Does FedEx charge an additional handling surcharge based on my packaging?

When the packaging of any package in your shipment meets the following criteria, an additional handling surcharge for packaging will be charged:

1. The package is not fully encased in an outer shipping container.
2. The package is encased in an outer shipping container made of materials other than corrugated fiberboard (cardboard), such as metal, wood, canvas, leather, hard plastic, soft plastic, or expanded polystyrene foam (e.g., Styrofoam).
3. The package is encased in an outer shipping container covered in shrink wrap or stretch wrap.
4. The package is round or cylindrical, including mailing tubes, cans, buckets, barrels, tires, drums, or pails.
5. The package is bound with metal, plastic, or cloth banding, or has wheels, casters, handles, or straps (e.g., a bicycle). This includes packages where the outer surface area is loosely wrapped or where the contents protrude outside the surface area.
6. The package could become entangled in or cause damage to other packages or the FedEx sortation system.

We reserve the right to assess additional handling charges for packages that require special handling or that require FedEx to apply additional packaging during transit. If a shipment is eligible for 2 or all 3 additional handling surcharges, only the one with the greater charge will apply. Please note that package shape and dimensions may change during transit, which can affect the package's surcharge eligibility. FedEx may make appropriate adjustments to the shipment charges accordingly.

For more information about this surcharge, please download the ‘FedEx Surcharge and Other information’ PDF from our other surcharges page.