Rate errors and label errors are the main error types you may encounter when creating labels for your shipments.
RATE ERROR: This error prevents you from getting a rate. Perhaps you’ve chosen a service that is invalid for a location or the weight of a package exceeds what that service allows. Typically, the best option is to try a different service.
LABEL ERROR: You may encounter label errors when you attempt to create a label. Such errors will prevent you from creating a label and these often occur because some required information is missing from the configuration. For example, UPS and DHL require a company name in the Ship From address. Without this information, you cannot create a label.
These tables list common errors, explain why you may encounter them, and how to possibly resolve them.
Errors vs Warnings
When you're unable to proceed, that means you have an error rather than a warning. An error blocks you from creating a shipping label and requires you to make some kind of change before you can successfully create a label.
In ShipStation, warnings don't stop you from creating shipping labels. They exist to bring something to your attention that might influence your shipping decision.
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Issue |
How to troubleshoot or resolve |
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ShipStation was unable to create the label. While trying to get a rate, the following rate alert messages may occur:
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What it means: The shipment detail shown in the rate alert has not been set yet. ShipStation requires all four shipment details to create a label successfully. What to do: Set the missing values for the shipment. |
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Error: The lines[0] must not be longer than 40 characters. Field: shipments[0].to.destination.lines[0] |
What it means: The first address line (Address Line 1) of the Ship To address exceeds the 40-character limit. What to do: Edit the Ship To address so that Address Line 1 contains fewer than 40 characters. You can also move information to Address Line 2 or 3 if needed. |
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Error: Address Line 1 cannot exceed 50 characters. |
What it means: The first address line (Address Line 1) of the Ship To address contains more than 50 characters. What to do: Edit the Ship To address so that Address Line 1 contains fewer than 40 characters. You can also move information to Address Line 2 or 3 if needed. Possible Truncated AddressSome carriers will still allow you to create the label even if Address Line 1 contains more than 50 characters. However, the address will be truncated beyond the character limit. |
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Error: ShipStation only supports domestic return labels. APO, FPO, and DPO addresses are not supported. |
What it means: ShipStation cannot create return labels for U.S. territories or APO/FPO/DPO addresses, as they require customs information for shipping. What to do: Do not include a return label. |
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Error: Return Services are unavailable with the requested service. |
What it means: Not all carriers/services can be used for return labels. What to do: Review the Integrations Help Guide for your carrier for details. Details about Return Labels are in the Available Features section within each carrier's article. |
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Error: Selected service is not compatible with other settings (package type, weight, size) |
What it means: The service, package, weight, dimensions, or Other Shipping Options selected for the shipment are not compatible with each other. What to do: Review the shipment details to pinpoint the invalid shipment settings. You may need to refer to the carrier's service guide for details on allowed package types, dimensions, and shipping options. |
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Error: The mail class [X] cannot be used with package type [Y] for domestic mail. or The mail class [X] is not available for [Y] |
What it means: The selected shipping service and package type are not compatible with each other. What to do: Adjust the shipping service or package type as needed. You may need to refer to the carrier's service guide for details on which package types are compatible with which services. |
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Error: You have selected an invalid shipping service type for this address. |
What it means: The selected shipping service is not a valid option when shipping from the Ship From address to the Ship To address. For example, you attempt to use a domestic shipping service for an international shipment. What to do: Select a valid service for the shipment. You may need to refer to the carrier's service guide for details on allowed shipping services for the shipment destination. |
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Error: Dimensions are required in order to calculate the rate. |
What it means: The selected shipping service requires dimensions, but dimensions have not been added to the shipment details. What to do: Add package dimensions to the Size area of the shipment details. To ensure you receive an accurate rate, please use the actual package dimensions. |
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Error: Recipient address has not been verified. |
What it means: Address validation has not been performed on the Ship To address for this shipment. What to do: Click the Validate Address link next to the Ship To address in the Order Details screen. |
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Error: This field is required to ship to Mexico. |
What it means: Mexico requires a summary of contents in the Package Description field. This requirement, called Carta Porte, was implemented by the Mexican Tax Authority in January of 2023. The Mexican customs authority began enforcing this rule on August 1st, 2023. What to do: Enter a summary of the package contents (35 characters maximum) into the Package Contents field in ShipStation. You can then successfully create your shipping label. |
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Error: Inventory Unavailable. Insufficient inventory to fulfill these items. |
What it means: The order includes a product with a higher quantity than the available inventory for the product. What to do: Click Admin Override to ignore inventory levels entirely. No stock will be deducted from your existing inventory levels. You can manually adjust your stock levels if needed. |
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Error: Missing or invalid ship from company name |
What it means: Your ShipStation Ship From Location is missing a Company Name. What to do: Some carriers, like UPS, require a Ship From Company Name for some services. You can either add a Company Name to your Ship From Location address in your ShipStation account settings or add a Company Name in the Branding tab of your store's settings. |
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Error: When attempting to get a rate, no error message appears but no rate is displayed after clicking Get Rate. |
What it means: ShipStation is unable to get rates for the shipment, either because the carrier/service does not support estimated rates or you have applied a shipping option (like third-party billing) that prevents ShipStation from displaying estimated rates. What to do: Continue to create the label as normal. Even though ShipStation cannot get rates for the carrier/service, you can still create the label successfully. If the label creation fails, you'll see a more defined error message that can help you pinpoint the issue. |
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Error: No customs items have been created for international order. |
What it means: The shipment requires customs information but no customs information has been added. What to do: Review the customs declarations for the shipment and add at least one customs declaration line with a valid description, quantity, and value. |
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Error: Please add a description for your Customs Item(s). |
What it means: A customs declaration has been created for the shipment but is missing the description. What to do: Review the customs declarations for the shipment and add a Description for each item in the declaration. |
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Error: Customs contents type not set for international order. |
What it means: You have not set the Package Contents option for the customs declaration. What to do: Review the customs declarations for the shipment and set the Package Contents option. In most cases, the Package Contents should be set to Merchandise. |
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Error: Non-delivery option not set for international order. |
What it means: You have not set the If Non-Delivery option for the customs declaration. What to do: Review the customs declarations for the shipment and set the If Non-Delivery option. |
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Error: Customs item is missing quantity. |
What it means: The quantity is set to 0 for an item in the declaration. What to do: Review the customs declarations for the shipment and add a Qty for each customs line. |
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Error: Invalid package type for carrier(s) provided. |
What it means: You are attempting to use a package type that is not available with the service class. What to do: Review your selected package type and service class to select an available package appropriate for your shipment. |
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Error: Ship From Name must contain at least two words. Each word must be at least two characters long, separated by a space or Error: Recipient Name must contain at least two words. Each word must be at least two characters long, separated by a space. |
What it means: You are attempting to ship an international package with USPS and the Name fields in your Ship From address do not contain two words for each name. What to do: Review your Ship From address and make sure the Name fields contain at least two words, with each word at least two characters long. |