ShipBob Logistics API

This API lets you create shipping labels and sync tracking numbers for orders processed through ShipBob’s logistics system. It’s straightforward to integrate and works in both sandbox and production environments.

Create an Account

To get started, you’ll need a ShipBob account. Sign up here. After signing up, reach out to your ShipBob representative and they’ll guide you through the process and provide the necessary credentials.

Base URLs

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https://logisticslabelprintingapi.shipbob.com

Authentication

Authentication depends on the API you’re calling:

Authorization: <SBL_authToken>

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Authorization: Bearer <Personal_Access_Token>

Create a Shipping Label

POST /api/order:createLabel

Generate a shipping label for an order. Labels default to ZPL format, but you can request PDF by adding a Label-Type header.

Headers

Request Body

Send a JSON object with order details:

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{
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  "order": {
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    "shipping_method": "Standard",
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    "recipient": {
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      "name": "Test Test",
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      "email": "johndoe@shipbob.com",
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      "phone_number": "444-333-2222",
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      "address": {
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        "address1": "223 E 5th St",
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        "address2": null,
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        "company_name": null,
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        "city": "Greenville",
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        "state": "NC",
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        "country": "US",
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        "zip_code": "27957"
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      }
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    },
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    "location_id": 33,
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    "reference_id": "101",
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    "measurements": {
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      "total_weight_oz": 4,
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      "length_in": 2,
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      "width_in": 4,
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      "depth_in": 6
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    },
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    "products": [ // optional
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      { "name": "Light Roast Coffee", "sku": "LIGHT-ROAST", "quantity": 1 }
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    ],
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    "tags": [ // optional
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      { "name": "size", "value": "small" }
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    ],
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    "requires_signature": true, // optional
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    "insurance_amount": 400, // optional
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    "packing_slip": true // optional
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  },
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  "meta": {
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    "order_number": "101",
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    "order_id": "101",
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    "customer_name": "ABC Merch"
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  }
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}

Key Fields

Response

On success (HTTP 200):

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{
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  "interim_order_id": "67c8a7f30c3c1d16d05179db",
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  "reference_id": "101",
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  "shipment_id": 100000001,
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  "label": "<label_data>"
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}

• label: ZPL string or PDF data (based on Label-Type).

Error Responses

• 400: Bad request (check your JSON).
• 401: Invalid or missing SBL_authToken.
• 500: Server issue—try again later.

Bulk Cancel Labels

POST /api/order:bulk-cancel

You can use this endpoint to refund or cancel shipping labels. Additionally, it allows you to cancel and resubmit one or more orders using the same reference_id. Once an order is canceled through this endpoint, it can be resubmitted as needed. However, please note that canceled orders will no longer be accessible in the UI or via the API.

Headers

Request Body

Send a JSON object with order details:

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{
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  "reference_ids": ["ORDER-1","ORDER-2"]
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}

Sync Tracking Numbers

Tips for Success

• Test in the sandbox first (use location_id: 33 for label creation).
• Generate your Personal Access Token in the ShipBob dashboard for sandbox-api or api.shipbob.com calls.
• Contact your ShipBob rep for your production location_id or if you hit a 401 error with your SBL_authToken.
• Poll at least every 30 minutes to avoid missing tracking updates.

Diagram

FAQs

Other Resources

• Rate Shopping API: view here
• ShipBob Logisitics webhook: view here