Shipping Plants with USPS: A Guide

Last updated 3 months ago. Our resources are updated regularly but please keep in mind that links, programs, policies, and contact information do change.

Shipping live plants through the United States Postal Service is common and legal for hobbyists, online sellers, and nurseries across the country. However, getting a plant to its destination both alive and legally requires navigating two distinct sets of regulations.

You must follow postal rules established by the USPS for what can safely enter its mail stream. You also need to comply with the complex web of agricultural laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and individual states to protect against the spread of pests and diseases.

Two Sets of Rules: USPS and USDA

Before wrapping a single leaf, shippers must understand the dual-authority system that governs plant movement within the United States. A package may meet all USPS requirements for mailability but still be illegal to ship due to agricultural restrictions.

Compliance with both sets of rules is mandatory, not optional.

USPS Rules: Safety and Mailability

The United States Postal Service’s primary concern is the safety, efficiency, and integrity of the mail system. Its regulations focus on whether an item is packaged securely enough to withstand transit without leaking, breaking, or posing a danger to postal employees or equipment.

USPS Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail, confirms that plants and plant products are generally considered mailable within the United States. However, this general allowance is explicitly conditional.

The publication states that plants are subject to prohibitions and restrictions imposed by federal agricultural statutes. When these rules render a shipment unlawful, the plant becomes nonmailable in the eyes of the USPS.

Essentially, USPS defers to the USDA on matters of agricultural legality.

USDA Rules: Biosecurity and Protection

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is tasked with safeguarding American agriculture and natural resources from invasive pests and diseases.

APHIS operates under the authority of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772), which grants it the power to prohibit or restrict the importation, exportation, and interstate movement of plants, plant products, and noxious weeds.

APHIS regulations determine which specific plants can be legally moved between specific states or regions, especially when quarantines are in effect.

The Critical Distinction

This creates a critical distinction that every plant shipper must understand. A person might review the USPS website, see that plants are mailable, and incorrectly assume they are cleared to ship any plant anywhere.

For example, shipping a common citrus tree from a quarantined county in Florida to California is illegal under APHIS and California state regulations, designed to prevent the spread of devastating diseases like citrus greening.

While a local post office might unknowingly accept the properly packaged box, the act of shipping itself is unlawful. Agricultural officials have the authority to inspect mail, and if they discover a prohibited plant, the package may be seized and its contents destroyed.

USPS rules define how to mail a plant, while USDA and state rules define if and what plant can be mailed between two points. A compliant shipment must satisfy both.

Shipper Responsibility and Penalties

The legal burden of compliance falls squarely on the sender. When you mail a package, you are considered the “importer of record” for the state or region receiving it and are legally responsible for its contents.

This means it is the shipper’s duty to research and adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws pertaining to the specific plant being shipped.

The consequences for failing to comply can be severe. If a shipper knowingly mails materials that are dangerous or injurious to life, health, or property, they can face significant penalties for each violation.

These can include a civil penalty of at least $250 and up to $100,000, the full costs of any required cleanup, and payment for damages. In some cases, criminal penalties may also apply.

Agricultural Regulations: What You Must Know

Before preparing a plant for shipment, a shipper must conduct due diligence to ensure the plant is legally allowed to enter the destination state. This process involves understanding restrictions on soil, checking for quarantines, and identifying prohibited species.

The Soil Restriction Rule

The single most important agricultural regulation for the average shipper to understand is the restriction on moving soil. Soil is a primary vector for harmful insect eggs, plant-parasitic nematodes, and fungal or bacterial pathogens.

To prevent the spread of these soil-borne pests, federal and state laws heavily restrict or outright prohibit the interstate shipment of soil from many areas.

For this reason, the standard and safest practice is to ship plants in one of two ways:

Bare-Root: This involves gently removing the plant from its pot and washing or shaking away all the soil from its roots. This is the most common and widely accepted method for hobbyists and commercial nurseries alike.

