UPS Labels and Supplies: How to Order and Print

UPS labels and supplies come from two places: you create the label online and print it yourself (or have it printed from a mobile barcode), and you order UPS-branded packaging through a UPS.com account. Printing a label at home costs nothing beyond paper, while free UPS supplies now depend on your shipping activity under the Customer Supplies Policy UPS updated in November 2025.

This guide explains what you can order, how to print labels correctly, how long you have to void a label, and how to keep supply and label costs down.

What UPS supplies can you order for free?

UPS lets account holders order UPS-branded packaging and shipping supplies on UPS.com at no charge, but you need a UPS.com username to place an order. Typical items include UPS Express envelopes, paks and boxes, label pouches, waybill and label stock, and handling labels.

Under the policy UPS updated in November 2025, new customers receive an initial allocation of free supplies, and ongoing eligibility depends on shipping activity and how much of what you order you actually use. UPS sorts accounts into three access levels:

Quantities per order may be capped, and what you can reorder is based on your recent shipping volume. If your access is restricted, UPS says to contact UPS Customer Service or your Account Executive to review the account. Order only what you’ll realistically use, because overordering is exactly what pushes an account into a lower tier.

Can you use UPS Express supplies for Ground?

No. UPS Express envelopes, paks and boxes are meant for UPS Express (air) services, which is why the Limited Access tier excludes them. Putting a Ground label on Express packaging can lead UPS to bill the package at an air service or refuse it, so ship Ground and Ground Saver packages in your own boxes.

Choosing your own box also gives you control over dimensional weight. UPS bills large, light packages by size, so the guide to UPS box sizes is useful for picking a box that protects the item without adding billed weight.

How do you print UPS labels?

You can print a UPS label on any standard inkjet or laser printer using 8.5 x 11 inch paper, or on a 4 x 6 inch thermal label. The process is the same whether you create the label on UPS.com or on a free platform like ParcelPath:

1. Enter the sender and recipient addresses, the package weight and the dimensions.
2. Choose the UPS service and pay for the label.
3. Download the label, which includes the UPS tracking number and barcode.
4. Print it at 100% scale, without shrinking or stretching the barcode.
5. Attach it flat to the largest side of the box, and remove or cover any old labels.

Use a pouch or clear tape around the edges, but don’t tape over the barcode with glossy tape that causes glare. The full walkthrough in the UPS shipping label guide covers label layout and common formatting errors.

What label supplies and printers work best?

Occasional shippers can print on plain paper and tape the sheet to the box. Regular shippers usually move to 4 x 6 inch thermal labels, which print without ink, peel and stick in one step, and resist smudging in transit.

Peel-and-stick label sheets for laser printers sit in between: they print two labels per page and skip the tape. The overview of shipping labels and package label formats compares paper, sheet and thermal options. If you have no printer at all, ParcelPath’s UPS Mobile Barcode lets a participating The UPS Store location print the label for you.

Where can you print or drop off UPS labels?

The UPS Store can print a label for you and accept the package, while UPS Access Point locations and UPS drop boxes accept packages that already carry a label. UPS Customer Centers accept packages and can help with account and supply questions.

• The UPS Store: label printing, packing and drop-off; hours and services vary by location because stores are independently owned.
• UPS Access Point locations: retail partners that accept prelabeled packages and hold packages for pickup.
• UPS drop boxes: prelabeled packages only, within the box’s size limits.
• UPS Customer Centers: UPS-operated facilities for drop-off and pickup.

Printing at home and dropping off at an Access Point skips any in-store print charge. To find the nearest option, use the guide to UPS locations and Access Points. Store documents and print jobs work differently from shipping labels, and the step-by-step guide on how to add files to UPS to print covers sending files to The UPS Store.

How long do you have to void a UPS label?

On UPS.com you can void a label online within 90 days of creating it. After 90 days you have to contact UPS, and UPS doesn’t process voids after 180 days. A shipment can’t be voided once UPS has taken possession of the package.

