Here is how to ship a TV without cracking the screen: keep it upright, pack it in its original box or a TV box kit with foam corners, and make sure nothing presses on the panel. Small TVs can go by USPS, UPS or FedEx if the packed box fits their limits. For a 65-inch or larger TV, an OLED, or any TV without its original box, a custom crate and a small-load specialist are the safer choice.
Why TVs Break in Transit
A flat-screen TV is thin glass in a light frame. Three forces do most of the damage:
- Panel pressure. A strap or box pushing on the screen concentrates force on one spot and can crack it.
- Flex. A TV lying flat sags under its own weight, and every bump bends the panel further. LG’s owner’s manual warns that “flexing/bending of frame chassis” may damage the screen.
- Vibration. LG also tells owners not to “expose the TV to jolts or excessive vibration.”
The rule: keep the TV upright and never lay it flat. LG’s manual says to “keep the TV upright, never turn the TV on its side.” UPS calls keeping a TV upright “during every step of the shipping process” crucial. FedEx’s TV page doesn’t mention orientation, so label the box yourself.
Packaging Options by Screen Size
- Original box (any size): the best choice if you still have it and its foam inserts. LG and UPS both recommend it first.
- TV box kit (about 32 to 55 inches): an adjustable carton sized for TVs, usually sold with foam corner blocks. Good for parcel shipping.
- Custom crate (65 inches and up, OLED, or no original box): a foam-lined wood crate holds the TV upright and keeps anything off the screen. It gives the most protection. Ship Smart builds custom crates for exactly this.
Materials You Need
- Original box, or a TV box kit sized to your screen
- Four foam corner blocks and a thin foam sheet
- Bubble wrap and heavy-duty plastic packing tape
- Zip ties and zip-top bags
- “Fragile” and “This Side Up” labels
- Tape measure, bathroom scale and phone camera
How to Ship a TV: Step-by-Step Packing
- Photograph the TV and serial number first. Shoot a working picture, the edges, the back and the serial label.
- Remove the stand, mount and cables. Bundle cables, bag the screws and take the batteries out of the remote.
- Protect the screen. Cover it with a thin foam sheet taped to the frame edges only, never to the glass.
- Add corner blocks. A foam block on each corner lets the frame, not the panel, absorb impacts.
- Pad the box and slide the TV in upright. Put the stand and accessories behind the TV, never on the screen side.
- Fill gaps with foam or bubble wrap, never loose fill against the panel. Peanuts settle and let the TV shift.
- Seal and mark it. Use the H-tape method FedEx recommends, then write “FRAGILE” and draw “THIS SIDE UP” arrows on all four sides.
- Measure and weigh the packed box to check carrier limits.
Carrier Size Limits and How Length + Girth Works
Carriers measure size as length + girth. Length is the longest side. Girth is the distance around the box: 2 x width + 2 x height.
Published Limits (Checked September 2026)
- USPS Ground Advantage: 70 lb and 130 inches in length + girth.
- USPS Priority Mail: 70 lb and 108 inches in length + girth.
- UPS and FedEx Ground: 150 lb, 108 inches long and 165 inches in length + girth. Anything larger or heavier ships as freight.
- UPS Large Package and FedEx Oversize Charge: over 130 inches in length + girth or over 96 inches long, with a 90 lb minimum billable weight.
- UPS and FedEx Additional Handling: longest side over 48 inches or second-longest side over 30 inches.
Worked Example: Measuring a TV Box
Take a box measuring 60 x 38 x 7 inches (an example size, not a specific model’s box):
- Length = 60 inches
- Girth = (2 x 38) + (2 x 7) = 90 inches
- Length + girth = 150 inches
That is too big for USPS. UPS and FedEx accept it, but it passes 130 inches, so it is billed as a Large Package or Oversize item at no less than 90 lb. Dimensional weight can push it higher: 60 x 38 x 7 = 15,960 cubic inches, divided by 139 (the UPS daily-rate and FedEx divisor), is about 115 lb, so a lighter TV still bills at 115 lb.