Sterile, Soilless Potting Mix: If a plant cannot be shipped bare-root, it must be potted in a sterile, soilless medium. These mixes are commercially available and typically consist of materials like peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, or coconut coir, which do not harbor soil-borne pests.

Most states require plants entering their borders to be grown in such sterilized potting soil.

Exceptions to the Soil Rule

There are very few exceptions to this rule. APHIS does allow certain epiphytic plants, such as orchids, to be imported on clean growing media like coconut husks, coconut fiber, or in new, unused clay or wooden baskets.

Additionally, plants originating from Canada may be allowed in growing media if they are part of a specific APHIS-approved program.

For a comprehensive overview of areas with specific soil regulations, shippers can consult the APHIS Federal Domestic Soil Quarantines Map.

Understanding Quarantines

A quarantine is a legal tool used by APHIS and state agriculture departments to stop the spread of a dangerous pest or disease by restricting the movement of articles that could carry it.

These restricted articles often include the host plants of the pest, but can also extend to soil, firewood, and even outdoor household items like patio furniture or lawnmowers.

The regulatory landscape is a dynamic patchwork, not a fixed set of rules. Quarantines are frequently updated, expanded, or removed based on new pest detections, making it essential for shippers to check the current status before sending a package.

Major Federal Quarantines

Examples of major federal quarantines that can affect plant shippers include:

Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar): Formerly known as the gypsy moth, this destructive pest is subject to a large quarantine zone covering much of the northeastern and midwestern U.S.

Moving any outdoor regulated articles from an infested state to a non-infested state requires the items to be inspected and accompanied by an official certificate stating they are pest-free.

Shippers can view the current quarantine boundaries on the APHIS Spongy Moth Quarantine Map.

Other Pests: APHIS maintains quarantines for numerous other pests, including the Imported Fire Ant, various invasive fruit flies, the Pale Cyst Nematode, and pathogens like Phytophthora ramorum (the cause of Sudden Oak Death). These quarantines can change rapidly.

Beyond federal rules, individual states impose their own quarantines and maintain lists of restricted plants. States with large agricultural economies, such as California, Florida, Arizona, and Texas, are known for having the most rigid restrictions to protect their vital crops and ecosystems.

Prohibited and Restricted Plants

Beyond quarantine rules, shippers must be aware of several categories of plants that are commonly restricted.

Invasive Species and Noxious Weeds: Many states maintain an official list of “noxious weeds” or invasive plants that are prohibited from being imported, sold, or transported within their borders.

A plant may be a common, legally sold ornamental in one state but be considered a prohibited invasive species just across the state line. For example, Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is widely sold in Connecticut but is illegal to ship to New York, where it is banned as an invasive plant.

Similarly, Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is a common groundcover in Connecticut but is banned in Massachusetts.

Economically Significant Plants: Certain plants that are vital to a state’s economy are subject to intense regulation. The most prominent example is citrus.

Due to the threat of diseases like citrus greening and pests like the Asian citrus psyllid, it is illegal to move citrus plants out of most citrus-producing states and quarantined areas without specific permits and certifications.

Hobbyist shippers are strongly advised to avoid shipping any citrus plants to prevent inadvertently violating these complex laws.

Endangered Species: Plants protected under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) or the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) require special permits (such as the PPQ Form 587) for any transport, including domestic movement.

NAPPRA-Listed Plants: While primarily an import-related category, the APHIS list of plants “Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis” (NAPPRA) includes species deemed too high-risk to allow into the country without extensive study.

Pre-Shipping Compliance Checklist

Given the complexity and dynamic nature of these regulations, a shipper cannot rely on a single, static list of rules. The most valuable skill is learning how to perform due diligence for every shipment.

Key Resources

Consult the National Plant Board (NPB): The NPB is a non-profit organization composed of the plant pest regulatory officials from every state and territory. It is the single best resource for shippers.

