FedEx Overnight

Anish

November 13, 2023

Federal Express, or FedEx, is one of the go-to courier services for individuals and entrepreneurs needing speedy deliveries. 

The FedEx overnight service is one of the fast shipping options that answers the demands of people in the United States who need packages delivered the next day. FedEx’s fast delivery service is one of the main contributors to its success.

 According to a FedEx report, the company delivers an estimated 15.8 million packages every day. The staggering number of deliveries has increased over the years, as the company has enjoyed a compound annual growth rate of 7.5% since 2013. 

You can only imagine the immense mechanism at work to have these massive packages delivered daily.  

This article tackles FedEx’s overnight shipping options and how it helps its customers, especially entrepreneurs, with shipping needs. Furthermore, this piece discusses the three types of FedEx overnight shipping and their similarities and differences.

FedEx and the United States Postal Service or USPS are offer overnight shipping in the U.S. These companies work hand in hand to ensure that your packages arrive safely and quickly to your recipients.

If you need a database of post offices in the country, visit FindPostOffice.org. Our website provides a comprehensive list of 31,330 USPS retail offices nationwide.

What Is FedEx Overnight Shipping?

FedEx Overnight Shipping is a fast next-day shipping service that delivers packages and freight to U.S. addresses. Once a sender drops off a parcel at a FedEx location, it’s delivered to the recipient the following day. 

There are three types of next-day delivery that FedEx provides. The difference between the three is the time of the day when the delivery is completed. 

What Is FedEx Standard Overnight?

The FedEx Standard Overnight is an afternoon next-business-day delivery service that ships packages to U.S. business establishments by 4:30 PM the following day. For U.S. residents, the estimated delivery time is by 8:00 PM.

What Is FedEx Priority Overnight?

The FedEx Priority Overnight is a mid-morning delivery service that ships packages to U.S. business establishments by 10:30 AM the following day. 

This service delivers packages to people living in residential areas by noon. However, shipments may arrive in rural areas around 4:30 PM. 

What About FedEx First Overnight?

The FedEx First Overnight service is a morning delivery service where packages reach their destination in most places in the United States from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM. Delivery times are guaranteed up to 2:00 PM for additional extended shipping locations. 

What’s the Difference Between FedEx Standard Overnight vs. FedEx Priority Overnight?

The main difference between these two delivery options is the estimated time the recipient receives the package on the next day after it’s shipped. 

FedEx First Overnight delivers packages the next day by 8:30 AM. However, this FedEx service is only available in some locations in the U.S. 

On the other hand, FedEx Priority Overnight delivers the next day but before noon. However, the exact delivery time depends on the recipient’s location.  

What’s the Cutoff Time for FedEx Overnight Services?

The cutoff time is the latest time a sender can hand off their packages to a carrier or drop them off at the nearest FedEx store for overnight delivery. Exact cutoff times may vary depending on your local FedEx branch, but typically, it’s around 4:00 PM. 

You can visit your local FedEx store to confirm the exact cutoff time or if there are any considerations when packages are delivered later than 4:00 PM. 

Three Benefits of Using FedEx Overnight Shipping Services

Fast deliveries have many benefits that can contribute to an eCommerce merchant’s success. 

Here are some benefits customers and vendors may experience with a fast overnight shipping service. 

  • Convenience: Fast deliveries mean convenience for vendors and satisfaction for customers. You can conveniently have a full-blown online business even if you don’t have a fleet of carriers to deliver your products.
  • Loyalty: Once you satisfy customer needs, you’ll eventually gain their loyalty. People will talk about your fast deliveries and become volunteer ambassadors for other potential customers. 
  • Marketing: Promising overnight delivery can be a way to attract customers. This delivery commitment is also an excellent way to remain competitive. Customers typically like speedy deliveries, and using FedEx overnight services can provide that fast shipping service. 

Choose the Best FedEx Overnight Shipping Option for Your Online Business

Choosing the best overnight shipping option depends on your personal or business needs. The three next-day delivery services provided by FedEx have subtle differences that work better in different situations. 

For urgent deliveries, you might want to choose FedEx Priority Overnight. This FedEx service has a delivery commitment time of around 10:30 AM for most of the country. Also, this service is suitable for weekend pickups and deliveries in the U.S. mainland and Hawaii. 

For non-urgent situations that still require overnight delivery, the FedEx Standard Overnight is one of the preferred shipping solutions for many. 

What Can You Send?

