International shipping size limits are set both by the origin carrier and the destination country's postal service. A package that's fine to leave the US might be refused on arrival in another country, or get held in customs because it exceeds local size limits. Here's a practical reference for major markets.
How international limits actually work
When you ship a package internationally via UPS, FedEx, DHL, or similar carriers, two sets of rules apply: the carrier's network limits (what they'll carry) and the destination country's postal limits (what the local delivery system will accept).
For private carriers (UPS, FedEx, DHL), final-mile delivery is usually done by their own vehicles in major markets, so the destination postal service rules matter less. For postal services (USPS to a foreign post office, Royal Mail to abroad), the destination country's limits apply directly to final delivery.
The strictest of the two limits is what matters. If UPS will carry a 165-inch package but Australia Post will only deliver to 140 cm (55 inches) combined length plus girth, your package will hit a wall at delivery.
Major market limits
| Country | Postal service | Max L + G | Max length |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | USPS | 108 in / 274 cm | 108 in |
| United Kingdom | Royal Mail | 118 in / 300 cm | 60 in / 152 cm |
| Canada | Canada Post | 118 in / 300 cm | 78 in / 200 cm |
| Germany | Deutsche Post / DHL | 118 in / 300 cm | 47 in / 120 cm |
| France | La Poste / Colissimo | 59 in / 150 cm | 39 in / 100 cm |
| Australia | Australia Post | 55 in / 140 cm | 41 in / 105 cm |
| Japan | Japan Post | 66 in / 170 cm | 59 in / 150 cm |
| India | India Post | 79 in / 200 cm | 41 in / 105 cm |
| Brazil | Correios | 79 in / 200 cm | 41 in / 105 cm |
The traps
Length limits matter more than length plus girth for many international destinations. France's Colissimo caps single-side length at 39 inches — much stricter than the combined limit. A long thin package might be under length plus girth but over the length limit.
Australia is the strictest major market for size. If you're shipping to Australia, expect to keep packages under 140 cm length plus girth. Many US-standard boxes don't fit.
Private carriers can sometimes bypass postal limits. Shipping to Australia via DHL Express rather than USPS-to-Australia-Post means your package never enters the Australian postal system — DHL delivers directly. The 157-inch DHL limit applies, not the 140 cm Australia Post limit.
Customs treat oversized packages differently. An oversized package is more likely to be opened for inspection in some customs regimes. This rarely matters for legitimate shipments but can add days of delay.
Choosing carrier vs postal route
For US-originated international shipments, you generally have two paths:
- Postal-to-postal: USPS to USPS International Priority/First-Class, then handed to destination post office for final delivery. Cheaper but inherits both USPS and destination postal limits.
- Private carrier: UPS, FedEx, DHL handle the entire shipment. More expensive but inherits only the private carrier's limits, not the destination postal service's.
For packages near a destination's postal limit, the private carrier route avoids many size-related rejections. The cost premium (often 2-3x the postal rate) is worth it for any package above $200 in declared value, or for any package with little dimension margin.
Verify your specific dimensions against the destination market and use the girth calculator to compare against carrier limits. For destinations not listed above, the safe rule is: under 100 cm on any single side and under 200 cm combined length plus girth covers most postal services worldwide.