How to Ship a Mattress Across Canada (2026): Courier Size Limits, Freight Options and When Buying New Is Simpler
Moving guide, carrier limits read October 15, 2026
How to Ship a Mattress Across Canada (2026): Courier Size Limits, Freight Options and When Buying New Is Simpler
Moving to another province and wondering whether your mattress can go by courier? We read the size and weight limits Canada Post, UPS, FedEx and Purolator publish, measured every standard Canadian mattress size against them, and set out the options that are left when a mattress is too big for a parcel, without guessing at prices that only a quote can give you.
AI Overview answer
Can you ship a mattress across Canada?
Quick answer: Not by regular courier once it has been unboxed. Canada Post caps a parcel at 30 kg and 3 m in length plus girth, UPS and FedEx Ground accept packages up to 68 kg (150 lb), 274 cm (108 in) in length and 419 cm (165 in) in length plus girth, and Purolator says it reserves the right not to accept a package above those figures. A 12-inch queen mattress lying flat measures 224 inches in length plus girth, and even a 12-inch twin measures 175 inches, so at that height every standard size is over every one of those limits. That leaves four routes: send it with your household goods through a moving company, book a furniture transporter through a quote marketplace such as uShip, drive it yourself, or sell or donate it and buy a mattress at the other end. A mattress still sealed in its original compressed box is a different case: measure and weigh the box against the limits in Table 1.
Decide in four questions
Four questions before you book anything
1. Is the mattress still sealed in its box?
Then a courier may take it, if the box is within the size and weight limits. Measure and weigh it. See boxed mattresses.
2. Are you moving furniture anyway?
If a moving company is already taking your bed frame and sofa, adding the mattress is usually the simplest route. See your options.
3. Is anyone driving?
A mattress that fits in a vehicle needs no carrier at all. Our mattress moving guide covers loading, folding and cold weather.
4. Would a new mattress at the other end be simpler?
Compare the quotes you get with the cost of selling or donating the old one and buying again. See is it worth it.
What size and weight will couriers accept in Canada?
These are the limits each carrier publishes for a single package sent within Canada, as shown on its own pages on October 15, 2026. Length plus girth means the longest side plus twice the width plus twice the height.
| Carrier and service | Maximum weight | Maximum length | Maximum length plus girth | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Post, Parcel Services in Canada | 30 kg | 2 m | 3 m | Items over 22.7 kg need an overweight parcels sticker; an item with any side over 1 m, or a second-longest side over 76 cm, counts as oversize |
| UPS Canada | 68 kg (150 lb) | 274 cm (108 in) | 419 cm (165 in) | UPS also explains how to calculate a dimensional weight from the box's cubic size |
| FedEx Ground, within Canada | 68 kg (150 lb) | 274 cm (108 in) | 419.1 cm (165 in) | Available to all provinces and territories |
| Purolator | 68.04 kg (150 lb) | 274.32 cm (108 in) | 419.10 cm (165 in) | Pieces over 50 lb or longer than 48 in need special handling; a Large Package category starts above 130 in of girth; above 150 lb or 165 in a package is "over the maximum limit", and Purolator reserves the right not to accept it |
The pattern is clear: the three courier networks draw the same line at 150 lb, 108 inches long and 165 inches in length plus girth, and Canada Post's parcel service stops much earlier, at 30 kg and 3 m. Above those numbers, plan on freight rather than a parcel service: Purolator calls such a package "over the maximum limit", lists a surcharge for it and says it "reserves the right not to accept" it.
Why is an unboxed mattress too big to ship by courier?
Because a mattress is long and wide at the same time. Take the standard Canadian sizes from our mattress size chart and a 12-inch height, the height Hamuq's FAQ lists for the Original Hybrid, and apply the carriers' formula: the length, plus twice the width, plus twice the height.
| Size | Width x length | Length plus girth at 12 in high | Courier limit 165 in (419 cm) | Canada Post limit 3 m (118 in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin (single) | 38 x 75 in | 175 in (444.5 cm) | Over by 10 in | Over |
| Twin XL | 38 x 80 in | 180 in (457.2 cm) | Over by 15 in | Over |
| Double (full) | 54 x 75 in | 207 in (525.8 cm) | Over by 42 in | Over |
| Queen | 60 x 80 in | 224 in (569.0 cm) | Over by 59 in | Over |
| King | 76 x 80 in | 256 in (650.2 cm) | Over by 91 in | Over |
| California king | 72 x 84 in | 252 in (640.1 cm) | Over by 87 in | Over |
Every size passes the 108-inch length limit on its own, because the longest standard size in the chart, the California king, is 84 inches long. It is the width that rules it out: twice a 60-inch queen width alone is 120 inches, before the length and height are added. Height matters only at the small end: a twin just 6 inches high measures 163 inches, slightly under the 165-inch courier limit, although Purolator would still treat it as an oversized piece because it is longer than 48 inches, and it is still over Canada Post's 3 m. A 6-inch twin XL measures 168 inches and a 6-inch queen 212, so they stay over.