You can use all FedEx overnight delivery services if you’re going to send packages with the following weight and dimensions:

  • Packages with a weight limit of up to 150lbs
  • Packages up to 119 inches in length
  • Packages with up to 165 inches in girth

A package’s girth is the measurement around the thickest part of a package. 

Another thing to consider when sending packages for FedEx overnight delivery service is whether you’re sending dangerous goods. 

FedEx provides a list of dangerous goods that you can still send, provided that it follows the packaging requirement for hazardous items. 

Examples of things that are considered dangerous goods are the following:

Aerosol sprays 
Airbags
Ammunition 
Butane 
Car batteries 
Cologne 
Dry ice		Fireworks 
Gasoline 
Jet fuel 
Lighters 
Lithium batteries 
Matches 
Nail polish		Nail polish remover 
Nitrogen-refrigerated liquid
Paint 
Perfume
Solvents

There are other chemicals that FedEx may consider dangerous. You can contact your local FedEx store for more information about dangerous chemicals. 

Service Details

The following are the service details that FedEx provides customers using overnight shipping for their packages.  

Delivery Days

FedEx overnight delivery services are available Mondays through Fridays in most of the United States.

On the other hand, Saturday deliveries are only available in specific areas for an additional fee. 

FedEx Standard Overnight is the only service that provides Saturday pickup but not Saturday delivery. Saturday hold-at-location service is available for these services at no additional charge.  

Weight Limit and Maximum Package Size

As stated above, the weight limit for an overnight service is 150lbs. The maximum dimensions or package size is 119 inches in length and 165 inches in girth plus length. 

Delivery Area

FedEx overnight delivery is available throughout the United States. However, delivery services in select ZIP (zone improvement plan) codes in Alaska and Hawaii may have different shipping times than in the mainland. 

Drop-Off Deadlines

FedEx stores have specific package drop-off deadlines according to the type of overnight delivery chosen. It’s best to call your local FedEx office to confirm the particular deadline in your area. 

To Ship, You Don’t Need an Account

FedEx Ship Manager Lite is the FedEx service to use to ensure you get to ship your package fast and easy without a FedEx account. Your credit card is all you need. 

Still, you need to create a shipping label to send your package via FedEx package delivery. You can visit FedEx.com and make the necessary labels that you’ll need. 

Service Features

FedEx provides other service features that you can benefit from using its overnight delivery service. 

  • No signature required: You can request this free service. You can ask FedEx to send a package to a safe location when no one can receive it and provide a signature.  
  • Indirect signature required: You can tell FedEx that anyone near the recipient’s vicinity can sign and accept the package if the recipient is unavailable. However, if there’s no one to sign, FedEx will attempt another delivery at a later time or date.

Note that this service is only available to residential areas anywhere in the U.S. and Canada with a declared value of less than $500. 

  • Direct signature required: This service requires a recipient’s signature when accepting a package. 
  • Adult signature required: This service requires an adult to receive the package. The recipient must prove they’re of legal age to accept the package. 
  • Declared value coverage: This service provides coverage of up to $100 for losses or damages to your shipment without extra cost. 

Customs

You can use FedEx international shipping services when sending packages to recipients living abroad. However, you must remember that packages sent abroad will go through customs.

FedEx provides customs clearance services for your ease of mind. You only need to complete your documentation via FedEx Global Trade Manager found on its website. 

Afterward, you must upload the required documents through FedEx Electronic Trade Documents and have FedEx take care of the rest.  

Restrictions

International shipping may have restrictions due to regulations and requirements that can change quickly. FedEx alerts and updates you on any new developments affecting international shipping. 

Your Guide to Domestic Shipping With FedEx Priority Overnight (for Shipments Up to 68kg per Package, No Contract, by Phone, With Money-Back Guarantee)

On January 3, 2023, FedEx reinstated the money-back guarantee for a select number of FedEx Express services, including the following:

  • FedEx First Overnight
  • FedEx Priority Overnight
  • FedEx Standard Overnight
  • FedEx First Overnight Extra Hours
  • FedEx Priority Overnight Extra Hours
  • FedEx Standard Overnight Extra Hours
  • FedEx International First
  • FedEx International Priority
  • FedEx International Priority Express
  • FedEx International Priority Freight

Money-back guarantees are suspended for services like FedEx Ground, where USPS handles last-mile deliveries.

