Billable weight is the weight a carrier uses to calculate shipping charges. It is usually the greater of the shipment’s actual weight or dimensional weight. Actual weight is the physical scale weight, while dimensional weight reflects how much space the package or freight occupies. Carriers use billable weight to price shipments fairly when cargo is bulky but lightweight. It is common in parcel shipping, air freight, LTL, courier services, and ecommerce fulfilment.
Billable weight is the weight used to calculate a freight charge. Carriers charge the greater of actual gross weight or dimensional weight calculated from the cargo’s size.
- Actual weight: gross weight of the shipment including packaging
- Dimensional weight: length x width x height divided by the carrier’s divisor
- Billable weight: whichever of the above is higher
Light, bulky shipments bill on dimensional weight. Dense, heavy shipments bill on actual weight.
For related logistics context, see glossary entries on Dimensional Weight, Volumetric Weight, Chargeable Weight, and Air Freight.
