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Shipping Basics
Shipping to US Territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, and More
If you’ve ever shipped items to a US territory, you know how difficult the process can be. You think, why is it so much harder to ship to such a destination? It can’t be because they’re islands. After all, shipping to Hawaii is treated the same as shipping to any other state such as Alaska. Furthermore, Puerto Rico is much closer to the mainland than Hawaii.
How to Ship to US Territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, and More):
- US territories are treated as domestic shipments but may still require customs forms depending on the carrier.
- USPS treats most territory shipments as domestic with minimal documentation; FedEx/UPS often require customs forms.
- Each territory (PR, GU, AS, VI, MP) has unique carrier rules—check state codes, customs requirements, and how carriers classify the destination.
- Use proper state codes (e.g., PR, GU, AS, MP, VI, FM, MH, UM) for accurate delivery and documentation.
- ShipStation helps simplify address validation, documentation, and cost-saving shipping to all US territories.
Some carriers, such as FedEx and UPS, even require you to use the territory’s name in place of the country name. Furthermore, carriers may even require you to fill out customs forms (Commercial Invoice). Despite this caveat, these shipments are still treated as domestic shipments. Even though these shipments may never go through customs, they frequently in this weird grey area where they still need to have the same documentation as an international shipment. So let’s go over what’s needed when shipping to a territory.
What is Needed to Ship to US Territories
Shipping to Puerto Rico
| Carrier | State Code | Country Listed With Carrier | Customs Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | PR | United States | No. Customs forms required with USPS to Caribbean territories |
| FedEx & UPS | PR | Puerto Rico | Yes. Customs forms required for all territories with UPS and FedEx |
Shipping to Guam
| Carrier | State Code | Country Listed With Carrier | Customs Form Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | GU | United States | Yes. USPS requires Customs to Pacific territories |
| FedEx & UPS | GU | Guam | Yes. |
Shipping to American Samoa
| Carrier | State Code | Country Listed With Carrier | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | AS | United States | Yes. USPS requires customs forms to Pacific territories |
| FedEx & UPS | AS | American Somoa | Yes |
Shipping to US Virgin Islands
| Carrier | State Code | Country Listed With Carrier | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | VI | United States | No. Customs forms not required by USPS to Caribbean territories |
| FedEx & UPS | VI | US Virgin Islands | Yes |
Shipping to the Northern Mariana Islands
| Carrier | State Code | Country Listed With Carrier | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | MP | United States | Yes |
| FedEx & UPS | MP | Northern Mariana Islands | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents are required to ship to Puerto Rico?
When shipping to Puerto Rico, USPS does not require customs forms, while FedEx and UPS require customs forms.
Is shipping to Guam different from shipping to Puerto Rico?
Yes, USPS requires customs forms for shipments to Guam, while they are not required for Puerto Rico.
What is the shipping process for American Samoa?
Both USPS and FedEx require customs forms when shipping to American Samoa.
Do I need customs forms for shipments to the US Virgin Islands?
No, USPS does not require customs forms for shipments to the US Virgin Islands, but FedEx and UPS do.
How can I save on shipping to US territories?
You can save on shipping by signing up for a free trial with ShipStation, which offers discounted rates and efficient shipping solutions.
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Sign up for a free trial with ShipStation to take advantage of our shipping solutions tailored for US territories like Puerto Rico and Guam.
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- Shipments to the Federated States of Micronesia need to to use the state code FM.
- Shipments going to The Marshall Islands need to use the state code MH.
- Shipping to another territory? Use the state code UM if shipping to one of the following U.S. Minor Outlying Islands:
- Baker Island
- Howland Island
- Jarvis Island
- Johnston Atoll
- Kingman Reef
- Midway Islands
- Palmyra Atoll
- Navassa Island
- Wake Island
- For more information on shipping to a US territory with more carriers, check out this knowledge base article.
- ShipStation offers a fantastic address verification system that verifies and corrects both domestic and international addresses.
- As a ShipStation user, you receive access to our fantastic support team. We’ve seen just about every address issue you can think of, and can help make sure everything is in ship shape before you send your packages out.
Sign up for a free trial for ShipStation today to save time and money when shipping