The NPB website hosts summaries of each state’s specific plant laws and quarantine regulations. The “State Law & Regulation Summaries” page should be the first stop for any shipper to check the rules of their destination state.

Contact State Officials Directly: If the regulations are unclear or the plant in question is unusual, the safest course of action is to contact the agricultural authorities in the destination state directly.

The State Plant Regulatory Official (SPRO) or the APHIS State Plant Health Director (SPHD) can provide definitive guidance. Contact information for these officials can be found on the NPB website or through the National Plant Diagnostic Network’s portal.

Choosing the Right USPS Service

Once legal compliance is confirmed, the next critical decision is selecting a shipping service. For living cargo, this choice is a direct trade-off between speed and cost.

Time spent in a dark, unventilated, and non-climate-controlled box is the single greatest threat to a plant’s survival. Therefore, the choice of service is a risk-management calculation.

Slower, cheaper services increase the risk of damage or death, while faster, more expensive services offer a much higher probability of the plant arriving in good health.

For most hardy plants, a transit time of 2 to 4 days is acceptable, but fragile, sensitive, or valuable plants demand the fastest option available.

Service Options Breakdown

USPS Priority Mail Express: The Premium Option

This is USPS’s fastest domestic shipping service, offering a guaranteed delivery time of 1-3 days (often overnight to many locations) by 6 PM. It includes delivery 365 days a year (with limited exceptions), up to $100 of included insurance, and end-to-end USPS Tracking.

The delivery guarantee means shippers may be eligible for a postage refund if the package does not arrive by the specified time.

Best For: Highly valuable plants, delicate or temperature-sensitive species (like tropicals being shipped in winter), or any situation where minimizing transit time is the absolute top priority.

Cost: This is the most expensive service. Retail prices start at $31.40 and are calculated based on weight and zone. It also has a $7.50 Live Animal and Perishable Handling Fee that must be added to the postage cost.

USPS Priority Mail: The Industry Standard

This is the most popular and widely used service for shipping plants. It offers an estimated delivery window of 2-3 business days (not guaranteed).

The service includes USPS Tracking, up to $100 of included insurance for commercial and retail packages, and access to a wide range of free shipping supplies, including Flat Rate boxes and envelopes.

Best For: The vast majority of plant shipments. It provides an excellent balance of speed and affordability that is suitable for most common houseplants, succulents, and dormant perennials.

Cost: This is a mid-range service. Prices for packages weighed by the shipper start at $10.05 and are based on weight and zone. The popular Priority Mail Flat Rate options can be very economical for shipping heavy plants.

It carries a substantial $15.00 Live Animal and Perishable Handling Fee, which is double the fee for the faster Express service.

USPS Ground Advantage: The Budget Option

Launched in 2023, this service replaced several older ground shipping options. It offers an estimated delivery window of 2-5 business days.

It includes USPS Tracking and $100 of insurance. As a ground-only service, it is the primary option for shipping certain hazardous materials (HAZMAT) that are prohibited on aircraft.

Best For: This service should be used with caution for live plants. It is most suitable for very hardy, tough plants (e.g., cacti), dormant bare-root stock (like shrubs or trees in winter), or for shipments traveling a very short distance.

Due to the potential for a 5-day transit time, it is generally not recommended for most live plants.

Cost: This is the most affordable USPS package service, with retail prices starting at $6.80. There is no specific perishable handling fee listed for this service.

Service Comparison Table

Professional Plant Packaging Guide

Professional packaging is a system of redundant protections designed to mitigate the multiple risks of transit: physical impact, moisture loss, soil spillage, and temperature fluctuation.

Each step serves a purpose, and omitting one can compromise the entire system. The goal is to create a secure, immobilized, and life-sustaining environment for the plant inside the box.

Phase 1: Plant Preparation (1-3 Days Before Shipping)

Proper preparation begins days before the plant is packaged.