Calculate Your Overnight Shipping Costs

A few things determine the shipping cost of an overnight delivery via FedEx. These factors are:

  1. The guaranteed delivery time: Packages that should be delivered in the morning cost more than packages delivered later in the day. 
  1. The distance to the destination: The farther the distance from the place of origin to the recipient’s address, the higher is the cost. FedEx pricing is based on a zoning system that divides delivery distance into zones with a corresponding cost.
  1. The package’s weight, size, and dimensions: Packages that are bigger and heavier will cost more than small ones. You can use FedEx’s dim (dimensional) weight calculator to estimate how much you have to pay. 

Dim weight is the total space a package occupies based its actual weight.

Sending Multiple Overnight Shipments?

When you have to send more than one package to the same destination, you can consider FedEx account multiweight pricing. FedEx can treat multiple overnight shipments as one, saving you money and simplifying shipping. 

Tracking Your Overnight Shipment

Tracking allows you to monitor your packages’ whereabouts as the delivery process progresses.

You can track your package via FedEx Advance Tracking services. You can also customize your delivery via FedEx Delivery Manager, where you can manage alerts and provide special shipping instructions.

Packaging for Overnight Shipments

Proper packaging is crucial for overnight shipments. Improper packaging may result in delays, which can be inconvenient. To avoid this problem, you can call your local FedEx store for information on how to package your item correctly. 

Free FedEx Express Packaging

You can choose from 12 white packaging options for your overnight deliveries. FedEx offers tubes, boxes, envelopes, and paks in small to extra large sizes. 

Suppose you’re having trouble packing your items yourself. In that case, you can have FedEx experts do the packaging for you for an additional fee. 

Additional Information for FedEx First Overnight Freight

Freight delivery is often used for packages above the 150-lb limit. Here is additional information to avoid delays for FedEx First Overnight Freight. 

  • Packages weighing over 150lbs must be banded to the pallet with metal strapping or plastic straps around the box or skid freights. 
  • Hard containers made of plywood or metal that are not banded must have a clamp or exterior lock. Using glue, screws, and nails is not enough. 

If your shipment doesn’t meet these guidelines, you may be charged with extra services. 

Answers to Your FedEx Overnight Shipping Questions

The following are some common questions people ask about FedEx overnight shipping. 

How Does FedEx Overnight Shipping Work?

FedEx overnight shipping provides fast next-day delivery for packages weighing 150lbs or less. This service allows customers, especially online entrepreneurs, to take advantage of the speedy delivery of FedEx made possible through its network of carriers spread across the United States. 

Can You Overnight a Letter?

Yes, you can send a letter overnight by using FedEx overnight services. You can use envelopes you own or from FedEx. You must create a shipping label and correctly place it on your envelope. 

How Much Does It Cost to Overnight a Letter?

The delivery cost depends on the type of overnight shipping service you’ve chosen, the distance of the recipient’s address, and the time of day you want the letter to arrive at its destination. You can use the shipping rate calculator provided by FedEx to determine the cost. 

What’s the Fastest Overnight Shipping Option?

According to FedEx, their fastest overnight delivery option is FedEx First Overnight. When you use this service, you can expect your package to be delivered by 8:00 AM the following business day in most areas in the United States. 

Can You Overnight a Package on the Weekend?

FedEx First Overnight and FedEx Priority Overnight can have your packages delivered or picked up on Saturdays, but with an extra charge. 

Packages sent through FedEx Standard Overnight can only be picked up on Saturdays for an additional charge but can’t be delivered. Shipments are also not delivered on Sundays.

Are FedEx One-Day Shipping, Overnight Shipping, and Same-Day Shipping the Same Thing?

One-day shipping and overnight shipping are interchangeable and mean the same thing. These are delivery services that ship packages the next business day. 

However, same-day shipping means the package is delivered or shipped on the same day you’ve dropped off your package at a FedEx store or courier. FedEx also provides same-day shipping in selected cities or areas in the United States. 

Is FedEx Overnight Guaranteed?

FedEx overnight service has a money-back guarantee, which was reinstated last January 3, 2023. You can regularly check FedEx.com for updates on the recent developments regarding the money-back guarantees of other delivery services this company provides. 

If you’re looking for a post office locator, especially if you’ve chosen FedEx services with last-mile deliveries handled by USPS, visit FindPostOffice.org. Our website provides a handy database of post offices that are near you. 

References

  1. FedEx® overnight shipping
    https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/overnight.html
  2. Dangerous goods (FedEx Express): how to ship
    https://www.fedex.com/en-us/service-guide/dangerous-goods/how-to-ship.html
  3. Customs Clearance
    https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/international/customs-clearance.html
  4. Money-Back Guarantee
    https://www.fedex.com/en-us/service-guide/money-back-guarantee.html