How to fix FedEx errors

Take a look here to solve main FedEx issues with your shipments

 

Have you correctly connected FedEx but you're facing some issues during label creation? Here's how you can fix them case by case:

 

 

Document is Invalid

Document is Invalid is usually linked to a missing match between the first upload call and the actual shipping call.

What can I do to fix the issue?

• As a first thing, verify here that the country you're shipping to supports ETD Documentation.

• If it's not the case, check whether the same Document ID has been already used for other shipments.

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Inactive customer account

If you ever happened to encounter Inactive customer account error message for a Fedex shipping we invite you to directly contact Fedex Customer Service in order to inform you about the origin of the issue.

Then, you can update your shipments on ShippyPro by clicking on Actions > Fix orders in error in bulk from Shipping Labels section.

 

Return: Number of packages exceeds maximum

If you're facing "Return: Number of packages exceeds maximum" with your Fedex shipments, here's why!

It's an issue concerning, as you can imagine, returns. Fedex in fact doesn't accept 2 packages for Returns.

You can always proceed to create a new manual return label for your shipment.

 

Total commodities weight is greater than package or shipment weight

If you enter a total weight and ship outside the EU, ShippyPro divides the weight by the number of items and approximate it. The total doesn't match and FedEx shows up an error message.

You can solve it by increasing the total weight manually.​
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Invalid booking confirmation number or BOOKING.CONFIRMATION.NUMBER.INVALID - Booking confirmation number is invalid. SHIPMENT.LOADCOUNT.INVALID - Invalid shipper load and count.

You need to contact your FedEx account manager and ask for a booking pickup number, which you have to insert in the Carrier Options "Booking Confirmation Number".

The Option is available only with the following shipping services:

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Please read the article How can I add Carrier Options to my shipments?
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Missing or invalid postalCode

In case you obtain this error when booking a pickup with FedEx, please check whether the postal code has been correctly inserted and you used the right format. If all checks out, you should reach out to your FedEx representative to verify if you're authorized to organize pickups from the selected country.
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There was an error uploading ETD to FedEx: Authentication Failed. Please try uploading a new ETD for this order''

We suggest you to contact your FedEx account manager in order to check your account settings and verify whether they have activated your API for Paperless shipments.
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There was an error uploading ETD to FedEx: The file you entered is corrupted by a virus and cannot be uploaded. Please use virus scanning software to sanitize the file prior to submitting it.. Please try uploading a new ETD for this order.

If you receive this error, our suggestion is to scan the file using an antivirus program. In case it does not work, to generate and upload a new file.

 

Error: fault

If you come across the error message "fault" after the shipment has been created, it means that we have received an item's quantity in the form of a decimal number (e.g. 1.5) instead of in the form of a whole number (e.g. 1). To correct the error, you will first have to verify that the quantity of items contains an integer number and then correct the shipment.

 

Customer is cash only

The account being used may be associated with an expired credit card or have some other billing-related issue. Failure to keep the FedEx Account current may result in the account being placed on a "cash only" status.

 

Packaging type missing or invalid

Not all Fedex service and package type combinations are supported, please ask FedEx which package you should use in combination with your service(s).

 

Incomplete commodity description 1

Fedex does not accept generic descriptions within the CN22 document.

A generic 'pants' will not be accepted, while 'Jeans Pants' will.

 

I dati inseriti nel parametro NONE sono invalidi. Azione di riferimento: NONE

FedEx doesn't allow all special characters on the labels. To solve this error, you can cancel the special characters from the label request, paying particular attention to the Notes and Item Description field.

Length, width, and height must be greater than 0 for package 1

If you are shipping from the USA or Canada, please check if the dimensions you indicated for the parcel are all greater than 0 when converted to inches (each dimension should therefore have a minimum value of 3 cm).
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Airbill is not allowed for Destination Country

If you receive this error, the shipping service selected may not be available/allowed for the specific destination country in question. In this case, check directly with the courier for the most suitable shipping service for this destination or try selecting 'All Services' from the carrier connection modal (Carriers > FedEx > Edit > Service > “All Services”).

