Shipping to the USA: the complete guide

Take your online business overseas and ship to the USA. But what makes shipping to the USA so attractive for online retailers? What does it cost to send parcels there, how long does delivery take, and how do you address a parcel correctly? This guide answers those questions and many more, with practical recommendations to help you build your shipping to the USA.

Shipping to the USA: the essentials at a glance

• Tap into a fast-growing e-commerce market

• Pay attention to the correct spelling of the recipient's address

• Complete all customs documents carefully

• When in doubt, always check with the customs authority and your carrier

E-commerce in America: why shipping to the USA pays off

50 states, 9,826,675 km² of land, and around 330 million people: the United States is a global power with plenty of revenue potential for online retailers. E-commerce there keeps growing strongly year after year, across every major category from food and household goods to toys, hobby and DIY, electronics and media, and fashion, which is the largest of all. In short, the USA rolls out the red carpet for your online store.

Which carriers ship to the USA?

One thing to keep in mind: DPD and GLS don't deliver across the Atlantic. So if you want to ship a parcel to the USA, DHL and UPS are the right choice. The good news is that with Sendcloud you can combine the different services of the major carriers in one account and ship your parcels flexibly.

How is delivery organized in the USA?

When you ship to the USA with DHL, parcels are handed over to the state postal service, the United States Postal Service (USPS), which makes three delivery attempts at the recipient's address, Monday to Saturday. If delivery fails, the shipment can be collected from a branch. With UPS there's no handover to a delivery partner, as the parcel stays within the UPS network the whole way.

Shipping to the USA with DHL

DHL is one of the most popular and reliable carriers, so why not rely on it for your international shipping to the USA too? Thanks to DHL Express, parcels cross the Atlantic at record speed. Note that shipping to the USA with DHL requires a business account.

What to keep in mind for your DHL parcel to the USA:

• Minimum dimensions: 15 x 11 x 1 cm

• Maximum dimensions: 120 x 60 x 60 cm

• Girth (L + 2x W + 2x H): max. 300 cm

• Weight: max. 31.5 kg

For rolls, the maximum length is 120 cm, the diameter max. 15 cm, and the weight max. 5 kg. With DHL Express Easy International the minimum size is 21 x 15.2 cm, the maximum 120 x 60 x 60 cm, and the weight up to 31.5 kg.

Shipping to the USA with UPS

With UPS you can choose between standard and express shipping, and its network handles larger, heavier goods well. Requirements for your UPS parcel:

• Length: max. 274 cm

• Girth (L + 2x W + 2x H): max. 400 cm

• Weight: max. 70 kg

UPS services for shipping to the USA include:

• UPS Express: the base express service, with next-day delivery by 10:30

• UPS Express Plus: premium express, with the fastest possible delivery (by 8:30 the next day)

• UPS Express Saver: the more economical express service, delivered by the end of the next day

• UPS Worldwide Express Freight: the ideal solution for B2B shipping, delivered by the end of the second day

• UPS Expedited: a service for less urgent shipments, delivered by the end of the week

How to address a parcel to the USA

The address should be machine-printed where possible and in capital letters. Importantly, the house number comes before the street name, followed by the town, the state abbreviation, and the ZIP code. Give the destination country, the USA, in capitals. Stating the state is essential, since many place names occur more than once across the country.

Tip: also add the recipient's phone number and email address on the parcel, so they can be contacted quickly if there's a delivery problem.

Please write the address as in this example:

Jack Stone
143rd Ave SE
Bellevue, WA 98007
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / U.S.A.

Here's an overview of the official state abbreviations:

Shipping to the USA: which documents do you need for customs?

Customs declaration: what's being shipped?

When you ship outside the EU, a customs declaration is required to tell customs officers the contents and value of your parcel. Your details let customs calculate the country-specific import taxes and duties, which are then collected from the recipient.

For parcels, complete the CN23 customs declaration and attach it in a pouch on the outside of your parcel. For a small packet worth up to around €350, use the CN22 customs declaration; above that value a CN23 is required even for a packet. In every case, attach the declaration to the address side of your shipment. Important: for shipping to the USA, the declarations must be completed in English.

Commercial invoice: documenting the transaction

You also need a commercial invoice in English, which tells customs officers about your goods, the shipping process, and you as the sender. Attach the commercial invoice to the outside of your parcel. Tip: mark sample goods with the note "SAMPLES - NOT FOR RESALE."

Duties and import tax for shipping to the USA

Based on the details in your customs declaration, customs officers determine the duty and import tax due, which are collected from the recipient. Tip: let your customers know in advance that these costs may apply, which builds transparency, trust, and satisfaction.

Which goods are excluded from shipping to the USA?

As an online retailer, you're responsible for the contents of your parcel. Carriers and customs regulations exclude a number of goods from shipping to the USA. As a first orientation, here's a list of excluded goods:

• Alcoholic beverages, and perfume or sweets containing alcohol

• Tobacco products

• Any sweets with a non-edible item enclosed (such as surprise eggs)

• Protected animals or plants

• Drugs or medicines

• Fireworks

• Counterfeit products

• Documents with unconstitutional content

• Pornographic goods

• Animal products

• Weapons and ammunition of any kind

• Dangerous goods such as batteries (including those built into phones) and chemicals

Shipping food to the USA: what to keep in mind

Thinking of expanding your food business to the USA? There are a few things to keep in mind so your goods reach your customers safely:

1. Register with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and submit your completed Prior Notice. Only with this authorization may you ship your goods to the USA, and you'll also find more information there about shipping food.

2. Ask for an Import Specialist at the arrival airport, who can advise you on the rules and required documents, or engage a US customs broker.

If you're unsure whether you may ship your goods to the USA, check the information from your carrier and, above all, from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Track parcels to the USA reliably

When you ship a parcel to the USA, it's worth delighting your customers by letting them know exactly where their parcel is before it arrives. Use Sendcloud's personalized track & trace, so your customer always has the key shipping updates, and you can win them over for the long term through appealing tracking emails with your company logo, your social feed, and optional promotions. It's especially handy for international shipping, since you can reach customers worldwide with multilingual options.

How much does shipping to the USA cost?

As with deliveries to other countries, the cost of shipping to the USA depends on:

• The weight of your parcel

• The width, length, and height of your parcel

• Your chosen delivery speed

• The carrier you select

• Any added services you book

Whether parts of your parcel protrude can also make a difference. With a free Sendcloud account you can calculate exact prices for your parcel to the USA based on its weight and dimensions using the rate calculator.

How long does shipping to the USA take?

Delivery time for shipping to the USA depends on the carrier, the service (standard or express), the destination, how long customs clearance takes, and any public holidays. As a guide, here are the average transit times:

5 packaging tips for international shipping

Your goods travel a long way to the USA, and you want them to arrive safely. Packaging matters not just for safety but for cost too, since weight and size determine your shipping price. Here's how to pack parcels optimally and securely:

1. Check the price tiers for parcel size and weight.

2. Choose filling material that's not only protective but also light, such as bubble wrap, foam, or, even better, eco-friendly paper.

3. Use a sturdy box and, if needed, reinforce the corners with tape for extra protection.

4. Stick to the maximum size of 120 x 60 x 60 cm (outer dimensions) and 360 cm (girth), to avoid oversized-item surcharges.

5. Attach the important customs documents securely on the outside and address the parcel correctly.

How Sendcloud helps you ship to the USA

Sendcloud supports your shipping to the USA with leading carriers, flexible options, smart shipping rules, personalized tracking, and a returns portal. Questions about shipping to the USA? Get in touch with our team.