To measure package dimensions for shipping or storage, use a tape measure on a flat surface after sealing the box. Record the length (longest side), width (perpendicular to length), and height (top to base), rounding to the nearest inch or centimeter.
You can also measure packages using an automated dimensioner like vMeasure for instant, accurate measurements.
How to measure a package?
If you’re using tape measure:
- Place the box or package on a flat surface
- Identify the three dimensions
- Length: The longest side of the package.
- Width: The shorter side perpendicular to the length.
- Height: The dimension from top to bottom, perpendicular to both length and width.
- Use a measuring tape or ruler to measure each side in inches or centimeters.
- Round up to the nearest whole number (shipping carriers often require this).
- Always record dimensions in the correct order: as Length × Width × Height.
How to measure irregular shapes?
If your package isn’t a perfect cube like a mailing tube, a poly mailer, or a bulging box, the rules change slightly. You must measure as if the object were encased in a rectangular box.
- Bulging Boxes: If the sides are bowing out because it’s overstuffed, measure from the farthest point of the bulge to the opposite side.
- Mailing Tubes: Treat the diameter as both the width and the height. For example, if the tube is 36 inches long and has a 4-inch circular opening, your dimensions are 36 x 4 x 4
- Poly Mailers/Envelopes: Lay the bag flat. Measure the length and width of the bag itself. Note that once you fill it, the “height” increases and the “length/width” effectively shrinks; some carriers require you to measure the filled dimensions.
Calculating Girth and Total Size
Shipping carriers like UPS, FedEx, or USPS often ask for Girth or Length + Girth to determine if a package is “oversized.”
Girth Formula:
Girth is the distance all the way around the thickest part of the package.
Girth = (2 x Width) + (2 x Height) To find the Total Size, use:
Total Size = Length + Girth
The overall manual procedure typically takes 3–5 minutes per package, depending on who is measuring.
If you’re using automated dimensioners:
- Place the package or any irregular item on the dimensioner
- Trigger measurement capture via barcode scan or a button
- The system captures length, width and height along with barcodes and images if needed.
This process usually takes <1 seconds to measure a package.