How to Ship a Wheelchair

Just like any other bulky and heavy items, shipping a wheelchair can be tricky and expensive.  Shipping a motorized wheelchair will be more expensive than shipping the regular folding ones.  It is a good idea to compare prices between the post office and other shipping services first as prices vary based on the weight of the item and the location where you want to send it. The following is a simple guideline on how to pack and ship a wheelchair.

Weigh the wheelchair. If it is more than 150 pounds, be aware that most shipping companies won’t ship items that are more than 150 pounds. In the case of motorized wheelchairs, it would be a smarter option to use the services of a moving company as these devises can weigh more than 150 pounds. A standard wheelchair generally weighs between 34 and 45 pounds so weight wouldn’t be a problem.

Standard wheelchairs are usually fold-able to make it easier to handle. Fold the chair down to its smallest size.

Take the dimensions (height and width) of the folded wheelchair. Generally, a folded standard wheelchair would measure 9 inches wide by 36 inches tall.

Purchase a box that is large enough to accommodate the folded wheelchair and provide extra 5 inches in both height and width.

Use bubble wrap or foam to pack and fill the spaces around the wheelchair. These packaging materials are available in most shipping supply store or post office. Shake the box to make sure that the contents are not moving around.

Tape the box securely with clear shipping tape.

Print the destination and return addresses and place on the appropriate areas of the box: receiver’s address should be in the center of the box while your return address should be in the top left corner of the box. Use a dark-colored marker.

Bring the package to your local post office or shipping company.