Shipping Resource
Shipping Zones Explained
Understand how USPS, UPS, and FedEx calculate shipping zones and use this knowledge to estimate delivery times and optimize your shipping costs.
What Are Shipping Zones?
Distance-Based Pricing
Shipping zones represent distance bands between origin and destination. The United States is divided into zones 1-8 (or 1-9 for USPS including territories), with higher numbers indicating greater distances.
- Zone 1-2: Local area, same city or state
- Zone 3-4: Regional, neighboring states
- Zone 5-6: Cross-regional, multiple states
- Zone 7-8: Long distance, coast to coast
Transit Time Impact
Zones directly affect delivery times for ground shipping services. Higher zones mean more distance for packages to travel, resulting in longer transit times. Express services maintain consistent delivery regardless of zone.
Example Transit Times
Zone 2 Ground:
1-2 days
Zone 5 Ground:
3-5 days
Zone 8 Ground:
5-7 days
Interactive Zone Calculator
USPS Zone Map
Enter ZIP codes to see the shipping zone
Enter both ZIP codes to calculate the zone
Zone Reference
Zone 1
Zone 2
Zone 3
Zone 4
Zone 5
Zone 6
Zone 7
Zone 8
USPS Zone Chart & Transit Times
Priority Mail Transit Times
1-3 business days delivery
| Zone | Days | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 1-2 | Local area (0-150 miles) |
| 3 | 1-3 | 151-300 miles |
| 4 | 2-3 | 301-600 miles |
| 5 | 2-3 | 601-1,000 miles |
| 6 | 2-3 | 1,001-1,400 miles |
| 7 | 2-3 | 1,401-1,800 miles |
| 8 | 2-4 | 1,801+ miles |
| 9 | 3-5 | Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico |
USPS Ground Advantage Transit Times
2-5 business days delivery
| Zone | Days | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 2-5 | Local area |
| 3 | 3-6 | Regional |
| 4 | 4-7 | Inter-regional |
| 5 | 5-8 | Cross-country (short) |
| 6-7 | 6-9 | Cross-country |
| 8 | 7-10 | Coast to coast |
USPS Zone Highlights
- Zone 9: Includes Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, and other US territories
- Flat Rate: USPS Flat Rate boxes and envelopes are NOT affected by zone - same price anywhere in the US
- DIM Pricing: Priority Mail dimensional weight only applies to Zones 5-9 (not Zones 1-4)
- First-Class: First-Class Package Service has the same rate regardless of zone
UPS Zone Chart & Transit Times
UPS Ground Transit Times
1-5 business days delivery
| Zone | Days | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Local (same state) |
| 3 | 1-2 | Adjacent states |
| 4 | 2-3 | Regional |
| 5 | 3-4 | Inter-regional |
| 6 | 4-5 | Cross-country (short) |
| 7 | 5-6 | Cross-country |
| 8 | 5-7 | Coast to coast |
UPS Express Services
Guaranteed delivery times
| Service | Transit | Delivery By |
|---|---|---|
| Next Day Air | 1 business day | 10:30 AM / 12:00 PM / End of Day |
| Next Day Air Saver | 1 business day | End of business day |
| 2nd Day Air | 2 business days | End of business day |
| 3 Day Select | 3 business days | End of business day |
FedEx Zone Chart & Transit Times
FedEx Ground Transit Times
1-5 business days delivery
| Zone | Days | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1-2 | Local area |
| 3 | 2-3 | Adjacent states |
| 4 | 3-4 | Regional |
| 5 | 4-5 | Inter-regional |
| 6 | 5-6 | Cross-country (short) |
| 7 | 6-7 | Cross-country |
| 8 | 7-8 | Coast to coast |
FedEx Express Services
Guaranteed delivery times
| Service | Transit | Delivery By |
|---|---|---|
| FedEx Priority Overnight | Next business day | 10:30 AM |
| FedEx Standard Overnight | Next business day | 3:00 PM |
| FedEx 2Day | 2 business days | 4:30 PM |
| FedEx Express Saver | 3 business days | 4:30 PM |
FedEx Home Delivery
FedEx Home Delivery is available Tuesday through Saturday for residential addresses. Transit times are similar to FedEx Ground but may include weekend delivery options. FedEx Ground and Home Delivery have been consolidated under "FedEx Ground Economy" in some regions.
Carrier Zone Comparison
| Feature | USPS | UPS | FedEx |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Zones | 1-9 | 2-8 | 2-8 |
| Flat Rate Option | Limited | ||
| DIM Factor | 166 | 139 | 139 |
| DIM Applies To | Zones 5-9 only | All zones | All zones |
| Fastest Ground (Zone 2) | 1-2 days | 1 day | 1-2 days |
| Slowest Ground (Zone 8) | 7-10 days | 5-7 days | 7-8 days |
| Saturday Delivery | Extra fee |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are shipping zones?
Shipping zones are geographic regions used by carriers to calculate shipping costs. The zone is determined by the distance between the origin and destination ZIP codes. Higher zone numbers mean longer distances and typically higher shipping costs.
How are shipping zones calculated?
Zones are calculated based on the distance between the origin and destination ZIP codes, not the direct "as the crow flies" distance. Carriers maintain zone charts that map every ZIP code combination to a specific zone (typically 1-8 for domestic US shipping).
Are zones the same for all carriers?
While the concept is similar, zone definitions can vary slightly between carriers. USPS uses 9 zones (including Zone 9 for Hawaii, Alaska, and territories), while UPS and FedEx typically use 8 zones for domestic ground shipping. The exact ZIP code to zone mappings may also differ.
How do zones affect shipping costs?
Shipping costs increase with zone number. A Zone 2 shipment (local) will be cheaper than a Zone 8 shipment (coast to coast). For weight-based pricing, you'll pay a base rate plus an additional amount per zone. For flat-rate services like USPS Flat Rate boxes, zone doesn't affect the price.
Do zones affect delivery times?
Yes, higher zones generally mean longer delivery times for ground services. A Zone 2 UPS Ground package typically arrives in 1-2 days, while a Zone 8 package may take 5-7 days. Express services (overnight, 2-day) have guaranteed delivery times regardless of zone.
What is a zone skip?
Zone skipping is a strategy where you ship inventory to regional warehouses closer to customers, reducing the zone number and shipping cost. For example, instead of shipping from New York to California (Zone 8), you could stock inventory in a California warehouse (Zone 2-3).
Does USPS have different zones than UPS/FedEx?
Yes, USPS includes Zone 9 for Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other US territories. USPS also has unique zone-based features: Priority Mail DIM weight only applies to Zones 5-9, and some discounts are zone-specific. USPS Flat Rate services are not affected by zones.
How can I reduce zone-based shipping costs?
Strategies include: 1) Use zone-independent services like USPS Flat Rate, 2) Stock inventory in multiple warehouses closer to customers, 3) Negotiate zone-based discounts with carriers, 4) Consolidate orders to fewer, larger shipments, 5) Choose carriers based on zone-specific pricing.
Get Instant Rate Quotes for Any Zone
Compare rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL in seconds. Our rate calculator shows you the best options for every shipment, regardless of zone.