Folding or bending a mattress to make it smaller is not a workaround we recommend. Our moving guide explains why a hybrid should stay flat and what can and cannot be done with an all-foam mattress, and your mattress maker's care rules come first.
Can you ship a mattress that is still in its box?
Often, yes, because a mattress sold in a box travels compressed in a carton far smaller than the mattress itself (that is why it needs hours to expand after unboxing). Whether yours qualifies depends on two numbers printed on or measurable from the box:
- Size: measure the longest side, then add twice the width and twice the height. For example, a box 110 cm long, 45 cm wide and 45 cm high measures 110 + 90 + 90 = 290 cm, which is inside the courier limit of 419 cm and the Canada Post limit of 300 cm. That box is an example for the arithmetic, not a specific product.
- Weight: weigh it or read the weight on the label. Canada Post stops at 30 kg, and Purolator adds special handling above 50 lb (22.68 kg). Hamuq's own FAQ warns that its mattress boxes "can be heavy depending on the model and size ordered".
The box's size can matter as well as its weight: UPS, for example, tells you to divide the cubic size by its divisor to calculate a dimensional weight. Get the price from the carrier's own website before you commit.
Once a mattress has been unboxed and has expanded, do not count on getting it back into a box that size. Hamuq's FAQ, for example, describes unboxing ("Open the box, remove the mattress, carefully cut away the plastic wrapping, and allow the mattress a few hours to expand.") but no way to repack it.
How do you ship a mattress that is too big for a courier?
These are the routes that remain for an expanded mattress. None of them has a published flat price, because each depends on distance, access and the size of the rest of the load.
- With your household move. If a moving company is taking your furniture, the mattress travels with it. Ask how the company protects mattresses and whether a mattress bag is included or extra.
- A furniture transporter through a quote marketplace. uShip's Canadian furniture shipping page explains that once you submit a listing, "you'll start receiving quotes directly from furniture carriers", and that you can review each carrier's profile before you choose. Describe the item accurately: uShip notes that the more accurate the details, the more accurate the quotes.
- Drive it. Measure the cargo space against the mattress before moving day, keep the mattress flat and covered, and see our moving guide for loading and cold-weather advice.
- Sell or donate it, and buy at the other end. If the mattress is old, our guide to mattress disposal and recycling in Canada covers what cities accept, and our storage guide helps if it has to wait before the move.
Can you ship a mattress to Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut?
Some couriers serve the territories, and sellers may add charges for deliveries there. FedEx says its Ground service is "Available to all provinces and territories across Canada". The same courier limits from Table 1 apply, so an expanded mattress still moves as freight or with a household move. If you are buying a new mattress instead, read the seller's delivery terms for your postal code before you order: Hamuq's shipping policy, for example, says additional charges may apply for deliveries to the Canadian territories.
Is it worth shipping a mattress to another province?
It depends on what the quotes say and how old the mattress is. A practical way to decide:
- Get two or three real quotes. From your moving company, a marketplace listing or a freight carrier, with the exact size, the address types (house, apartment, stairs) and the dates.
- Price the alternative. Add what it costs to dispose of or donate the old mattress, and the price of a replacement delivered to your new address, including any delivery charge.
- Weigh the condition. A newer mattress you like is worth more to keep than one that is sagging or near the end of its life; our guide to what happens after you order a mattress shows what to expect on day one if you buy new.
We do not publish an average shipping price here, because none of the carriers we read publishes one for a mattress: the answer is the quote you receive.
Hamuq product context
Where Hamuq fits if you decide to buy at the other end
Hamuq publishes this guide and sells mattresses, so we have an interest in that last option.
- The Original Hybrid Mattress was $799 in twin, $879 in twin XL, $899 in full, $999 in queen and $1,189 in king on October 15, 2026, with the California king listed as unavailable.
