FedEx

FedEx is a multi-national, courier service that offers domestic and international shipping solutions. FedEx offers a wide range of services and package delivery solutions.

This guide provides developers with the details needed to build FedEx shipping capabilities into your ShipStation API workflows.

Requirements

Connection Requirements

By connecting a FedEx US or FedEx CA account, you and your users agree to the FedEx EULA.

Connect Account

You can connect a FedEx account using the POST method to the /v1/connections/carriers/ endpoint, or via the ShipStation API Dashboard.

For instructions on connecting FedEx via the dashboard, go to our FedEx help article.

Connect via Endpoint

carrier_name: fedex

POST /v1/connections/carriers/:carrier_name

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POST /v1/connections/carriers/fedex HTTP/1.1
Host: api.shipengine.com
API-Key: __YOUR_API_KEY_HERE__
Content-Type: application/json
{
  "account_number": "123456789",
  "company": "Example Corp.",
  "first_name": "John",
  "last_name": "Doe",
  "phone": "111-111-1111",
  "address1": "4009 Marathon Blvd.",
  "address2": "Suite 300",
  "city": "Austin",
  "state": "TX",
  "postal_code": "78756",
  "country_code": "US",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "agree_to_eula": "true"
}

A successful connection will return a response with the carrier_id, which you'll use for any requests for this account going forward.

Modify Carrier Settings

If you need to modify the properties of your FedEx account connection or enable some of the carrier's advanced functionality not enabled by default, you can update these settings in your account dashboard or via API using the PUT method with the /v1/connections/carriers/ endpoint.

Pickup Type

FedEx Ground Economy™ (formerly SmartPost™)

To enable Ground Economy™, both of the properties below are required and must be valid.

For further details, check the FedEx documentation for Ground Economy™.

Common Settings

Sample update request:

PUT /v1/connections/carriers/:carrier_name/:carrier_id/settings

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PUT /v1/connections/carriers/fedex/se-108252/settings HTTP/1.1
Host: api.shipengine.com
API-Key: __YOUR_API_KEY_HERE__
Content-Type: application/json
{
  "nickname": "my fedex account",
  "pickup_type": "regular_pickup",
  "smart_post_hub": "dallas_tx",
  "smart_post_endorsement": "address_service_requested",
  "is_primary_account": "false",
  "signature_image" : "base64string",
  "letterhead_image" : "base64string"
}

A successful request will receive an HTTP status 204 response.

Rates

FedEx supports rate shopping with ShipStation API unless using the FedEx Ground Economy service, which does not currently return rates.

Please note, FedEx will always show negotiated rates: false in a rate response, even when using negotiated rates.

Service Details

Available FedEx services are provided below. Please note that carriers may update their available services at any time. To ensure you are always using valid services, you can use the list carrier services endpoint at any time.

Domestic Services

All domestic services have a max weight of 150 lbs, except FedEx Home Delivery, which has a max weight of 70 lbs. The combined length and girth (L+2W+2H) for all domestic services is 165" (419cm).

Freight Service Levels

International Services

All international services have a max weight of 150 lbs. The combined length and girth (L+2W+2H) for all international services is 165" (419cm), except FedEx Europe First and International Connect Plus, which is 130" (330cm).

Shipping from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

FedEx will support all movement types (b2b, b2c, c2c, c2b) for shipping from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, in accordance with the Windsor Framework. The following data requirements will go into effect on 31 May 2025.

All shipments to Northern Ireland must include the existing properties dedicated for international traffic:

If you know the UKIMS number, it can be declared and printed on the commercial invoice for the B2B shipments. The following properties are capable of capturing these in the tax_identifiers array in both ship_to and ship_from objects:

Since Electronic Trade Documents (ETD) are not supported when shipping to NI, from March 2025 you will be required to print the commercial invoice and include with all NI shipments. All the above information will be included on the generated document if provided.

FedEx will identify whether the consignment is B2C or B2B and will contact the recipient to obtain information regarding the risk indicator. Therefore, you do not have to declare the not_at_risk property when creating a label. UKIMS numbers will also be collected by FedEx if not provided.

Return Services

FedEx supports creating return labels for US, Canada, Germany, and France-based accounts, using any of their domestic services. Please note that shipments using FedEx One Rate packaging are not eligible for returns.