Inspect for Pests and Disease: A week before shipping, thoroughly examine the plant, including the undersides of leaves and the soil surface, for any signs of pests like spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, or fungus gnats.

Also check for symptoms of disease such as powdery mildew or leaf spot. It is irresponsible and often illegal to ship an infested or diseased plant.

As a preventative measure, some shippers place a piece of a flea collar on the soil surface a few days before shipping to deter pests.

Prune Strategically: A few days before shipping, prune any dead, yellowing, or damaged leaves, as well as any spent flowers. This tidies the plant and prevents decay in the box.

For larger, bushier plants, consider strategically trimming back some healthy growth. This not only helps the plant fit into a smaller box (reducing shipping costs) but also helps it conserve energy during the stress of transit and transplanting.

Water Correctly: This is one of the most critical steps. Water the plant thoroughly one to two days before you plan to ship it. The goal is to have soil that is slightly moist, but not freshly watered or soggy.

Soil that is too wet is extremely heavy, which increases postage costs. It can also leak, compromising the structural integrity of the cardboard box, and it can promote root rot during the journey in a dark, airless environment.

For succulents and cacti, which store water in their leaves, it is best to ship them on the drier side to prevent rot.

Phase 2: Securing the Plant

The next step is to secure the plant and its root system. The choice between shipping bare-root or in a pot depends on the plant’s needs and regulatory requirements.

Method A: Shipping Bare-Root (Preferred Method)

This method is preferred for most plants as it eliminates the risk associated with shipping soil and significantly reduces package weight.

Remove from Pot: Gently slide the plant out of its pot. If it is root-bound, you may need to squeeze the sides of the plastic pot to loosen it. Carefully work the soil away from the roots with your fingers.

It is not necessary to wash the roots completely clean; leaving a small amount of the original growing medium clinging to the roots can reduce transplant shock.

Wrap the Root Ball: Take a generous portion of paper towels, newspaper, or sphagnum moss and dampen it with water. It should be moist, not dripping wet.

Wrap this damp material securely around the plant’s root ball. For journeys expected to last several days, some shippers embed pre-soaked polymer moisture crystals within the paper towel to provide a slow release of water.

Seal in Plastic: Place the entire wrapped root ball into a plastic bag, such as a Ziploc bag or a standard plastic grocery bag.

Pull the bag up around the base of the plant and use a rubber band, string, or twist tie to secure it snugly around the stem, where the roots meet the top of the plant.

This critical step serves two purposes: it creates a humid micro-environment for the roots, and it contains any moisture or loose debris, preventing it from damaging the rest of the plant or the box. Ensure the plant’s leaves remain outside of the plastic bag.

Method B: Shipping in a Pot (For Sensitive Plants)

Some plants are too delicate or have root systems that are too sensitive to be shipped bare-root. In these cases, shipping in a pot is necessary.

Choose the Right Pot: Never ship in a heavy and brittle ceramic, terracotta, or clay pot. These are prone to breaking in transit and add unnecessary weight and cost.

Always transfer the plant to a lightweight plastic nursery pot for shipping.

Contain the Soil: The primary challenge of shipping a potted plant is preventing the soil from spilling out. There are two effective techniques.

The first is to place the entire pot inside a plastic bag, pulling the opening of the bag up and tying it securely around the base of the plant’s stem.

The second method involves cutting a piece of cardboard or thick paper to fit the top of the pot, cutting a slit for the plant’s stem, and taping it securely to the rim of the pot.

Phase 3: Boxing and Climate Control

The final packaging phase involves creating a safe capsule for the plant’s journey.

Select the Box: Use a strong, sturdy corrugated cardboard box. It should be just large enough to accommodate the plant with a small amount of room for cushioning on all sides.

Using an unnecessarily large box will not only increase the risk of damage from shifting but can also trigger dimensional weight pricing, significantly increasing cost.

