Shipping policy

Where we ship

We currently ship to addresses within the 48 contiguous states of the United States. All orders ship from our store in Houston, Texas — and if you're local, you can skip shipping altogether and pick up in store for free (see below).

Free in-store pickup (Houston)

Choose Pick up at checkout and collect your order at RC Hobby Shop, 11261 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77031. There's no minimum and no fee. Store hours are Tuesday–Friday 10 AM–6 PM, Saturday 10 AM–5 PM and Sunday 12–5 PM; we're closed Mondays. We'll email you as soon as your order is ready — usually within 24 hours on days we're open. If an item isn't on the shelf, we'll order it in and email you an expected date; you can cancel any item you haven't picked up yet for a full refund.

Please wait for the ready email before coming in, and bring your order confirmation and a photo ID. If someone else is picking up for you, email us their name ahead of time. We hold pickup orders for 14 days after the ready email; if we haven't heard from you by then, we'll reach out, and unclaimed orders may be cancelled and refunded to the original payment method. Pickup is also the easiest way to get LiPo batteries and big trucks like the X-Maxx and XRT — none of the ground-only shipping restrictions below apply when you collect in store.

Processing time

In-stock orders are processed and shipped within 1–2 business days (Monday–Friday, excluding holidays). Orders placed on weekends or holidays are processed the next business day. You'll receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as your order is on its way.

Shipping rates and delivery times

Shipping rates are flat and based on your order total, not the weight or size of the box: $5.95 on orders under $25, $8.95 on orders from $25 to $98.99, and free standard shipping on every order of $99 or more within the contiguous 48 states. We ship with UPS and USPS. Once shipped, most orders arrive within 2–7 business days depending on your location and the service selected. Delivery estimates are provided by the carrier and are not guaranteed.

Batteries (LiPo / NiMH)

Lithium and other rechargeable batteries are regulated as hazardous materials and can only ship by ground service within the contiguous 48 states. We can't ship batteries to P.O. boxes, APO/FPO addresses, Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. territories, and orders containing batteries can't be upgraded to expedited (air) shipping. If your order includes a battery and a restricted address or service is selected, we'll contact you before shipping.

Large and oversized items

Big trucks ship free too. Every order of $99 or more gets free standard shipping, X-Maxx, XRT and Maxx Slash included — there are no oversized surcharges and nothing extra is added at checkout. Oversized packages travel by ground only, can't be delivered to P.O. boxes, APO/FPO addresses, Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. territories, and may take a day or two longer in transit than a small parts order. If a large vehicle needs to go somewhere we can't ship it, we'll contact you before charging or shipping anything.

Backorders and pre-orders

If an item on your order is backordered or a pre-order, we'll let you know the estimated ship date. You may cancel any unshipped backordered item at any time for a full refund of that item.

Shipping address

Please double-check your shipping address at checkout — we ship to the address you provide and can't reroute a package once it's in transit. Packages returned to us because of an incorrect or undeliverable address will be reshipped at the customer's expense, or refunded less the original shipping cost.

Lost, delayed or damaged packages

If tracking shows your package as delivered but you can't locate it, check with household members, neighbors and your building's mail area, then contact us — we'll open a trace with the carrier. If your package arrives damaged, contact us within 48 hours of delivery with photos of the item and packaging so we can file a claim and get a replacement or refund moving. See our Refund Policy for details.