Shipping to Puerto Rico from the US Mainland
Puerto Rico is the Caribbean destination that is also the United States — no customs duty, no foreign receiver paperwork. But it is an island: everything crosses water from Jacksonville, Miami or the Northeast into San Juan, and ocean freight rules (the Jones Act carriers) set the prices.
Household goods move by container or by the pallet with the island carriers; cars ship roll-on from Jacksonville frequently. USPS and the parcel carriers serve the island at domestic-style rates for small boxes — for a single box, they often beat freight.
What surprises mainland senders
- Ocean freight is priced like freight, not like a parcel — a “box” the size of a barrel is a freight quote.
- Delivery beyond the San Juan metro can add days and fees; ask where your price ends.
- Island addresses need the urbanización name — a PR address without it is a delayed delivery.
For barrels and household volume, compare the island freight companies in this directory, get the full price in writing, and take your tracking number on the receipt.