The guide on whether UPS labels expire explains what happens to a label you never use, and how to cancel a UPS label online walks through the void screen. If the package already went out, how to cancel a UPS shipment covers the options before and after pickup. Labels bought on ParcelPath follow ParcelPath’s refund process for unused labels instead.

Shippers using UPS WorldShip have one more step, because a label processed at end of day needs to be voided through UPS.com. The guide on how to reprint UPS end-of-day reports covers that workflow.

Do some UPS services need extra labels or documents?

Yes. The shipping label is the same basic format for every service, but some shipments need extra markings or paperwork attached to it:

• International shipments: a commercial invoice or other customs documents, unless they are sent electronically.
• Hazardous materials: DOT-compliant hazard labels and markings, and an approved shipper agreement for regulated items.
• Signature services: the delivery confirmation option prints on the label, so drivers know to collect a signature.
• Return labels: UPS offers print, electronic and carrier-printed return label options. The guide on whether UPS prints return labels explains each method.

If a package comes back undeliverable, who pays depends on the shipment terms, and the explainer on whether you get a refund when a UPS package is returned to sender covers that case.

What should you do if a label has a problem?

Most label problems come down to printer settings or a wrong detail on the shipment. Use these fixes:

• Label won’t print or prints cut off: check the paper size (8.5 x 11 or 4 x 6), print at 100% scale and update the printer driver.
• Barcode is smudged or torn: reprint the same label from your shipping history before the package is scanned.
• Wrong address, weight or service: void or refund the label and create a new one; labels can’t be edited after creation.
• Package lost or damaged: keep the label record, tracking number and proof of value, then follow the UPS claims and support guide. If the box arrives damaged, the walkthrough for a damage reported UPS status explains what to document.

After the label is scanned, you can follow the package with the guide to UPS tracking and delivery.

How can you cut costs on UPS labels and supplies?

The biggest savings come from the postage on the label, not the paper it’s printed on. ParcelPath is free to use, with no subscription, no per-label fee and no minimums, and it offers up to 85% off UPS retail rates and up to 89% off USPS. Compare live UPS and USPS prices for your package in the ParcelPath rate calculator before you buy, and the guide to UPS shipping rates explains what drives the price.

• Print at home or use UPS Mobile Barcode at The UPS Store instead of paying for in-store label creation.
• Order UPS supplies only in the quantities you use, so your account keeps its supply access.
• Right-size Ground boxes to keep dimensional weight down.
• Check whether USPS is cheaper for light parcels; the comparison of whether UPS or USPS is cheaper shows when each wins.

If you were planning to pay with a money order, note that UPS doesn’t sell them, as explained in the guide to UPS money orders and alternatives. Sellers who run their store on a site builder can read the Wix features overview for store setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are UPS labels and supplies free?

Printing a UPS label at home is free apart from paper and ink, but the postage on the label is not. UPS-branded supplies are free to order on UPS.com with an account, and since November 2025 ongoing access depends on your shipping activity. New customers get an initial allocation, and later orders may be limited if usage doesn’t match shipping volume.

Do I need a UPS account to order UPS supplies?

Yes. UPS requires a UPS.com username to place supply orders online. Your access level, from full access to no access, is based on your shipping activity and how you use the supplies you order. If your access is restricted, UPS says to contact UPS Customer Service or your Account Executive to have the account reviewed.

Can I reuse a UPS shipping label?

No. Each UPS label carries a unique tracking number tied to one shipment, with a specific address, weight and service. Reusing a label on another package can cause misrouting and billing problems. Create a new label for every package, and void or refund any label you don’t use within the allowed window.

What size are UPS shipping labels?

UPS labels print on standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper for inkjet and laser printers, or on 4 x 6 inch labels for thermal printers. Whichever format you use, print at 100% scale so the barcode stays readable, and attach the label flat to the largest side of the box.

More answers on pickups, labels and delivery are in the UPS frequently asked questions guide, and the main UPS shipping guide links every UPS topic on the site.

Sources

• UPS: Order Shipping Supplies and Customer Supplies Policy
• UPS: Void a Shipment
• UPS: Print Shipping Labels
• UPS: Package Dimensions, Size Limits and Weight Guide
• UPS Packaging Guidelines