Review the Return Shipping Labels page for details on creating return labels with ShipStation API.

Packages

The following carrier package types are available for FedEx services:

Adding Shipment Insurance

FedEx supports adding insurance to your shipments. Review the Parcel Insurance page for details on adding shipment insurance with ShipStation API.

There are a few things to know about adding insurance to FedEx shipments:

Label Support

Label Reference Fields

FedEx UK supports adding custom label messages.

To use Label Message 3, you must also use Label Message 1 and 2.

Multi-Package Labels

FedEx supports multi-package shipments with most services, but is not available when using One Rate packaging. FedEx multi-package shipping has a 100 package maximum.

Label Branding

FedEx supports label branding.

Voiding Labels

FedEx supports voiding labels with ShipStation API. Return labels cannot be voided.

Paperless Labels

FedEx does not support paperless labels.

Customs Declarations

Customs declarations are sent electronically. For electronic document submissions, FedEx requires you to include the signature_iamge and letterhead_image properties for your account connection.

Delivery Confirmation

See our Delivery Confirmation page for more details about using the confirmation property.

Advanced Options

FedEx supports certain advanced options, which you can add to the shipment object when creating a shipment or label.

To ensure you always have the most up-to-date information about a carrier's advanced options, use the list carrier options call.

FedEx Ground Collect

FedEx Ground Collect is a program that allows a recipient at a commercial address to use their own FedEx account when receiving shipments. Note that this is different from Collect on Delivery (COD) where the shipping charges are collected directly from the recipient when the package is delivered.

With FedEx Ground Collect, the recipient displays a placard for the FedEx courier to scan when they deliver the package. Once scanned, the recipient's FedEx account is invoiced for the shipping charges.

To use this option, you must set your service_code to fedex_ground and supply the bill_to_party property in the advanced_options when you create a shipping label, as indicated in the example below.

You'll notice that bill_to_party is set to recipient and there is no bill_to_account set in the payload. This differs from billing a third party, which also uses the bill_to_party property.

Sample request:

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POST /v1/labels HTTP/1.1
Host: api.shipengine.com
API-Key: __YOUR_API_KEY_HERE__
Content-Type: application/json
{
  "shipment": {
    "service_code": "fedex_ground",
    "advanced_options": {
       "bill_to_party": "recipient"
     },
    "ship_to": {
      "name": "Amanda Miller",
      "phone": "7147814565",
      "company_name": "Test Co",
      "address_line1": "500 South Buena Vista Street",
      "city_locality": "Burbank",
      "state_province": "CA",
      "postal_code": "91521",
      "country_code": "US",
      "address_residential_indicator": "No"
    },
    "ship_from": {
      "name": "John Doe",
      "phone": "555-555-5555",
      "company_name": "Example Corp",
      "address_line1": "4009 Marathon Blvd",
      "city_locality": "Austin",
      "state_province": "TX",
      "postal_code": "78756",
      "country_code": "US",
      "address_residential_indicator": "No"
    },
    "packages": [
      {
       "weight": {
         "value": 1.0,
         "unit": "ounce"
       }
      }
    ]
   }
  }

Manifests

FedEx does not require manifesting your shipments. However, FedEx Ground shipments can be manifested for shipments originating from the US and Canada. You cannot generate manifests for shipments with a ship date in the past.

If you generate a manifest:

Scheduling Pickups

FedEx UK does not support the scheduling a pickup endpoint. Instead, your pickup_type account settings determine how your shipments are handed over to FedEx.

Service Points (PUDO)

ShipStation API supports the FedEx Hold at Location (HAL) feature, which ships the package to a designated location - like a FedEx store - instead of the recipient's home or business address. The recipient then picks up the package from the location by presenting an ID that matches the recipient name or documentation with the shipment's tracking number.

To create a label using FedEx Hold at Location:

The resulting label will include a HAL indicator with the service point postal code.

See our Intro to Service Points for more details about how to use service points with ShipStation API.

Tracking

ShipStation API's integration with FedEx supports receiving tracking updates. Review our ​Track a Package guides​​ for details on tracking with the ShipStation API.

Disconnecting Your FedEx Account

See the Disconnect section in our Delete a Carrier page for the process of deleting or disconnecting a carrier from ShipStation API.