 

Package X - Dimensions exceed length and girth limit allowed

X would refer to the problematic parcel that's causing the error (e.g. if the second parcel is not accepted, it would say "Package 2").
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This error means that the package dimensions are not conforming with the limitations imposed by the carrier for that particular service. You can find more information on the FedEx General Parcel Guidelines at this link: https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/GrlPkgGuidelines_fxcom.pdf

 

Resources unavailable to service request

The carrier's server could be down. Please wait and try to fix the orders in error later.

 

Fedex invalid customs value

If you encounter this error it means that:

• The Total Sales field inside the order and the Unit Value in the CN22 should match.

• The minimum amount required is 1 €

 

Special service SIGNATURE_OPTION is invalid

This error happens because Indirect Signature can only be requested for residential addresses. We recommend contacting FedEx and possibly shipping with this option directly with them.

 

"Weight - weight must be greater than 0 in Commodity…"

When shipping packages containing more than one item with FedEx, pay attention to the weight: in the Parcels section, you need to add the total weight of the parcels, while in the details of the CN22 section, under "weight," you should enter the weight and unit price of each item.

The sum of the weights of the parcels and the sum of the weights of items in the CN22 must match.

 

Meter number is not registered

Go in the Carrier section and remove the flag on the "test mode" option.

 

"weight.value is missing or invalid" during pickup request

Fedex allows pickup booking for parcels weighing more than 65kg only through their portal, so you will have to go to the courier's portal and book the pickup directly from there.

 

International Shipments cannot be voided at the package level

This error means you cannot edit an already created shipment, in this case please proceed and create a new shipment from scratch.

 

Destination country does not accept international non-document shipments

The error indicates that for the entered destination (e.g. Andorra) taxable shipments, i.e. anything other than document shipments, are not valid.
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Commercial Invoice is Required

This usually means that no commercial invoice (necessary for all international orders) has been uploaded - However, if this happens even you have uploaded the invoice correctly, try uploading your company logo in the Sender info section of your profile and do the same in your FedEx profile, making sure they match - Once this has been done, try correcting the order using the “Fix order” button.

 

"FedEx International Priority is deprecated and no longer available. Please select another service"

You can correct it by selecting the "FedEx International Priority" service instead of International Priority service

 

The order of the parcel dimensions you see on the label (LxWxH) cannot be modified - it's how the carrier returns it to us.

 

PAYMENT.PAYORCOUNTRY.INVALID

If you experience this error, you are trying to ship from a country not compatible with your FedEx account (e.g. you have a US account and you are trying to ship from a European country)

 

SPECIAL_SERVICE_TYPE-CODORGORDEST.SPECIALSERVICES.NOTALLOWED

If you experience this error, you are requesting the Cash on Delivery (COD) service. Please note that FedEx COD service is no longer available in USA and Canada and only partially available in the rest of the world. Contact your FedEx Account Manager to know more about this service.

 

FedEx does not support insurance. Please use Declared Value carrier option instead

If you experience this error, you are requesting insurance on a shipment. FedEx does not provide insurance. Alternatively, you can use FedEx Declared Value. Follow this link to know more about Declared Value.

 

FedEx rates are appearing at 0 € or n/a

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Please contact Fedex, it can be that the negotiated rates are not available. You could receive this answer from FedeEx customer service:

Due to the integration of TNT with FedEx and for legal reasons, at this time no IT solution from FedEx allows you to access the prices.

We anticipate that during the first quarter of 2025, this functionality will become active.

 

FORBIDDEN.ERROR - We could not authorize your credentials. Please check your permissions and try again.

If this error occurs when the credentials are correct or have not been changed, please try to re-elaborate the order, as it might be caused by a slowdown on FedEx's end.

 

SHIPMENT.ELECTRONICIMAGE.REQUIRED - This COMMERCIAL_INVOICE requires electronic image. Please update and try again.

For some shipments, FedEx requires two different documents: a document with the signature and the commercial invoice.
To carry out this type of shipment, you need to activate the following options within the connection modal to be used:

• You need to select the first option in the first box;
• Add the commercial invoice in "Upload a new PNG or GIF Image for the Invoice's letterhead" (second box);
• Finally, add the document with the signature in "Upload a new PNG or GIF Image for the invoice's signature" (third box).

• For shipments to some European destinations, FedEx may require the AWB document as a mandatory requirement, so try to remove this flag in the FedEx connection and re-elaborate the shipment:

"ErrorMessage": "STREETLINES.TOO.LONG - We are unable to process this request. Please try again later or contact FedEx Customer Service. "

The maximum limit for FedEx is 35 characters.

