Many online sellers, particularly those just starting out, may not be aware of the rules each carrier has when it comes to shipping liquids. Since shipping rates and guidelines are updated every year, it can be difficult to get it right. On top of that, Google seems to think that the only liquid people want to submit is alcohol, so it dominates the search results (we cover it in this support article, by the way). Plus, shipping food with USPS comes with its own set of guidelines that are completely different than liquids.
To help merchants who frequently ship liquids (suppliers like cbd oil, essential oils, makeup and beauty products, and more), we did some research to help you understand the rules you need to follow when shipping liquids via from usps, fedex and ups.
Important note about covid-19
If you plan to mail liquids like hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, read our full breakdown on shipping hand sanitizer and other dangerous items via USPS, FedEx, and UPS.
In this article, we break down the rules for shipping liquids by mail so you can find the best way to send liquids for your online business. If you’re not sure how to ship liquids, we hope this article will serve as your ultimate comparison guide for mailing liquids.
rules for fedex
fedex does a good job of laying out some of their guidelines for shipping liquids step by step, with a helpful chart below. we’ve extracted some of the most important information from the pdf to present it in one place for you.
hermetic primary internal receptacle
Use airtight containers for liquid samples with a positive closure, such as a screw-top, snap-on, or snap-on lid, taped for an additional seal. if you place multiple fragile primary containers in a single secondary container, they should be individually wrapped or separated to prevent contact with each other.
absorbent material
place absorbent material between the primary and secondary receptacles, using enough material to absorb the entire contents of all the primary receptacles. Suggested absorbent materials include cellulose wadding, cotton balls, superabsorbent packets, and paper towels.
Secondary watertight interior receptacle
Use a tightly sealed plastic bag, plastic jar, or screw-top can.
strong outer packaging
use a rigid outer packaging constructed of corrugated cardboard, wood, metal, plastic, or other equally strong material, including cylinders made of such materials and sized appropriately for the contents. chipboard or cardboard boxes, paper envelopes and plastic bags are unacceptable outer packaging. the completed package must be of good quality, strong enough to withstand the normal rigors of shipping without loss of contents as a result of vibration, changes in temperature, humidity or pressure
Please note that there are specific labeling and possibly packaging guidelines if you are shipping human or biological samples via FedEx. FedEx also prohibits liquid containers with a volume greater than 8 gallons (32 liters) or 70 pounds. in weight for fedex ground and sameday city.
Good to know: Read about the updated changes to fedex shipping rates for 2021.
rules for usps
Non-flammable liquids and non-hazardous liquids can be shipped via usps, if they are sealed inside a waterproof container. A recently proposed rule change requires shippers to mark the outer container of a postal item containing liquid to indicate the nature of the contents and include guidance arrows. this is regardless of whether the sender considers the package to be “brittle”.
If you ship liquids in containers larger than 4 oz, you must triple pack these containers. this means you must cover the original container(s), then surround the original packaging with another sealed, leak-proof container that includes absorbent materials, then have that packaging in the rigid packaging indicated above, such as a priority mail box, usps flat rate box, or regional rate box.
liquids are also perfect candidates for cubic prices like shippingeasy’s green flat rate. this applies to smaller and heavier packages (from 2 to 20 pounds). A shippingeasy customer who sells 6-packs and 12-packs of vitamin-infused water cut 40% off their shipping budget by switching from fedex to using the green flat rate.
If you’re shipping larger liquid packages, say 6 packages or 12 packages, Cubic Pricing can make your 18-pound case the same price as a 2-pound case and save you an almost unbelievable amount of money per package .
— michael trotzuk, shippingeasy shipping expert
Also remember that if your package weighs less than 16 oz, you can ship it using First Class Parcel Service, which allows you to use your own box and is the most economical method for shipping less than 1 lb.
If you ship liquids in primary containers with less than 4 oz of liquids, you recently dodged a bullet. the usps was considering enforcing the triple-pack rule across the board, meaning companies like essential oils, cbd oils, and beauty products would have had to invest in more padding and packaging, increasing the cost of shipping these products. For now, the USPS has decided to continue monitoring these items and will not be changing the rule at this time.
For more information on shipping specialty items, check out our blog on shipping toiletries.
ups doesn’t do a great job of clarifying their specific rules for shipping liquids. It can be inferred from some brief mentions on their website that their rules are quite similar to FedEx’s. If there is any doubt, it is always best to contact your UPS representative for clarity and to ensure your packages arrive as they should.
Once you know the rules on how to ship liquids, you will be able to determine the best way to ship liquids for your business. we can help you automate your shipping processes and have a platform that chooses the correct shipping methods automatically for each order.
Looking for the best small business shipping software? Start a 30-day shippingeasy trial today!
links used to help inform this article:
- usps federal registration
- fedex service guide
- legal beagle
- ups prohibited items