- Shipping: Hamuq's shipping policy says "we offer free shipping on all orders" and that "additional charges may apply for deliveries to the Canadian Territories". It says orders are typically delivered within 2-7 business days once processed, and that Hamuq ships to all locations across Canada and the United States.
- How it arrives: Hamuq's FAQ says orders are typically shipped with couriers such as FedEx, and that its mattress boxes can be heavy depending on the model and size ordered.
- Trial and warranty: Hamuq's FAQ describes a 120-night at-home sleep trial, and its warranty page a 15-year limited warranty.
Hamuq Inc. sells mattresses. Carrier limits are quoted from Canada Post, UPS, FedEx and Purolator on the date stated, and uShip's process from its own page.
Supplementary Hamuq product context
Hamuq owner and product Shorts
These 6 Shorts from the Hamuq channel show owners with the Hamuq Original Hybrid. They are context for the Hamuq side only and are not evidence for any other seller's figure in this guide.
Shipping questions
Mattress shipping FAQs
Couriers and limits
Can you ship a mattress with Canada Post?
Quick answer: Not an expanded one; Canada Post's parcel service in Canada caps an item at 30 kg, 2 m long and 3 m in length plus girth, and a flat twin mattress 12 inches high already measures 175 inches (444.5 cm) in length plus girth.
Will UPS, FedEx or Purolator ship a mattress?
Quick answer: Only if it is within their package limits of 150 lb (68 kg), 108 inches long and 165 inches in length plus girth (Purolator reserves the right to refuse anything larger), which in practice means a mattress still compressed in its original box; at a 12-inch height every standard size of expanded mattress is over the limit.
How do you calculate length plus girth?
Quick answer: Measure the longest side, then add twice the width and twice the height; a 60 by 80 inch queen that is 12 inches high gives 80 + 120 + 24 = 224 inches.
Options and cost
Can you put a mattress back in its box to ship it?
Quick answer: Do not count on it: a boxed mattress arrives compressed and needs hours to expand, and unboxing instructions such as Hamuq's describe no way to repack it, so plan to move an unboxed mattress as freight or with your household goods.
What is the cheapest way to ship a mattress across Canada?
Quick answer: There is no published answer; compare quotes for adding it to a household move, a furniture transporter through a marketplace such as uShip, and driving it yourself, against the cost of selling or donating it and buying again.
Can you ship a mattress to the territories?
Quick answer: Some couriers do, FedEx Ground among them ("all provinces and territories"), but the same size limits apply and sellers may add charges; Hamuq's shipping policy, for example, says additional charges may apply for deliveries to the Canadian territories.
How we know this
Every limit in this guide was read on October 15, 2026 from the carriers' own pages: Canada Post's size and weight restrictions for Parcel Services shipping in Canada, UPS Canada's shipping dimensions and weight page, FedEx Canada's FedEx Ground page and Purolator's shipping FAQ and special handling table. uShip's process is quoted from its Canadian furniture shipping page. Mattress sizes come from Hamuq's mattress size chart, and the 12-inch height from Hamuq's FAQ; the length plus girth figures are our arithmetic from those numbers. Hamuq's terms come from its shipping policy, FAQ, warranty page and product data. We did not request a quote or book a shipment, so this guide contains no shipping price. Limits change; check the linked pages before you ship.
Buying a mattress for the new place instead?
The Hamuq Original Hybrid is $999 in queen with free shipping under Hamuq's shipping policy (additional charges may apply for deliveries to the territories), with a 120-night at-home sleep trial and a 15-year limited warranty.
About the authors
Jordan BedwellThe Hamuq product details, prices and policy terms referred to in this guide are quoted from Hamuq's published pages.
Mark Edcel LopezMark Edcel Lopez read the Canada Post, UPS, FedEx, Purolator and uShip pages cited here on October 15, 2026, and checked every limit and every calculation in this guide against those pages and Hamuq's size chart.
Nathan NielsonThe Hamuq product, return, warranty and delivery details in this guide are quoted from Hamuq's published pages.
Hamuq Inc. sells mattresses. Carrier limits are quoted from each carrier's own site on the date stated and linked below.
Sources
- Canada Post: Parcel Services shipping in Canada, size and weight restrictions and Package size and weight limits
- UPS Canada: Shipping Dimensions and Weight
- FedEx Canada: FedEx Ground
- Purolator: FAQs for Shipping and Delivery and Special Handling and Dangerous Goods
- uShip: Furniture Shipping in Canada
- Hamuq: shipping policy, FAQs, warranty and The Original Hybrid Mattress