FedEx Fuel Surcharge 2026: How It's Calculated and What It Applies To

The FedEx fuel surcharge changes every week. See the current percentages for FedEx Ground, FedEx Express and international services on FedEx’s live page: fedex.com/en-us/shipping/fuel-surcharge.html.

Quick answer: FedEx adds a fuel surcharge to almost every shipment as a percentage of the net transportation rate plus most surcharges. It changes every week. FedEx Ground uses the U.S. Department of Energy’s national on-highway diesel price; FedEx Express uses the U.S. Gulf Coast jet fuel spot price. Because it’s a percentage, it multiplies every other charge on the invoice, including incorrect ones.

A carrier invoice audit checks that the right weekly percentage was applied and recovers the fuel charged on surcharges that shouldn’t have been billed.

Sources: FedEx fuel surcharge page and the FedEx Service Guide effective January 5, 2026. For past weeks, see FedEx’s historical fuel surcharge page.

How It Appears on Your FedEx Invoice

On a FedEx invoice this appears as “Fuel Surcharge”, per FedEx’s list of invoice fee names. It is calculated on the transportation charge plus most other surcharges on the same package, so it moves whenever those change.

How the FedEx Fuel Surcharge Is Calculated

FedEx publishes tables that map fuel prices to surcharge percentages and updates the surcharge weekly based on a U.S. Department of Energy price index. There is a lag of one to two weeks between the index date and the week the surcharge takes effect.

The percentage moves with fuel prices, sometimes by a lot, and it is applied to a large part of your bill. Check FedEx’s live fuel surcharge page for the week you shipped rather than relying on an old figure.

FedEx notes that a customer’s agreement is the final authority on how its fuel surcharge is calculated and how often it adjusts, so contracted terms can differ from the public table.

What the Fuel Surcharge Is Applied To

The fuel surcharge is not just a percentage of the base rate. For FedEx Ground, Home Delivery and International Ground, FedEx applies it to the net package rate plus these surcharges, among others:

• Residential Delivery Charge and Demand — Residential Delivery Charge
• Delivery Area Surcharge
• Additional Handling Surcharge and its demand version
• Oversize Charge and its demand version
• Ground Unauthorized Package Charge and its demand version
• Address Correction
• Delivery Signature Options
• Hazardous Materials, Call Tag, Return Pickup and Home Delivery convenience options

For FedEx Express, the list also includes Saturday Delivery and Pickup, Reroute, Demand Surcharge, Authenticated Delivery and dangerous goods charges. Pickup fees are also subject to fuel.

Why that matters

At a 30% fuel surcharge, a $6.45 residential charge really costs about $8.39, and a $25.50 address correction costs about $33.15. An incorrect surcharge you don’t catch costs you the surcharge plus the fuel applied on top of it.

How to Manage FedEx Fuel Costs

• Negotiate the fuel surcharge. Fuel discounts or caps are a standard part of FedEx contract negotiation, especially for larger shippers.
• Cut the surcharges fuel is applied to. Fixing residential misclassification, address errors and packaging problems removes the fuel on top of them too.
• Shift Express volume to Ground where possible. Beyond the lower base rate, Ground’s fuel percentage is set from a different index and is often lower than Express’s.
• Verify the weekly percentage. Check that invoices use the percentage in effect on the ship date, or your contracted rate if different.
• Compare carriers on all-in cost. UPS uses its own fuel tables, so the same week can favor one carrier or the other.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the “Fuel Surcharge” on my FedEx invoice calculated?

It is a weekly percentage applied to the net transportation rate plus most surcharges on the package. Check FedEx’s live fuel surcharge page for the percentage that applied in the week you shipped.

What is the FedEx fuel surcharge right now?

FedEx posts the current Ground, Express and international percentages each week at fedex.com/en-us/shipping/fuel-surcharge.html.

How often does the FedEx fuel surcharge change?

Weekly, based on Department of Energy fuel price indexes with a lag of one to two weeks.

Is the FedEx fuel surcharge applied to other surcharges?

Yes. It applies to the net transportation rate plus most accessorials, including residential, delivery area, additional handling, oversize, address correction and signature charges.

Can the FedEx fuel surcharge be negotiated?

Yes. Fuel discounts and caps are commonly negotiated in FedEx agreements. Your contract governs how your fuel surcharge is calculated.

Related Reading

• FedEx Surcharges 2026: Every Fee, Rate & Threshold Explained
• FedEx Demand Surcharges 2026
• FedEx Residential Delivery Charge 2026
• UPS Fuel Surcharge 2026
• Shipping Contract Negotiation Guide

Get a free carrier invoice audit

D’arrigo Consulting audits FedEx and UPS invoices line by line for surcharges that were billed when they shouldn’t have been. Request a free invoice audit to see what you can recover.

This article is for informational purposes only. Carrier rates, surcharges, and policies change frequently — always verify current terms directly with the carrier for your specific situation. Have questions? Reach out to us — we're happy to help.