ShipHero supports shipping to military addresses. This article explains the requirements for shipping to APO, FPO, and DPO addresses, including carrier limitations, formatting, and customs requirements.
Table of Contents
- Supported Carriers and Service Levels
- Military Address Formatting
- International vs. Domestic Shipping Rates
- Customs Declaration Requirements
Supported Carriers and Service Levels
Due to security restrictions, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is the only carrier that can perform the final delivery to APO, FPO, and DPO locations. While private carriers like FedEx and UPS offer delivery to countries where military personnel are stationed, they cannot deliver directly to a military base.
UPS Mail Innovations
UPS Mail Innovations supports shipping to military addresses. While UPS handles the initial transit, the final delivery to the military base is completed by the USPS.
FedEx Ground Economy
FedEx Ground Economy utilizes USPS for final delivery. You may use Ground Economy to ship to any U.S. military address designation.
Military Address Formatting
According to USPS instructions, every shipment to a military address requires specific details to ensure delivery. You must include a return address and the shipment must be addressed to a specific person; addressing to "Any Service Member" is prohibited.
To prevent mail from entering foreign mail networks, do not include city or country names in APO, FPO, or DPO shipping addresses.
For more information, please visit the USPS Guidelines for Sending to Military and Diplomatic Addresses.
| Military Branch | Address Example |
|---|---|
| Army/Air Post Office (APO) |
PFC JOHN DOE PSC 3 BOX 4120 APO AE 09021 |
| Fleet Post Office (FPO) |
SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH UNIT 100100 BOX 4120 FPO AP 96691 |
| Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) |
JOHN ADAMS UNIT 8400 BOX 0000 DPO AE 09498-0048 |
International vs. Domestic Shipping Rates
Costs for military shipments vary based on destination, service level, and carrier selection.
USPS Rates
USPS charges Zone 9 domestic rates for military addresses, regardless of whether the physical location is domestic or international.
FedEx Ground Economy and UPS Mail Innovation Rates
- If the address uses a domestic ZIP code, packages are charged at Zone 9 rates.
- If the military address uses a foreign country postal ZIP code, international rates apply.
Always partner with your carrier representative for specific rate questions. They provide the most current account-specific information that ShipHero cannot access.
Customs Declaration Requirements
When shipping to military addresses via USPS (using Shippo), a customs declaration is typically required. This ensures compliance for international military shipments.
Required information includes:
- Item descriptions
- Declared value
- Country of origin
Review Shippo's military shipping requirements for further technical details.
FTR Exemption Codes
Foreign Trade Regulation (FTR) exemption codes are mandatory for military shipments to ensure proper customs processing. When shipping with USPS via Shippo, the following codes are supported:
- 30_37_a
- 30_37_h
- 30_37_f
- 30_36
- AES_ITN
Automation Rules for Military Addresses
To streamline the application of FTR exemption codes, create separate automation rules for the three primary military address states:
- AA - Armed Forces Americas
- AE - Armed Forces Europe
- AP - Armed Forces Pacific
Example Automation Rule:
Use State as the trigger utilizing the military address state and then the Set FTR Exemption with the appropriate value for the Action.
