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.


Prerequisites

Account Registration

Sign up for an EasyPost account to obtain a Test and Production API key. See Authentication and Key Management for more information.

Note: Negotiated rates are only available in Production mode.

Please review the Getting Started Guide for more information.

Carrier Setup

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.

Create a UPS Through EasyPost Account

  1. Log in to EasyPost and navigate to Account Settings.
  2. Select the Carriers tab.
  3. Select the EasyPost Carrier Accounts tab.
  4. Find UPS Through EasyPost in the list of carriers and check the box to agree to Terms and Conditions.
  5. 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
Steps to create a UPS Through EasyPost account in the EasyPost web UI

Bring Your Own Account (BYOA) to EasyPost

  1. Register for a UPS account.
  2. Obtain the following account credentials from UPS:
    1. UPS Account Number
  3. Input carrier-specific credentials within the EasyPost 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.

UPS Account via API

The API structure specified by EasyPost can also be used to add a UPS carrier account.

curl -X POST https://api.easypost.com/v2/carrier_accounts \
  -u "$EASYPOST_API_KEY": \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "type": "UpsAccount",
  "description": "UpsAccount",
  "registration_data": {
    "account_number": "VALUE",
    "city": "VALUE",
    "company": "VALUE",
    "country": "VALUE",
    "email": "VALUE",
    "name": "VALUE",
    "phone": "VALUE",
    "postal_code": "VALUE",
    "state": "VALUE",
    "street1": "VALUE",
    "title": "VALUE",
    "website": "VALUE",
    "invoice_amount": "VALUE",
    "invoice_control_id": "VALUE",
    "invoice_currency": "VALUE",
    "invoice_date": "VALUE",
    "invoice_number": "VALUEr"
  }
}'

Software Requirements

Download an EasyPost Client Library or utilize the REST API with cURL.

Documentation Review

  • 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.


Rates

UPS Through EasyPost

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.

UPS Ready

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.

Surcharges and Fees

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.


Service Levels

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)
Ground1-5 Business Days
UPSStandard1-5 Business Days
UPSSaverNext Day to 4 Business Days
ExpressNext Day to 3 Business Days
ExpressPlusNext Day to 2 Business Days
Expedited3 to 5 Business Days
NextDayAirNext Business Day by 10:30am
NextDayAirSaverNext Business Day by 3:00pm
NextDayAirEarlyAMNext Business Days by 8:00am
2ndDayAir2 Business Days by end of day
2ndDayAirAM
3DaySelect3 Business Days by end of day

Predefined Packages

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

Generating Shipping Labels

With EasyPost, the process for generating shipping labels for UPS is the same as generating them for any other carrier.

Review the Getting Started Guide for help generating a shipping label.


Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT)

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.

Transportation

Some HAZMAT types are restricted from aircraft and will only return available ground rates.

Shippers' Responsibilities

Shippers are responsible for other required HAZMAT markings and packaging documentation.


Pickups

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.


Tracking

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.


Additional Resources

Carrier Metadata

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 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.

Support and Troubleshooting

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.


Talk to a Shipping Expert

For questions about getting started with the EasyPost API please talk to a Shipping Expert or contact our Support team.