Restricted contents are separate
Meeting the box, tape, cushioning and label requirements above doesn't clear an item FedEx won't carry at all, or carries only under a declaration. That list is its own topic.
FedEx
What FedEx actually requires from your box
FedEx splits its own packing instructions across two pages that do not fully agree with each other, and neither one is the surcharge schedule. Cushioning, tape, labels, box condition and the weight and size ceiling, quoted below exactly as fedex.com publishes them, read on 2026-08-16.
Quoted from fedex.comRead 2026-08-16Checklist, not a summary
Five requirements, one checklist
Box, tape, cushioning, label, and the size and weight ceiling. FedEx documents all five on its own site, in more than one place.
The box itself
FedEx's packing tips page, read 2026-08-16, says to use “any sturdy, undamaged packaging,” and specifically allows a reused box “provided that your box is sturdy and has not been crushed, torn, punctured, or otherwise damaged.” Its Express and Ground service guide, read the same day, adds a sizing rule most people skip: “Match your box to the size and weight of your item(s)” and use double-walled boxes for heavier items.
A carton that once held something much lighter than what is going into it now is the box condition failure that is easiest to miss, because it looks fine sitting on a table. It only shows itself once it is stacked under something else in a truck.
Tape: two FedEx pages, two widths
FedEx's general packing tips page, read 2026-08-16, says to “use pressure-sensitive plastic tape, water-activated paper tape, or water-activated reinforced tape that is at least 3 inches wide,” applied “evenly across flaps and seams to the outer box's top and bottom” with the H taping method. Its separate Express and Ground service guide, read the same day, gives a narrower number: “apply at least three strips of packing tape (no duct or masking tape) that is at least 2 inches wide evenly across all flaps and seams, top and bottom,” also naming the H taping method.
| Source page | Minimum tape width | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Packing tips (general) | 3 inches, pressure-sensitive plastic or water-activated paper/reinforced | H taping method, sealing every flap and seam top and bottom |
| Express and Ground service guide | 2 inches, at least three strips | H taping method; duct tape and masking tape ruled out by name |
Both pages rule the same materials out in spirit even where the wording differs: duct tape shows up on neither approved list, and string or paper over-wrap is not mentioned as acceptable on either. Tape to the stricter 3-inch, three-strip standard and both pages are satisfied at once.
Cushioning
The packing tips page, read 2026-08-16, gives the number people actually look for: “Your box should be large enough to hold your item and allow for 2″ to 3″ of cushioning on all six sides.” The Express and Ground service guide does not repeat that figure. Instead it sets a quality bar rather than a quantity one: “Choose cushioning with enough density to keep items from shifting.”
Read together, the two pages say the same thing two ways. Two to three inches on every side is the space to leave; dense enough that the item cannot slide inside that space is the test for whether the filler is doing its job once the box is sealed.
Labels, and what to do with old ones
FedEx's packing tips page, read 2026-08-16, says to “place shipping labels on your package's largest surface,” firmly secured, and to reseal a document pouch after inserting the label if one is used. The Express and Ground service guide is the page that addresses a reused box directly: “If reusing a box, remove all old labels and make sure it's high-quality, with no holes, tears or dents.”
FedEx also notes that orientation markings such as an Up arrow are handled as best-effort, not a guarantee, during transit. A correctly placed label is what actually improves the odds of the package traveling the way it was packed.
The weight and size ceiling
FedEx Ground's own service page, read 2026-08-16, sets three numbers for a standard domestic package, and a box over any one of them stops being a normal parcel.
| Limit | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Weight | Up to 150 lb |
| Length | Up to 108 in |
| Length plus girth | Up to 165 in combined |
Extra charges start well before that ceiling, on packages that are simply long or bulky rather than over the limit outright. This page sticks to what FedEx publishes about what a box has to be to ship at all; the current oversize and additional-handling figures are their own topic, covered on the surcharges page linked below.
A package past the 150 lb / 108 in / 165 in ceiling does not ship as a parcel at all; it moves as freight, priced by a person rather than a live parcel rate.
One more thing that isn't about the box
Double-walled for heavy items
FedEx's own service guide calls this out by name for heavier loads. A single-wall carton rated for a light item does not become safe for something heavier just because it still closes.
The address itself has to be complete
An incomplete or unreadable address turns a compliant box into a delivery exception. Write it exactly as it appears on the account or order, including apartment or suite number.
Price a box that meets these requirements See what FedEx won't carry
Where these rules come from
- FedEx, Packing Tips — box condition, cushioning inches, tape width and material, label placement. Read 2026-08-16.
- FedEx, How to Pack — Express and Ground — tape strip count and width, double-walled boxes, old-label removal on reused boxes. Read 2026-08-16.
- FedEx, FedEx Ground — the 150 lb / 108 in / 165 in package limits. Read 2026-08-16.
FedEx revises these pages without notice, and its own two packing pages already disagree on tape width. Treat the figures above as what was published on the date shown, pack to the stricter number when two pages differ, and check fedex.com directly before packing anything close to a limit.
Common questions
How much cushioning does FedEx require?
FedEx's own packing guidance says the box should be large enough to allow 2 to 3 inches of cushioning on all six sides of the item. Its service guide adds that the material has to have enough density to keep the contents from shifting, not just fill the space.
What tape does FedEx require?
Pressure-sensitive plastic tape or water-activated paper or reinforced tape, applied with the H taping method across the top and bottom seams. FedEx's general packing page asks for tape at least 3 inches wide; its Express and Ground service guide asks for at least three strips at least 2 inches wide and rules out duct tape and masking tape by name.
Can I reuse a box to ship with FedEx?
Yes, provided it is sturdy and has not been crushed, torn, punctured or otherwise damaged. FedEx's service guide adds a second condition for reused boxes specifically: remove all old labels first, so an earlier shipment's barcode cannot get scanned in place of the current one.
What is the FedEx weight and size limit for a single package?
150 pounds, 108 inches in length, and 165 inches in length plus girth, all read from fedex.com's FedEx Ground page. A box that clears any one of those numbers stops being a standard parcel and moves to freight instead.
Where should the shipping label go?
On the package's largest surface, firmly secured or resealed if it is in a pouch. FedEx notes that orientation markings like an Up arrow cannot be guaranteed to be followed in transit, but a correctly placed label improves the odds.