Canada Post Volumetric Weight Calculator
Canada Post volumetric equivalent for Xpresspost and Priority (5000) and Regular Parcel (6000), next to the courier alternatives.
Updated · By Niraj Kumar · 8 sources
https://checkpre.com/logistics/canada-post-volumetric-weight-calculator
Box
Measure the packed box at its widest points, bulges included. UPS, FedEx and USPS round every fractional inch up.
Parcels are rated box by box; freight on the whole shipment.
Compare
- Dimensional weight
- 5 kg
- 40 × 30 × 20 cm ÷ 5,000
- Actual weight
- 3 kg
- Rounded up to the billing step
- Billed over actual weight
- 2 kg
- 67% more than the scale says
- Rank
- 6th lightest of 7
- International
- Lightest here
- Canada Post Regular Parcel
- 4 kg billable
Cut the height to 12.5 cm or less and Canada Post Xpress bills actual weight.
- 1Canada Post Regular Parcel÷ 6,0004 kg
- 2UPS Worldwide Express÷ 5,0005 kg
- 3FedEx International Priority÷ 5,0005 kg
- 4DHL Express Worldwide÷ 5,0005 kg
- 5Parcelforce Worldwide globalpriority÷ 5,0005 kg
- 6Canada Post Xpresspost / Priority÷ 5,0005 kg
- 7Australia Post Parcel Post÷ 4,0006 kg
| Service | Divisor | DIM weight | Actual | Billable, shipment | Billed on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Post Regular Parcel | 6,000 | 4 kg | 3 kg | 4 kg | DIM weight |
| UPS Worldwide Express | 5,000 | 5 kg | 3 kg | 5 kg | DIM weight |
| FedEx International Priority | 5,000 | 5 kg | 3 kg | 5 kg | DIM weight |
| DHL Express Worldwide | 5,000 | 5 kg | 3 kg | 5 kg | DIM weight |
| Parcelforce Worldwide globalpriority | 5,000 | 5 kg | 3 kg | 5 kg | DIM weight |
| Canada Post Xpresspost / Priority | 5,000 | 5 kg | 3 kg | 5 kg | DIM weight |
| Australia Post Parcel Post | 4,000 | 6 kg | 3 kg | 6 kg | DIM weight |
How do carriers calculate dimensional weight?
Canada Post divides the parcel's cubic centimetres by a density factor: 5000 for Xpresspost and Priority, 6000 for Regular Parcel. It charges the volumetric equivalent or the actual weight, whichever is greater, so a light, bulky box bills about 17% lighter by Regular Parcel.
DIM weight = L × W × H ÷ divisor; billable = max(actual, DIM, surcharge minimum)This page uses the same method as the Shipping DIM Weight Comparison Calculator, which explains each term and assumption in full.
| Service | Divisor | DIM weight | Billed at | Bills actual weight from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPS Worldwide Express | 5,000 | 5 kg | 5 kg | 5 kg |
| FedEx International Priority | 5,000 | 5 kg | 5 kg | 5 kg |
| DHL Express Worldwide | 5,000 | 5 kg | 5 kg | 5 kg |
| Canada Post Xpresspost / Priority | 5,000 | 5 kg | 5 kg | 5 kg |
| Canada Post Regular Parcel | 6,000 | 4 kg | 4 kg | 4 kg |
| Australia Post Parcel Post | 4,000 | 6 kg | 6 kg | 6 kg |
Worked example
A 40 × 30 × 20 cm box weighing 3 kg, shipped via Canada Post Xpresspost / Priority.
- 1Sides as rated: 40 × 30 × 20 cm
- 2Volume: 24,000 cm³
- 3DIM weight: 24,000 ÷ 5,000 = 4.80, rounded up to 5 kg
- 4Actual weight: 3 kg
Billed at 5 kg (DIM weight).
Frequently asked questions
Why is Regular Parcel's volumetric weight lower?
It uses a density factor of 6000 cm³ per kg against 5000 for the faster services. A 40 × 30 × 20 cm box is 4.8 kg volumetric by Xpresspost and 4 kg by Regular Parcel. If delivery time allows, Regular Parcel takes the smaller dimensional penalty.
What dimensional weight divisor does Canada Post Xpresspost / Priority use in 2026?
Canada Post Xpresspost / Priority divides cm³ by 5,000 and rounds up to the next 0.5 kg.
Sources
- UPS, How to determine billable weight · checked
- FedEx, Dimensional weight · checked
- FedEx, 2026 surcharge and fee changes · checked
- USPS, Domestic Mail Manual: dimensional weight · checked
- DHL, How to calculate volumetric weight · checked
- Parcelforce Worldwide, How to measure a parcel for international delivery · checked
- Canada Post, How to cube an item and calculate its volumetric equivalent · checked
- Australia Post, What is cubic weight · checked
Related calculators
- DHL Volumetric Weight CalculatorDHL Express chargeable weight: centimetres divided by 5000, rounded up to the next half kilogram, compared with UPS, FedEx and the posts.
- 40 × 30 × 20 cm Box Volumetric WeightChargeable weight for a 40 × 30 × 20 cm carton, a standard European shipping carton, by express courier, national post and air cargo.
- Shipping DIM Weight Comparison CalculatorEnter a box once and see what UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, national posts and freight would each bill it as, side by side, and which penalizes it least.
- Australia Post Cubic Weight CalculatorAustralia Post cubic weight at 250 kg per cubic metre, the toughest factor of any major post, with the under-1 kg exemption and the courier alternatives.
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