FedEx Carrier Guide

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 an overview of shipping services that FedEx offers and the service codes that you will use to create FedEx shipments.

Whether you need to create a new FedEx account or are ready to connect an existing one to ShipEngine, the setup guides below can help you get started.

Connect Your Account

ShipEngine API allows you to connect your FedEx accounts programmatically without logging in to the ShipEngine API dashboard. This is useful if you have wrapped a custom UI around the ShipEngine API toolset and want to add or disconnect existing carrier accounts without exposing your end users to the API dashboard.

These APIs can be used in parallel with the ShipEngine Partner APIs to programmatically create new ShipEngine users, and then connect existing FedEx accounts all via the API without logging into a dashboard. Together these APIs empower you to completely white-label the ShipEngine experience for your end users.

Continue below for instructions on how to programatically connect FedEx using the ShipEngine API.

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

FedEx Account Information Model

Example POST Call

POST /v1/connections/carriers/fedex

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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
{
  "nickname": "My FedEx account",
  "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"
}

Example Response

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{
  "carrier-id": "se-1234567"
}

Disconnect a FedEx account

Modify FedEx Settings

ShipEngine takes advantage of some of FedEx's advanced functionality but does not enable it by default. You can update these settings in the Dashboard or via the API.

Pickup Type

FedEx Ground Economy™ (formerly SmartPost™)

FedEx makes documentation available here for Ground Economy™ (formerly SmartPost™).

Common Settings

Example Request

PUT /v1/connections/carriers/fedex/: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"
}

Example Response

On a successful response, you will receive an HTTP status 204.

Example Request

GET /v1/connections/carriers/fedex/:carrier_id/settings

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GET /v1/connections/carriers/fedex/se-108252/settings HTTP/1.1
Host: api.shipengine.com
API-Key: __YOUR_API_KEY_HERE__

Example Response

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{
  "nickname": "my fedex account",
  "pickup_type": "none",
  "smart_post_hub": "none",
  "smart_post_endorsement": "none",
  "is_primary_account": true,
  "signature_image" : "base64string",
  "letterhead_image" : "base64string"
}

FedEx Service Details

FedEx Freight Service Levels

FedEx Advanced Options

Advanced Options are a property of the shipment that are used to communicate carrier add-ons used to get rates and create labels, such as "Saturday Delivery". Carrier Options are available dynamically at the List Carriers endpoint.

FedEx Ground Collect

FedEx Ground Collect is a program that allows a recipient 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 it is 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 a bill_to_party 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.

Example 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"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }

To ensure you always have the most up-to-date information, use the List Carrier Advanced Options call.

Adding Shipment Insurance

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

INFO: Notes about FedEx and Insurance

Option	Description
Manifests / End of Day (EOD) forms	Shipping amount shown on manifests or EODs for FedEx does not include any insurance costs.
No Signature and $500 or more in insurance	If you select No Signature and try to include $500 or more in insurance, it will override the signature requirement to become Direct Signature Required. From FedEx Service Guide T&C (PDF): "Shipments with a declared value of less than US$500 may be delivered and released without obtaining a signature when the sender has authorized a release or, at our sole option, upon oral or written instruction from the sender or recipient.” The label will have the letters “DSR” to indicate Direct Signature Required.
Discrepancy between FedEx rate calculator and ShipEngine rate	The Declared Value in FedEx's rate calculator is not insurance. This value indicates the max FedEx could be held accountable for. So, if you compare this declared value in FedEx to the rate with insurance in ShipEngine, our rate will be higher.

Example Label

This is an example of a label using FedEx Ground Collect. You'll notice that COLLECT is printed to the right of the tracking number.

You are now ready to create shipments using FedEx via ShipEngine! FedEx service marks are owned by Federal Express Corporation and used with permission.