are only available in Production mode.
Please review the Getting Started Guide for more information.
Upon sign-up with EasyPost, users gain immediate access to Default Carrier Accounts, which can be enabled directly from the dashboard. For additional carriers, EasyPost supports a Bring Your Own Account (BYOA) option. This requires users to register directly with the respective carrier.
- Log in to EasyPost and navigate to Account Settings.
- Select the Carriers tab.
- Select the EasyPost Carrier Accounts tab.
- Find UPS Through EasyPost in the list of carriers and check the box to agree to Terms and Conditions.
- Select Create Account to complete the account creation process. After the account is established, the UPS Through EasyPost Account and the Account ID will be displayed
- Register for a UPS account.
- Obtain the following account credentials from UPS:
- UPS Account Number
- Input carrier-specific credentials on the Carrier Account Dashboard for comprehensive rate access.
Note: If a UPS account is over 30 days old, UPS invoice details are needed to register the account with EasyPost. See Setting Up Your UPS Account for more details.
The API structure specified by EasyPost can also be used to add a UPS carrier account.
Download an EasyPost Client Library or utilize the REST API with cURL.
- Examine the EasyPost Objects section to understand the API's structure, which is critical for constructing requests and interpreting responses.
- Download the UPS API documentation on the UPS website. The documentation includes additional information about various fields and formats they accept.
Note: The UPS API interface may differ from the EasyPost API, which is standardized to provide a consistent experience across various shipping carriers.
Once a UPS account is enabled through EasyPost, UPS shippers can reduce billing friction for ecommerce merchants, improve partner claims processing, deploy a proactive webhook tracking solution, and adapt internal-facing APIs to provide partner-facing value.
Special discounted UPS rates are available for this account type, including significant savings on various domestic and international services. Specific discounts apply to UPS Ground® shipments, UPS 2nd Day Air®, UPS Next Day Air®, and international services.
As a UPS Ready program partner, all UPS functionality is accessible using the EasyPost API when you Bring Your Own Account (BYOA). There are monthly subscriptions for volume shippers and no hidden fees or extra charges. The EasyPost features include rating, shipping, tracking and webhooks, address validation, and more.
A standard UPS shipping surcharge of $16.00 per package applies for all air services. For UPS Ground packages, a charge of $3.00 per package is incurred when opting for Saturday pickup on the shipping label. See the Rates API Documentation for more details.
UPS has several service levels supported by EasyPost, catering to different speeds and types of shipments.
Requirements include:
- Maximum package weight of 150 lbs.
- Maximum package length of 108 inches.
- Packages with a large size-to-weight ratio require special pricing and dimensional weight calculations.
Service | Transit Time | Max Dimensions (inches) | Max Weight (ounces) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | 1-5 Business Days | ||
| UPSStandard | 1-5 Business Days | ||
| UPSSaver | Next Day to 4 Business Days | ||
| Express | Next Day to 3 Business Days | ||
| ExpressPlus | Next Day to 2 Business Days | ||
| Expedited | 3 to 5 Business Days | ||
| NextDayAir | Next Business Day by 10:30am | ||
| NextDayAirSaver | Next Business Day by 3:00pm | ||
| NextDayAirEarlyAM | Next Business Days by 8:00am | ||
| 2ndDayAir | 2 Business Days by end of day | ||
| 2ndDayAirAM | |||
| 3DaySelect | 3 Business Days by end of day |
UPS has several predefined packages supported by EasyPost. Predefined packages are an easy way to classify and price a package.
When using the EasyPost API, users should select a predefined package that matches the shipment's criteria and, if necessary, add weight to the request to obtain rates. The predefined package documentation provides detailed sample requests.
Predefined Package | Dimensions (inches) | Weight (ounces) |
|---|---|---|
| UPSLetter | 12.5in - 15in x 9.5in | 16 |
| UPSExpressBox | 12.5in x 3.75in x 18in | 480 |
| UPS25kgBox | 19.75in x 17.75in x 13.25in | 880 |
| UPS10kgBox | 16.5in x 13.25in x 10.75in | 352 |
| Tube | 38in x 6in x 6in Triangular tube for rolled papers | NA |
| Pak | 16in x 12.75in | NA |
| SmallExpressBox | 13in x 11in x 2in | 480 |
| MediumExpressBox | 16in x 11in x 3in | 480 |
| LargeExpressBox | 18in x 13in x 3in | 480 |
With EasyPost, the process for generating shipping labels for Jitsu is the same as generating them for any other carrier.
Review the Getting Started Guide for help generating a shipping label.
As a transportation company, UPS must comply with all governmental laws and regulations relating to the transportation of Hazardous Materials.
For detailed information, visit the UPS Hazardous Materials Resource Center.
Some HAZMAT types are restricted from aircraft and will only return available ground rates.
Shippers are responsible for other required HAZMAT markings and packaging documentation.
EasyPost enables the ability to schedule a UPS pickup. UPS also provides a service for picking up packages on Saturdays, subject to a fee. This service is accessible for US domestic shipping labels across various service levels, including:
- UPS Next Day Air Early
- UPS Next Day Air
- UPS Next Day Saver
- UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.
- UPS 2nd Day Air
- UPS Ground
For details on configuring the UPS pickups option, refer to the Pickups API documentation.
EasyPost simplifies package tracking by offering two methods:
- Tracking with an existing number and carrier.
- Using a Tracker included with an EasyPost-purchased shipping label.
The service integrates webhooks for timely shipment updates. For detailed information on tracking methods, visit the Tracking Guide.
The Carrier Metadata endpoint can programmatically return information about UPS service levels, predefined packages, supported features, and shipment options.
Use this information to quickly integrate with OSM and make educated decisions about the mix of carriers for shipping needs. Additionally, the Carrier Metadata endpoint is available to retrieve comprehensive information about all carriers on the EasyPost platform, enhancing decision-making for carrier services.
In addition to the guidance provided in our Carrier Guides, EasyPost offers support to assist with FAQs, troubleshooting issues, and inquiries related to the EasyPost platform.
Please visit the Help Center for more information.
For questions about getting started with OSM through the EasyPost API please talk to a Shipping Expert or contact our Support team.