While USPS provides free Priority Mail boxes, always choose the smallest size that will work for your plant.

Cushion and Immobilize: This is the most important part of boxing. The goal is to ensure the plant cannot move at all inside the box during transit.

Place a layer of cushioning material, like crumpled newspaper, at the bottom of the box.

Position the prepared plant inside. For taller plants, some shippers use packing tape to secure the wrapped root ball or the pot directly to the bottom of the box, creating an anchor point.

Systematically fill every single void around the plant with cushioning material. Lightweight options like crumpled packing paper, newspaper, or polyester fiber fill (often sold as pillow stuffing) are ideal.

Wrap delicate leaves or blooms with soft paper for extra protection.

For potted plants, custom-cut cardboard inserts or corrugated dividers that lock the pot in place are highly effective at preventing tipping and shifting.

Perform the Shake Test: Before sealing the box, close the flaps and shake it gently but firmly. If you can hear or feel any object shifting or sliding inside, the plant is not secure enough.

Re-open the box and add more packing material until it is completely immobilized.

Add Climate Control (If Necessary):

For Cold Weather: When shipping to or through areas where temperatures are below freezing, protecting the plant from cold is essential.

Line the inside walls of the shipping box with thermal bubble wrap or a foam insulator. Use a commercial heat pack, typically one rated for 72 or 96 hours.

Activate the heat pack and affix it to an inside wall of the box, ensuring it does not directly touch any part of the plant. It’s wise to place a layer of crumpled paper between the heat pack and the plant to prevent overheating.

For Extreme Heat: In very hot conditions, a commercial cold pack can be used to keep the plant from wilting. As with heat packs, it should not be in direct contact with the plant.

Marking and Labeling Requirements

The final steps ensure the package is correctly identified, legally compliant with postal rules, and dispatched at the optimal time.

Correct Package Markings

Clear and durable markings are essential for communicating the sensitive nature of the contents to postal workers.

Use Waterproof Markings: All markings should be made with a thick, permanent, waterproof marker or with waterproof labels. Moisture from the plant or from weather can easily cause standard paper labels or ink to smear, peel, or become unreadable.

Apply Markings on Multiple Sides: To maximize visibility, mark the box on at least two sides with the following information:

• “LIVE PLANTS” and/or “PERISHABLE”: This is the most critical marking, alerting handlers to the time-sensitive contents.
• “FRAGILE”: This indicates that the contents are delicate.
• Directional Arrows or “THIS SIDE UP”: While carriers do not guarantee a package will remain in a specific orientation, these markings significantly increase the chance that handlers will keep the box upright.

Identify the Contents: USPS regulations require that a package containing a plant or plant product must have a statement on the outside that “fully and conspicuously identifies the contents.”

It is also a best practice to write the scientific and common name of the plant on the box.

Official USPS Packaging Requirements

To ensure full compliance with postal law, USPS Publication 14 outlines specific packaging mandates. Failure to meet these standards can render a package nonmailable.

Waterproof Root Wrapping: The wettable packing material (e.g., paper towels, moss) and the roots of the plant must be enclosed in a waterproof material sufficient to prevent any leakage.

This can be plastic wrap, a tar-centered paper, or waxed kraft paper.

Waterproof Box Lining: The shipping box itself must be lined with a similar waterproof material or be constructed in such a way that it can contain moisture without weakening or leaking.

Puncture-Proof Packaging: If a plant has thorns, spines, or other sharp projections, the packaging must be completely puncture-proof to protect postal employees and equipment from injury.

Strategic Shipping Timing

The timing of a shipment is just as important as the packaging. The primary goal is to prevent the package from sitting idle in a warehouse over a weekend or a postal holiday, where it will be subject to temperature extremes without any air or light.

Best Practices for Timing

Ship Early in the Week: The universally accepted best practice is to ship plants only on Monday or Tuesday. A shipment sent on Monday via a 2-3 day service will reliably arrive by Wednesday or Thursday.

