Chewy Shipping and Delivery Times, Explained
Chewy ships free on orders of $49 or more, charges a flat $6.95 below that, and says most orders arrive in 1 to 3 days, processing time included.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store policies change. This is a summary in our own words of Chewy's Shipping and Tracking help pages, read on October 26, 2026. Those official pages are the ones that apply; check them before you order.
Chewy free shipping minimum
Chewy ships standard for free when the order subtotal is $49 or more. The subtotal is counted before tax and before discounts, so a coupon that takes a $52 cart below $49 does not cost you free shipping. Smaller orders pay a flat standard shipping rate.
| Order subtotal (before tax and discounts) | Standard shipping |
|---|---|
| $49 or more | Free |
| Under $49 | $6.95 flat rate |
How long does Chewy shipping take?
Chewy says most customers get their order in 1 to 3 days, and that range already includes the time it takes to process the order. You should get a shipping confirmation with tracking details within 24 hours of placing it.
| What you order | Typical arrival, per Chewy |
|---|---|
| Most items | 1 to 3 days, processing included |
| Prescription (pharmacy) items | 3 to 5 days, including about 1 day for vet approval |
| Items shipped by vendor partners | The estimated range shown on the product page |
| Refrigerated food | Most arrive within 2 days after shipping |
Some products ship straight from Chewy's vendor partners. They are still part of your Chewy order, but they travel in a separate box, so they can arrive on a different day than the rest. The product page shows an estimated delivery range for those items, and Chewy sends tracking when they ship.
Frozen and refrigerated food
Cold items ship in their own insulated box, separate from the rest of the order, with dry ice or gel packs. Chewy holds some frozen orders so they do not sit in transit over a weekend, and says its packaging keeps items cold for up to 72 hours once packed.
| Frozen food ordered | Ships |
|---|---|
| Monday to Wednesday | Same day |
| Thursday | Thursday or Monday |
| Friday | Friday or Monday |
| Saturday or Sunday | Monday |
Refrigerated food ordered Monday to Wednesday ships the same day; orders placed Thursday to Sunday ship within 48 hours. Bring cold items inside and refrigerate them on arrival; Chewy says frost or condensation on the box is normal.
Carriers and delivery hours
Chewy ships with FedEx, OnTrac and USPS. Delivery windows usually run from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., depending on the carrier.
Where Chewy does not ship
Chewy says it cannot ship to:
- PO boxes
- APO and FPO military addresses
- Alaska, Hawaii, or anywhere else outside the contiguous United States, except some parts of Canada
For Canada, orders go through Chewy's separate Canadian site. Chewy says it currently delivers to Southern Ontario, to postal codes starting with K, L, M or N, including Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa.
Tips for faster, cheaper orders
- Get to $49. Since the threshold uses the pre-discount subtotal, adding one more bag of treats or litter can be cheaper than paying $6.95.
- Order frozen food early in the week. Monday to Wednesday orders ship the same day.
- Allow extra time for prescriptions. Vet approval adds about a day.
Sources
Shipping cost and timing, Frozen or refrigerated shipping, Shipping carriers, Shipping restrictions and International shipping, Chewy. Policy checked October 26, 2026.