How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Surfboard? | Parrot Surf Shop

The definitive guide · Parrot Surf & Skate · Mount Pleasant, SC

How Surfboard Shipping Works —
and why the big ones cost more

Every surfboard is "oversized" to a shipping carrier, and once a board hits 8 feet it can't ride a normal delivery truck at all. Here's exactly what to expect before you check out — no surprises after you order.

Shop surfboards See the rate tiers ↓
Why it matters

Boards aren't like the rest of your cart

A wax bar ships in an envelope. A surfboard is up to nine feet of fragile fiberglass, and carriers price it accordingly. Four things drive what you pay.

Surfboards are "oversized" by default
Almost any board trips a carrier's length and additional-handling surcharge. That cost is real and it's baked into every board's shipping.
8 feet is the hard line
UPS and FedEx cap parcel length at 96 inches (8'). A board that long or longer can't go ground — it has to move as freight on a pallet.
Where you are changes the price
We ship from Charleston, SC. The East Coast is cheapest; the West Coast, Hawaii, and Alaska cost more the farther the board travels.
In-store pickup is always free
Local to the Lowcountry? Reserve online and grab your board at 811 Coleman Blvd — zero shipping, and you can inspect it on the spot.
The rate tiers

What your board costs to ship

Shipping is set by the board's length, because length is what decides how the carrier can move it. Find your board's size, then read across to your region.

The rule of thumb: under 8' ships on a regular truck (parcel ground). 8' and over ships as freight on a pallet, which is quoted per order — it is not a flat rate.
Board length Ships via SE U.S. East Coast West Coast HI / AK
Under 7'
shortboards, fish, groms 		Parcel ground + oversize surcharge $[SE_SHORT] $[EAST_SHORT] $[WEST_SHORT] Quote
7' – 7'11"
funboards, mid-lengths 		Parcel ground, heavy oversize $[SE_MID] $[EAST_MID] $[WEST_MID] Quote
8' and over
longboards, mini-mals, SUPs 		LTL freight — palletized Freight quote Freight quote Freight quote Freight quote
Ordering an 8'+ board? The checkout rate is a placeholder — we confirm the exact freight cost and delivery details with you before anything ships. No board goes out until you've okayed the freight quote.
Parcel vs. freight

Two very different deliveries

A board under 8' arrives like any other package. A freight board arrives like a piece of furniture. Knowing which you're getting sets the right expectation.

Under 8' — parcel ground
  • Ships UPS/FedEx ground in a padded board box
  • Left at your door like a normal delivery (signature over $500)
  • Flat rate you see at checkout — no follow-up needed
  • Typically a few business days within the region
8' and over — LTL freight
  • Moves on a pallet aboard a freight truck (LTL = less-than-truckload)
  • Curbside / appointment delivery — the driver won't carry it inside
  • Cost is quoted per order, not a flat website rate
  • Longer transit; inspect and note any damage before you sign
01
Buy local, skip it entirely
In the Charleston area, choose in-store pickup at checkout. Free, immediate, and you inspect the board yourself.
02
Give a reachable phone number
Freight carriers call to schedule the drop-off. A good number means no missed-delivery fees or reschedules.
03
Be there for a freight delivery
Someone should receive an 8'+ board, check it over, and note any damage on the delivery slip before signing.
04
Ask us before you order
Not sure what a big board will run to your zip? Call the shop and we'll price the freight before you check out.
Talk to a real surfer: Call Parrot Surf & Skate at 843.884.1035 and we'll walk you through shipping on any board before you buy.
By board type

Which boards ship which way

A quick map from what you're riding to how it gets to you.

Most orders
Shortboards & fish
Under 7' · parcel ground

The bulk of what ships out the door. Padded board box, flat checkout rate, doorstep delivery. Oversize surcharge is already built into the price you see.

Ships as: standard parcel, flat rate by region.
Shop surfboards →
In between
Funboards & mid-lengths
7' – 7'11" · parcel ground

Still ships parcel ground, but it's near the carrier limit, so the oversize surcharge is heavier. Flat rate at checkout, doorstep delivery.

Freight only
Longboards, mini-mals & SUPs
8'+ · LTL freight

Over the 8' parcel limit, so these move as palletized freight. We quote the exact cost and confirm delivery with you before shipping — or pick it up in-store for free.

FAQ

Common questions

Because they travel completely differently. A board under 8' rides a normal delivery truck as an oversized parcel. A board 8' or longer exceeds the carrier's 96-inch length limit, so it can't go parcel at all — it has to ship as freight (LTL) on a pallet, which is far more expensive to move. It's not a markup; it's a different shipping method entirely.
8 feet. UPS and FedEx cap parcel length at 96 inches (8'). Anything that length or longer — most longboards, mini-mals, and SUPs — ships as palletized LTL freight, quoted per order rather than at a flat website rate.
On oversized freight boards (8'+), the rate shown at checkout is a placeholder because freight is priced per destination. We confirm the exact freight cost and delivery details with you before the board ships, and nothing goes out until you've approved it. If the difference doesn't work for you, we'll refund and cancel — no board leaves without your okay.
Yes, and it's free. If you're in the Charleston / Lowcountry area, choose in-store pickup at checkout and collect your board at Parrot Surf & Skate, 811 Coleman Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464. You also get to inspect it before you take it home.
A freight (LTL) board arrives on a pallet by freight truck. The carrier calls ahead to schedule an appointment, and delivery is curbside — the driver won't bring it inside. Have someone available to receive it, inspect it, and note any damage on the delivery slip before signing.
Yes, but HI and AK are always quoted individually regardless of board size, because of the distance and carrier limits. Call the shop at 843.884.1035 or reach out and we'll price it for your address before you order.
Inspect every board at delivery. On a freight shipment, note any visible damage on the delivery slip before you sign — that protects your claim. Then contact us right away at 843.884.1035. Fiberglass boards can pick up minor pressure dings in transit; anything beyond that, we'll make right.

Know before you buy

Questions on shipping a specific board to your zip? Call the shop and we'll price it before you check out — or pick it up in Mount Pleasant for free.

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