 

Invalid input: please, check your data again.

The error concerns the format of the uploaded document. Please try using a GIF format instead.

 

You are requesting the transmission of 2 different invoices. Remove ETD file or disable “Generate Commercial Invoice” in carrier settings.

This error occurs when you select the "Generate Commercial Invoice" option in the connetion modal and then upload the ETD documentation for the same shipment.

As these two options are not compatible, you need to:

Upload the documentation or select "Generate Commercial Invoice" in the modal.

 

 

SHIPPING_DOCUMENT - COMMERCIAL_OR_PRO_FORMA_INVOICE SHIPPING.DOCUMENT.REQUIRED - COMMERCIAL_OR_PRO_FORMA_INVOICE is required to process your electronic trade document request.

The USMCA commercial invoice is only accepted for shipments originating from the United States (US exports).

 

COMMERCIAL_OR_PRO_FORMA_INVOICE is required to process your electronic trade document request.

Please contact our Support via chat or ticket.

 

RECIPIENT.STATEORPROVINCECODE.INVALID. We are unable to process this request.

Check if the recipient Province/State field is correct or simply remove it.

 

SHIPPER.STATEORPROVINCECODE.INVALID. Shipper State or Province code is invalid.

Check that the sender Province / State field is correct or simply remove it.

 

The COMMERCIAL_INVOICE requires an electronic LETTER_HEAD

If you are using the old Fedex connection, please connect Fedex v2 and upload there the Letterhead.

 

COMMODITYWEIGHT.GREATERTHAN.PACKAGEWEIGHT - Total commodities weight is greater than the package weight. Please check each commodities weight entered. 

The error is displayed if the "total weight" equals the sum of the weights of the products in the shipment. FedEx expects you to include packaging materials in the "total weight" field.

Try increasing the number in the "total weight" field and reprocessing the shipment.

 

SYSTEM.UNEXPECTED.ERROR - GENERAL FAILURE {FAILURE_CAUSE}. Please update and try again.

This error indicates a temporary server down on the carrier side. Try to fix the order later on.

 

EXPORTDETAIL.DATA.MISSING - Export detail data is missing in this shipment. Please update and try again

This error indicates that you need to fill in the B13A parameter, which is required by the carrier in these cases. You'll need to add the following Carrier Option:

Here are further details from the FedEx website on when the B13A is required: FedEx | System Down

 

The ETD document type you uploaded is not supported by FedEx v2. Please retry with a different ETD document type. Supported types are: PRO_FORMA_INVOICE, CERTIFICATE_OF_ORIGIN, USMCA_COMMERCIAL_INVOICE_CERTIFICATION_OF_ORIGIN, COMMERCIAL_INVOICE.

This error can occur for various reasons:

1. Choose "commercial invoice", instead of just "invoice" when you upload the ETD

2. If you are shipping to European Union countries, there is no need to attach ETD documents.
3. Make sure that the paperless configuration is enabled in the carrier connection settings:

You are requesting Paperless service: please upload an ETD file in Invoice manager section or enable "Generate Invoice with FedEx format" in carrier settings.

Check if the "paperless" option is enabled in the connection modal. If it is active, deactivate it and reprocess the shipment.

 

SHIPPINGDOCUMENTSPECIFICATION.CUSTOMERIMAGEUSETYPE.NOTFOUND - Letterhead and/or Signature images could not be retrieved.

This error may refer to a wrong upload of your letterhead and/or signature. We suggest that you upload it again form the Carriers section, considering the following limitations:

• Signature image: 240x25 pixels - 60KB

• Letterhead image: 700x50 pixels - 60KB

 

The city, State/Province and ZIP/Potal code combination that you entered is not valid

 

When trying to connect Fedex v2, if this message appears double check that the credentials, name and the address on ShippyPro correspond exactly to those present in the Fedex Account under the Billing address section.

 

General Failure

If you are creating an international shipment, note that FedEx accepts a maximum of 5 ETDs. In case you uploaded more, try to merge them into a single PDF.

 

VALUE.TOO.LONG - CustomerReference value is invalid for customer reference 2 in requestedPackage 1. Please update and try again.

