Parcel audit: what it checks, what it cannot
A parcel audit reviews carrier invoices for billing errors. Done properly, it makes fewer claims than people expect, and every claim it does make is traceable to a rule and a line.
Carrier rules on this page are as of 2026-10-29. Carriers change their terms, and some passages could only be confirmed from search excerpts of the official pages. Where a rule is marked "check the current carrier terms", we could not confirm it. RefundDock is independent and not affiliated with UPS or FedEx. Nothing here promises any refund or amount.
The short version
A parcel audit checks the charges on UPS or FedEx invoices against what the carrier's own data says and what its written terms allow. Where the two disagree, you have something to raise with the carrier. Where they do not, you do not, however high the invoice feels.
What gets checked
- Duplicate charges and shipments billed on two invoices.
- Billable weight against actual and dimensional weight, using the divisor that applies to your account.
- Surcharges that conflict with a stated rule, such as Additional Handling combined with a Large Package surcharge at UPS.
- Address-correction charges where the address did not change.
- Labels that were billed but never tendered to the carrier.
- Late-delivery refunds, only for the services where the carrier's guarantee is currently active.
Each item has its own guide: UPS, FedEx, surcharges, address corrections.
Two clocks to know
Billing disputes have a 180-day window at both carriers: FedEx counts from the invoice date (or ship date if prepaid), UPS from receiving the contested invoice. Source: FedEx Service Guide 2026 (effective Jan 5, 2026); 2026 UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States. As of 2026-10-29. Confirmed from search-index excerpts of the official page; read the source before relying on it. Late-delivery refunds run on a much shorter clock. FedEx's is 15 calendar days from the invoice date (or ship date if paid by card or prepaid). Source: FedEx U.S. Money-Back Guarantee (policy effective Feb 12, 2026). As of 2026-10-29. UPS's 15-day window after the scheduled delivery date was not confirmed in the 2026 U.S. tariff, so check the current UPS terms.
Late-delivery refunds are narrower than they used to be
UPS says its Service Guarantee is active only for Next Day Air Early, Next Day Air, Next Day Air Saver and 2nd Day Air A.M. plus some international services. Source: UPS Service Guarantee (US). As of 2026-10-29. Confirmed from search-index excerpts of the official page; read the source before relying on it. FedEx lists a similar short set of overnight, 2Day A.M. and international services and says the guarantee for all other services stays suspended. Source: FedEx U.S. Money-Back Guarantee (policy effective Feb 12, 2026). As of 2026-10-29. For a merchant shipping mainly Ground or Home Delivery, billing-error disputes are the realistic area, and both carriers can change these lists. Try the eligibility checker.
What a careful audit refuses to do
- Re-price lines from public rate tables. Contracts override list terms, so every negotiated account would look overcharged.
- Run on partial data. If the lines do not add up to the invoice total, or an invoice in the range is missing, repeated lines look like duplicates when they are not.
- Assume a divisor. The invoice's own divisor or a confirmed contract figure is used.
- Guess from unmapped data. If a charge description or column is not recognized, no check runs on it.
- Count unconfirmed items as money. Only credits that actually post to your carrier account count as credited.
Who can file
Both carriers say credits go to the payer, and both may refuse requests that come from, or rely on information from, someone else. Source: FedEx U.S. Money-Back Guarantee (policy effective Feb 12, 2026); 2026 UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States; UPS Service Guarantee (US). As of 2026-10-29. Confirmed from search-index excerpts of the official page; read the source before relying on it. That is why the written authorization step matters, and why credits post to your carrier account and never to RefundDock.
What you need to start
One recent invoice or export. No carrier passwords and no bank details. For FedEx, the "All Columns" Billing Online download; for UPS, the Billing Center billing data file. PDFs help as evidence, but findings come from CSV or spreadsheet data.
Frequently asked questions
What is a parcel audit?
A review of carrier invoices to find charges that conflict with the carrier's own data or written terms, followed by a dispute with the carrier for any that do.
How far back can I dispute charges?
FedEx accepts overcharge requests within 180 days after the invoice date (or ship date if prepaid). UPS requires adjustment requests within 180 days of receiving the contested invoice. Both are stated in their 2026 terms.
Can an audit find every error?
No. Some charges, such as delivery-area surcharges or fuel percentages, depend on carrier lists and contract terms that an invoice alone does not show, so they cannot be judged from the invoice.
Do I have to give a provider my carrier login?
You should not need to. RefundDock does not ask for carrier passwords or bank details.
Free audits are not open yet. They open at launch.
Our fee is 20% of credits the carrier actually applies to your account. If there are no credits, you pay nothing.