Dimensional Weight Calculator

How to use it: enter the parcel's length, width and height in centimetres, the divisor your carrier currently publishes for the service you're shipping with, and the actual scale weight. The tool shows the dimensional weight and the higher of the two figures.

Formula. Dimensional (volumetric) weight converts the parcel's volume into an equivalent weight using the carrier's divisor:

Dimensional weight (kg) = (L × W × H) / divisor, with L, W, H in centimetres. Carriers then bill on whichever is larger:

Billable weight = max(dimensional weight, actual weight)

Worked example. With the defaults (60 × 40 × 35 cm, divisor 5000, actual 12 kg): volume = 60 × 40 × 35 = 84,000 cm³, so dimensional weight = 84,000 / 5000 = 16.80 kg. Since 16.80 kg is greater than the actual 12 kg, the billable weight is 16.80 kg - the parcel is bulky enough that it's billed on volume, not scale weight.

The result above uses these exact values. This snapshot is included when the page is printed so the output can be checked against the original measurements.

Length

60 cm

Width

40 cm

Height

35 cm

Carrier divisor

5000

Actual weight

12 kg

Primary result: Dimensional: 16.80 kg.

• Measure from the datum or reference edge described by this tool, and do not mix inside, outside and centerline dimensions.
• Keep inputs in the displayed units and preserve more precision than the final cutting or purchasing tolerance requires.
• When the result is close to a limit, verify it with a test piece, field measurement, manufacturer drawing or qualified project professional.

The divisor is set by each carrier per service (for example, express air, economy air, ground and freight often use different divisors from the same carrier) and carriers revise these figures over time. Always enter the current published divisor for your specific carrier and service rather than assuming the default shown here - it is a placeholder, not a recommendation.

This tool performs the raw division with no rounding. Many carriers round each dimension up to the nearest whole centimetre or inch before multiplying, and round the resulting dimensional weight up to the next 0.5 kg, 1 kg, or whole pound - so an invoice can come out slightly higher than this calculation.

For multi-piece shipments, some carriers sum the dimensional weight of each piece individually while others calculate it from total shipment volume - check your carrier's specific rule before using this for a multi-carton quote.