Your Shipping Options Compared
- USPS: best for small TVs in the original box; limits of 70 lb and 130 inches (Ground Advantage); risk: you pack it yourself, and long or bulky boxes add nonstandard fees.
- UPS or FedEx Ground: best for small and mid-size TVs in the original box or a kit; limits of 150 lb and 165 inches, with surcharges above 130 inches; risk: UPS says declared value applies only if the item is “found to have been properly packed.”
- LTL freight: best for a crated TV traveling with other items over 150 lb; limits: priced as pallet freight; risk: you crate or palletize it yourself.
- White-glove or small-load specialist: best for 65-inch and larger TVs, OLEDs, TVs without the original box, or a TV moving with furniture; limits: built for loads too big for parcel and too small for a moving truck; risk: slower (most Ship Smart domestic shipments take 2 to 3 weeks).
For bigger items, see whether UPS ships furniture.
How to Ship a Large TV (65 Inches and Up)
A 65-inch screen measures about 57 x 32 inches before packaging, so the box passes the 130-inch surcharge line, dimensional weight inflates the bill, and the wide panel flexes more. Ship Smart’s electronics shipping service picks the TV up from inside your home, packs it at the warehouse with anti-static bags, bubble wrap and custom crates, and delivers curbside or white-glove. Sending furniture with it? Ship Smart’s professional packing service wraps, boxes and palletizes it at the warehouse.
Insurance, Declared Value and Condition Photos
Default coverage is low. FedEx limits liability to $100 per package unless you declare and pay for a higher value, and caps declared value on plasma screens at $1,000. The UPS Store’s guarantee terms cap reimbursement on a UPS shipment at $100 without purchased declared value, and UPS notes declared value “isn’t insurance coverage.” USPS Ground Advantage includes $100 of insurance, with up to $5,000 more available.
Declare the TV’s real replacement value, keep your Step 1 photos, and power the TV on as soon as it arrives. Ship Smart offers optional coverage for declared value over $1,000.
What Drives the Cost to Ship a TV
- Size: past 130 inches of length + girth, UPS and FedEx add large-package charges. FedEx’s 2026 Service Guide lists its U.S. Oversize Charge at $255 to $330 per package, before fuel surcharges.
- Dimensional weight: carriers bill the greater of actual weight or length x width x height divided by 139 (USPS, FedEx and UPS daily rates).
- Distance: parcel rates climb by zone.
- Packaging: a crate costs more than a box kit and adds weight.
- Service level: curbside versus white-glove, plus expedited options.
For a real number, use the Small Move Cost Calculator. It gives estimates 24/7, experts review them within 12 to 24 hours, and the final price is based on actual weight after warehouse packing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Cheapest Way to Ship a TV?
For a small TV in its original box, a ground service (USPS Ground Advantage, UPS Ground or FedEx Ground) is usually cheapest. Keep the box under 130 inches of length + girth to avoid surcharges. For a big TV, compare the full parcel price, surcharges included, with a small-load quote.
Can I Ship a TV Through USPS?
Yes, if the packed box is 70 lb or less and no more than 130 inches in length + girth (Ground Advantage). That limits USPS to smaller TVs. Ground Advantage adds $10 for boxes over 30 inches long and $21 for boxes over 2 cubic feet.
How Do I Ship a 55 Inch TV?
A 55-inch screen is about 48 x 27 inches on its own, so the box passes the 48-inch Additional Handling threshold at UPS and FedEx and lands near the 130-inch line. Pack it upright in its original box or a kit with foam corners, measure it, and compare a ground rate with a specialist quote.
Can I Ship a TV to Another State?
Yes. USPS, UPS and FedEx deliver nationwide, and Ship Smart ships electronics nationwide with services tailored to moves over 300 miles. Most domestic Ship Smart shipments take 2 to 3 weeks.
The Bottom Line
A small, boxed TV can travel by parcel. A large, OLED or unboxed TV is where parcel shipping gets risky. That is the gap Ship Smart has filled since 1999: items too big for UPS or FedEx and too small for a conventional moving company. See how Ship Smart ships electronics, or price your shipment with the Small Move Cost Calculator.
