48 × 6 × 6 box
volume & shipping weight
A 48 × 6 × 6 inch box holds 1,728 cubic inches — 1 cubic feet, or 28.3 liters. In metric it measures 121.9 × 15.2 × 15.2 cm.
What a 48x6x6 box bills at
Carriers charge the greater of actual weight and dimensional weight. For this box: 1,728 in³ ÷ 139 = 12.43 → 13 lb at FedEx, UPS Daily Rates and DHL; ÷ 166 = 10.41 → 11 lb at UPS Retail. If what’s inside weighs more than that, you pay the actual weight.
| Carrier / rates | Divisor | DIM weight | Billed at least | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx (US) | 139 in³/lb | 13 lb | 13 lb | Fractions of an inch round up; weight rounds up to the next lb. |
| UPS Daily Rates | 139 in³/lb | 13 lb | 13 lb | Account rates. Dimensions round up to whole inches. |
| UPS Retail Rates | 166 in³/lb | 11 lb | 11 lb | UPS Store / counter, domestic. |
| USPS Priority Mail & Ground Advantage | 139 in³/lb | — | — | Not applied: 1,728 in³ is not over 1 ft³ (1,728 in³). Priced on actual weight. |
| DHL Express (from the US) | 139 in³/lb | 13 lb | 13 lb | Rated in whole-lb steps. |
| International, rated in kg | 5,000 cm³/kg | 7 kg | 7 kg | For rates quoted in kg (e.g. shipping from Europe or Asia): 122 × 16 × 16 cm after rounding each side up to the cm. From the US, FedEx and UPS use 139. |
“Billed at least” includes any minimum billable weight the box’s size triggers. Actual weight still wins if it’s higher.
Rules verified 22 Sep 2026 · sources: FedEx Service Guide 2026 · UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide (Daily Rates) · UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide (Retail Rates) · USPS DMM 223 (Priority Mail: DIM weight, cubic, nonstandard fees) · DHL Express US Service & Rate Guide 2026
Size checks for 48 × 6 × 6 in
Longest side 48 in, girth 2 × (6 + 6) = 24 in, so length + girth is 72 in. Here’s how that sits against each carrier’s lines (size only — weight rules are separate).
- UPS & FedEx Additional Handling (size)Clear. Longest side 48 in: exactly on the 48 in line (the rule is “over”, so it’s clear). Second-longest 6 in: 24 in under the 30 in line. Length + girth 72 in: 33 in under the 105 in line. Volume: 8,640 in³ under the 10,368 in³ line.
- UPS Large Package / FedEx OversizeClear. Length + girth 72 in: 58 in under the 130 in line. Volume: 15,552 in³ under the 17,280 in³ line. Longest side: 48 in under the 96 in line.
- UPS & FedEx maximum sizeWithin the 108 in length and 165 in length + girth maximums.
- USPS size limitLength + girth 72 in is within USPS’s 108 in limit.
- USPS nonstandard feesApplies for length over 30 in. A length fee and the 2 ft³ fee can both apply to one parcel.
- USPS Cubic pricing (commercial)Not eligible: longest side 48 in is over 22 in. Cubic calculator →
- DHL Express Oversize PieceApplies ($30 per piece): longest side 48 in (line: 40 in), second-longest 6 in (line: 32 in).
Rules verified 22 Sep 2026 · sources: FedEx Service Guide 2026 · UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide (Daily Rates) · USPS DMM 101 (maximum size and weight) · USPS DMM 223 (Priority Mail: DIM weight, cubic, nonstandard fees) · USPS DMM 283 (Ground Advantage — Commercial, cubic) · DHL Express US Service & Rate Guide 2026
Trim one inch
The biggest saving comes from the width: 6 → 5 in drops the FedEx/UPS DIM weight from 13 to 11 lb.
| Change | in³ | DIM ÷139 | Saves | UPS Retail ÷166 | USPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length 48 → 47 in | 1,692 | 13 lb | no change | 11 lb | none (under 1 ft³) |
| Width 6 → 5 in | 1,440 | 11 lb | −2 lb | 9 lb | none (under 1 ft³) |
On a 48 × 40 pallet
6 per layer (1 × 6, 6 in side up), 10 layers in 60 in of stack height = 60 boxes, 60 ft³ in all. The layer covers 90% of the deck.
Assumes a simple column stack, box upright, no overhang, 60 in of boxes on the deck. Interlocked or mixed patterns can fit more; check your carrier’s or warehouse’s height limit. Try mixed patterns, other pallets and heights →
Size tier
Large Bulky at the lightest. Amazon sets the tier on the greater of unit weight and dimensional weight — here 1,728 ÷ 139 = 12.43 lb. It isn’t Small Bulky because its longest side 48 in is over 37 in; it fits Large Bulky (59 × 33 × 33 in, 130 in length + girth, 50 lb).
Rules verified 22 Sep 2026 · sources: Amazon Seller Central — Product size tiers
Heavier contents can move it up a tier — check with your product’s weight. See the FBA dimensional weight guide for 2026 fees.
Too big for every USPS Flat Rate box — the roomiest are the Large Flat Rate Box (12 × 11 3/4 × 5 1/2 in inside) and Medium Flat Rate Box 2 (13 5/8 × 11 7/8 × 3 3/8 in inside).