Generate a UPS shipping label for a domestic parcel via the UPS Shipping REST API using OAuth 2.0
domain: developer.ups.com · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Steps
POST to https://onlinetools.ups.com/security/v1/oauth/token with grant_type=client_credentials and your UPS Developer Portal client_id and client_secret
POST to /api/shipments/v2403/ship with the Bearer token; include Shipper, ShipTo, ShipFrom address objects, PackageWeight, and Service (e.g., '03' for UPS Ground)
In the LabelSpecification object set 'LabelImageFormat' to 'ZPL' or 'PDF' and 'LabelStockSize' to '4x6'
The response returns a 'ShipmentIdentificationNumber' and base64-encoded label in 'GraphicImage'; decode and print the label
Store the ShipmentIdentificationNumber as the tracking number for subsequent tracking API calls
Known gotchas
UPS permanently retired legacy access-key authentication in June 2024; only OAuth 2.0 from the Developer Portal works for all UPS REST API calls
UPS service codes are numeric strings (e.g., '01' for Next Day Air, '03' for Ground, '12' for 3 Day Select); use the wrong code and the label will be rated at the wrong service
UPS sandbox credentials are separate from production credentials; test labels generated in sandbox cannot be tendered to UPS for pickup
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