The length of the data carrier's note is too long, shorten it and rielaborate the shipment.

 

COMMERCIAL_INVOICE requires an electronic SIGNATURE

If you are using the old Fedex connection, connect Fedex v2 and upload the signature.

 

Zip code must be at least 6 characters

If you are shipping to the United Kingdom, please ensure that the postal code you entered is correct. Note that there may be spaces between the digits in the postal code; do not remove these spaces.

 

Street 1 and Street 2 cannot be longer than 35 characters. Please enter a shorter address or split it between the two fields

Please reduce the length of Address 1 and Address 2 to a maximum of 35 characters in total.

 

RECIPIENT.STATEORPROVINCECODE.INVALID - Destination country is not serviced. Please update and try again.

If you encounter this error while shipping to the Canary Islands, please double-check your shipment details and ensure that you enter the following information correctly:

- Use the code "ES" in the "State/Province" field

- Enter "Spain" in the "Country" field.

 

RATE.LOCATION.NOSERVICE - FedEx service is not currently available to this origin / destination combination. Enter new information or contact FedEx Customer Service.

1. Check with the courier to see if you have permission to ship to this destination. 

2. Verify that the order details are accurate and free of any special characters or empty spaces.

 

FedExv2:In order to generate a commercial invoice, you must upload your letterhead image and signature in the carrier settings. Please upload new images and try again.

Navigate to the Carriers section and ensure that the required documents are correctly uploaded in the FedEx connection settings "Upload a new PNG or GIF Image for the invoice's letterhead":

PACKAGE_INDEX - 1 WEIGHT - 68.01 WEIGHT_UNITS - KG WEIGHT.BELOWMINIMUMLIMIT.ERROR - The weight entered is below the standard minimum for FedEx {package} Express services. Please enter a weight of at least 68.01 KG.

in order to use the Freight service, the indicated weight must be greater than 68 kg per individual parcel or the parcel dimensions must correspond to a volumetric weight greater than 68 kg

 

COMMODITY_INDEX - 1 COMMODITY.DESCRIPTION.REQUIRED - A commodity description is required.

Ensure that each item in the order has a corresponding name that has been imported from the Marketplace.

If any item name is absent, please add it in the Marketplace and allow time for the order to be reimported with the complete data.

 

FedExv2:DESTINATION.POSTALCODE.MISSING.ORINVALID - Destination postal code missing or invalid.

Check if the postal code field has been filled in and verify its accuracy.

 

SPECIAL_SERVICE_TYPE - ELECTRONIC_TRADE_DOCUMENTS ORGORDEST.SPECIALSERVICES.NOTALLOWED - This special service type is not allowed for the origin/destination pair. Please update and try again

The flag "Avoid generation of AWB for intra-EU shipments”, in Carriers>FedExv2>Edit, cannot be activated for returns.

 

SHIPMENTSPECIALSERVICES.ETDDETAIL.NOTAVAILABLE - Electronic trade documents are not available for domestic shipments. Please update and try again.

If you are processing domestic shipments, please ensure to deselect the "Paperless" and "Generate Invoice" options in the carrier connection settings.

An error occurred while processing your shipment. Please try again later

If you get this error on all your shipments during GetRates/carrier selection, it is possible that there is a momentary slowdown on the carrier side. Please try again later.

If you get this error during GetRates/carrier selection only on one/some specific orders, it is possible that the order contains special characters or combinations of characters (e.g. a specific word followed by brackets) that are blocked by the Carrier's firewall. Try removing all special characters or create a manual shipment from scratch.

 

PICKUP.STATEORPROVINCECODE.MISSING - GENERIC.ERROR

For pickup requests in Quebec and Newfoundland, the "State" field should be entered respectively as "PQ" and "NL" instead of their regular ISO codes (which would be QC and NF).

 

There was an error while uploading the file. Please try again later.

If the error above is encountered for an international shipment with an ETD, please re-convert your ETD file, upload it again and delete the previous one.

 

REQUESTEDSHIPMENT.SERVICETYPE.UNSUPPORTED - Service type is not supported at the moment. Please contact FedEx customer service for more information.

Check if the service you are using is compatible with the shipment you are trying to create.

In case you are shipping via API make sure to select the specific service to be used both in the Carrier Connection and in the CarrierService parameter of the API call (All Services won't be accepted)