# Chargeable weight

*Last updated: 2026-06-22*

> Chargeable weight is the billing metric that carriers and freight forwarders apply to freight invoices, distinct from a shipment's actual gross weight.

Chargeable weight is the billing metric that carriers and freight forwarders apply to freight invoices, distinct from a shipment's actual gross weight. It equals whichever is greater: actual weight or volumetric weight, the latter calculated as length × width × height divided by a mode-specific divisor. In air freight this divisor is typically 6000 (using centimetres and kilograms); sea and road transport apply different values. For lightweight but bulky goods – packaging materials or foam products, for example – volumetric weight frequently exceeds physical weight, and the shipper is billed accordingly. The concept allows carriers to recover the cost of capacity used, whether the limiting factor is payload or cubic space.

**Source:** [https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/shipping-support/shipping-glossary.page](https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/shipping-support/shipping-glossary.page)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Chargeable weight |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 111 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-22 |
| Source | https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/shipping-support/shipping-glossary.page |

## Related Pages

* [Air Freight Rates & Chargeable Weight](https://www.freight-academy.com/information/luftfracht/tarife-taxgewicht)

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