Avoid Late-Week Shipping: Shipping on a Wednesday is risky unless using a guaranteed overnight service. Never ship a plant on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, as this almost guarantees it will spend the weekend in a postal facility.

Check for Holidays: Always consult the USPS postal holiday calendar before planning a shipment to avoid unexpected delays.

Calculating Costs and Printing Labels

The final step is to calculate the correct postage, print a label, and send the package on its way. Understanding how USPS prices its services is key to avoiding overpayment and ensuring smooth delivery.

Three Pricing Factors

The cost of shipping a package with USPS is determined by a combination of three main factors.

Actual Weight: The physical weight of the package as measured on a scale. Heavier packages cost more to ship.

Shipping Zone: USPS uses a system of 9 zones to represent the distance a package will travel from its origin ZIP code to its destination ZIP code. Zone 1 is the local area, while Zone 9 is the furthest distance.

A higher zone number corresponds to a greater distance and a higher price.

Size (Dimensional Weight): The USPS, like other major carriers, charges for the amount of space a package takes up in its vehicles, not just its weight. This is known as Dimensional (DIM) Weight.

For large but lightweight packages—a common scenario when shipping plants—the shipping cost may be based on the package’s volume rather than its actual weight.

This can lead to a “free box trap.” A shipper might grab a free, large Priority Mail box for a small, light plant, thinking they are saving money. However, if that box is large enough to trigger DIM pricing, the cost can be far higher than expected.

For example, a 2-pound plant in a 14x14x14 inch box would have a DIM weight of 17 pounds, and the shipper would be charged for the much heavier weight.

It is crucial to use the smallest possible box that can safely house the plant.

Dimensional Weight Calculation

The DIM weight for a domestic USPS package is calculated if the box is larger than one cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches). The formula is:

Length × Width × Height (in inches) ÷ 166 = Dimensional Weight (in pounds)

If this calculated DIM weight is greater than the package’s actual weight, the shipper must pay the postage rate for the DIM weight.

Getting Postage Estimates

Shippers can determine the cost of their package using several tools:

USPS Retail Postage Price Calculator: The official calculator on the USPS website provides retail rates for all services. Users will need to enter the origin and destination ZIP codes, the package weight, and its dimensions.

Third-Party Shipping Platforms: Websites like Pirate Ship and ShipStation offer free postage calculators that often provide access to discounted commercial rates without requiring a business account.

Saving Money with Commercial Rates

USPS offers discounted postage rates, known as Commercial Rates, to customers who purchase and print their shipping labels online. These rates are lower than the prices paid at a Post Office counter.

The easiest way for a hobbyist or small seller to access these rates is by using the USPS Click-N-Ship service on the USPS website.

Businesses with higher shipping volumes can apply for even deeper discounts through Negotiated Service Agreements (NSAs) or by opting into the USPS Business Rate Card.

Final Steps: Printing and Shipping

Print and Attach the Label: After purchasing postage online, print the shipping label. Securely attach it to the largest and flattest side of the package, covering the entire label with clear packing tape to protect it from moisture and tearing.

Include a Backup Label: It is a highly recommended best practice to place a second copy of the shipping label, or at least a piece of paper with the full sender and recipient addresses, inside the package.

If the exterior label is ever torn off or rendered unreadable, this backup will allow USPS to complete the delivery.

Get an Acceptance Scan: When dropping the package off at the Post Office, do not simply leave it on the counter or in a drop box. Hand it directly to a USPS employee and ask them to scan the barcode.

This action officially enters the package into the mail stream, starts the tracking process, and provides the shipper with proof that USPS has taken possession of the package.

This comprehensive approach to plant shipping through USPS ensures both legal compliance and the highest probability of your plants arriving healthy and intact at their destination.

Our articles make government information more accessible. Please consult a qualified professional for financial, legal, or health advice specific to your circumstances.