Yes, you can ship plastic bins with USPS and UPS, either empty or packed with belongings, as long as the package is within 70 lb for USPS (150 lb for UPS) and inside each carrier’s size limits. The catch is cost: UPS adds an Additional Handling charge to any package whose outer container is hard plastic, so for UPS you should put the bin inside a corrugated cardboard box, and large totes are billed by dimensional weight with both carriers.
This guide covers how USPS and UPS treat plastic storage bins and totes, what a typical bin weighs in dimensional weight, and how to pack one so the lid stays shut in transit.
Can You Ship a Plastic Bin Without a Box?
You can, but it’s rarely the best choice. A bare plastic tote can be shipped if the lid is taped or strapped shut and the shipping label sits flat on a clean surface. Two problems come with it: snap-on lids pop open when the bin is dropped or stacked, and UPS charges Additional Handling for packages with a non-corrugated outer container.
Putting the bin in a cardboard box solves both, but it adds an inch or two to every side, which raises the dimensional weight. For USPS, a well-taped bare bin is often acceptable; for UPS, boxing it is usually cheaper than paying the handling charge.
How Does USPS Handle Plastic Bins?
USPS doesn’t require corrugated cardboard, so a sturdy plastic bin with a secured lid can go as-is. What matters is size, weight and how the package will be priced.
- Weight: 70 lb maximum for Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage.
- Size: Priority Mail allows up to 108 inches in combined length and girth; USPS Ground Advantage allows up to 130 inches.
- Dimensional weight: Since July 12, 2026, USPS bills packages larger than 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) at the greater of actual weight or dimensional weight, using a 139 divisor and rounding each side up to the next whole inch.
- Nonstandard fees: USPS Ground Advantage adds nonstandard fees for packages longer than 22 inches, longer than 30 inches, or larger than 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches), which catches most large totes.
Girth is twice the width plus twice the height. Our explainer on essential logistics terms and definitions covers girth, dimensional weight and other terms you’ll see on a rate quote.
How Does UPS Handle Plastic Bins?
UPS accepts packages up to 150 lb, 108 inches long and 165 inches in length plus girth, so even big totes fit. Its Rate and Service Guide lists several Additional Handling triggers that plastic bins tend to hit:
- An outer shipping container not made of corrugated cardboard, including hard plastic
- A package with handles or straps, or bound with plastic banding
- A longest side over 48 inches or a second-longest side over 30 inches
- A cubic volume over 10,368 cubic inches (added in January 2026)
- An actual weight over 50 lb
UPS also bills every package by dimensional weight, whatever its size: length × width × height ÷ 139 at Daily Rates, rounded up. Our guide to UPS dimensional weight explains the formula and the August 2025 rounding change.
What Does a Plastic Bin Weigh in Dimensional Weight?
Large totes are mostly air, so their dimensional weight is usually far above what they weigh on a scale. The examples below use typical bin sizes; measure your own bin, because sizes vary by brand.
| Example bin (inches) | Cubic inches | Dimensional weight (÷139) | Length + girth | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoebox-size bin, 14 × 8 × 5 | 560 | 5 lb | 40 in | Under 1 cubic foot, so USPS bills actual weight |
| Small tote, 16 × 11 × 7 | 1,232 | 9 lb | 52 in | Still under 1 cubic foot for USPS |
| Medium tote, 24 × 18 × 13 | 5,616 | 41 lb | 86 in | USPS Ground Advantage length and volume fees |
| Large tote, 30 × 20 × 15 | 9,000 | 65 lb | 100 in | Fits Priority Mail; UPS Additional Handling if not boxed |
| Large tote boxed, 32 × 22 × 17 | 11,968 | 87 lb | 110 in | Too big for Priority Mail; over the UPS 10,368 cubic-inch line |
The last two rows show the trade-off: boxing a large tote for UPS avoids the plastic-container trigger but can push it over the cubic-volume trigger instead. For very large bins, compare both options before you buy a label.
How Do You Pack a Plastic Bin for Shipping?
- Pack heavy items low. Put the heaviest things at the bottom and fill gaps with towels, paper or bubble wrap so nothing shifts.
- Don’t overfill. A bulging lid won’t seal and adds height to the measurement.
- Tape the lid all the way round. Run strong packing tape around the full seam, then add two bands over the top and bottom, or use strapping.
- Box it for UPS. Use a corrugated box only slightly larger than the bin, and pad the gap.
- Label a flat surface. Put the label on the lid or a flat side, cover it with clear tape, and put a copy of the address inside.
- Nest empty bins. Stack empty bins inside each other and ship the set as one package rather than several.
Can You Ship Plastic Bins Internationally?
Yes. Plastic storage bins aren’t restricted by USPS or UPS, and many families send packed totes abroad. What matters is the contents: describe each item on the customs form, check the destination’s prohibited items, and expect duties to depend on what’s inside, not on the bin. Our overview of international shipping carriers, customs and destinations covers the paperwork.
Two of the most common routes have their own guides: envíos de Estados Unidos a México (shipping from the U.S. to Mexico, in Spanish) and shipping to the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic.
What Is the Cheapest Way to Ship Plastic Bins?
For small bins under 1 cubic foot, USPS is usually the cheapest because it bills actual weight, not dimensional weight. For large totes, the price depends on weight, size and distance, so compare carriers for your exact box. The ParcelPath rate calculator shows live UPS and USPS rates once you enter your bin’s dimensions and weight.
ParcelPath is free to use, with no subscription or per-label fee, and offers up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS retail rates. You can schedule a free USPS pickup, or skip the printer with a USPS Label Broker code at the Post Office or a UPS Mobile Barcode at a UPS Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you ship plastic bins through USPS?
Yes. USPS accepts plastic bins and totes up to 70 lb, within 108 inches in length plus girth for Priority Mail or 130 inches for USPS Ground Advantage. Tape the lid shut all the way around. Bins larger than 1 cubic foot are billed at the greater of actual or dimensional weight, using a 139 divisor.
Does UPS charge extra to ship a plastic bin?
Usually, if the bin isn’t boxed. UPS’s Rate and Service Guide applies an Additional Handling charge to packages whose outer container isn’t corrugated cardboard, and it names hard plastic as an example. Packages with handles or straps can trigger it too. Placing the bin inside a cardboard box avoids that trigger.
Can you ship a plastic tote without a box?
Yes, with USPS it’s generally fine if the lid is taped all the way around and the label sits on a flat surface. With UPS, a bare plastic tote typically incurs an Additional Handling charge, so boxing it is usually the cheaper option. Large totes may cross size limits once boxed, so measure before buying a label.
Is a shipped plastic bin insured?
Basic coverage is included up to a limit. USPS Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage include up to $100 of insurance on most shipments, and UPS’s standard liability covers up to $100 unless you declare a higher value. For valuable contents, buy extra coverage and keep receipts for what’s inside.
Sources
- USPS Ground Advantage: weight, size, dimensional weight and nonstandard fee rules
- USPS Priority Mail: weight and size limits, included insurance
- USPS Postal Bulletin: dimensional weight divisor of 139 from July 12, 2026
- UPS Rate and Service Guide, Daily Rates: Additional Handling criteria and dimensional weight
- UPS: Shipping Dimensions and Weight
Part of our Shipping Terms and Definitions guide. Related: Shipping Questions, Shipping Policies and Regulations, 3PL Environment.
