---
title: Conditional Shipping by Product Category
description: Control WooCommerce shipping methods by the product categories in the cart, including the Require all option.
url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/conditional-category-shipping/"
updated: "2026-09-27"
category: How to
tags:
  - Conditional Shipping for WooCommerce
---

# Conditional Shipping by Product Category

To control shipping methods by the categories in the cart, use the Require Product Categories and Exclude Product Categories conditions in [Conditional Shipping for WooCommerce: Restrict Shipping Options by Anything](https://wpfactory.com/item/conditional-shipping-for-woocommerce/). Instead of listing individual products, you point a shipping method at whole categories, which is easier to maintain as your catalog grows.

![Product Categories condition section in Conditional Shipping settings, selecting categories per shipping method](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Product-Categories.png)

### Before you start

- WooCommerce, active, with your products assigned to meaningful categories.
- Conditional Shipping installed and enabled. Both conditions are free.

### Step-by-step setup

1. Go to **WPFactory > Conditional Shipping** (also reachable at **WooCommerce > Settings > Conditional Shipping**).
2. Open the **Product Categories** section.
3. To limit a method to certain categories, tick **Enable condition** for **Require Product Categories**, then select those categories next to the method.
4. To hide a method when certain categories are in the cart, tick **Enable condition** for **Exclude Product Categories**, then select those categories next to the method.
5. Leave a method's value empty to apply no category rule to it.
6. Save changes and test with a product from a selected category in the cart.

A rule triggers when a cart item belongs to a selected category. For Require, that item makes the method available; for Exclude, it removes the method. Only the categories you actually select matter, so pick the ones that describe the products you want to target.

### The Require all option

**Require Product Categories** honors the **Require all** general option (`wpjup_wc_cond_shipping_validate_all`, in the General section, default No). With it off, one matching item is enough for the method to show. With it on, every item in the cart must belong to a selected category before the method appears.

### Options reference

| Label | Option ID | Type | Default | Free/Pro |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Require Product Categories (Enable condition) | `wpjup_wc_cond_shipping_product_cat_incl_enabled` | Checkbox | No | Free |
| Required categories, per shipping method | `wpjup_wc_cond_shipping_product_cat_incl_method[{method_id}]` | Multiselect (product categories) | Empty | Free |
| Exclude Product Categories (Enable condition) | `wpjup_wc_cond_shipping_product_cat_excl_enabled` | Checkbox | No | Free |
| Excluded categories, per shipping method | `wpjup_wc_cond_shipping_product_cat_excl_method[{method_id}]` | Multiselect (product categories) | Empty | Free |
| Require all (General) | `wpjup_wc_cond_shipping_validate_all` | Checkbox | No | Free |

Each condition also has its own optional notice (`wpjup_wc_cond_shipping_product_cat_incl_notice[enabled]` and `[content]`, and the matching `_excl` keys), shown before the cart and checkout forms when a method was hidden by that condition.

### Use cases

- **Category promotion:** require an Accessories category on a Free Shipping method to lift sales there.
- **Protect fragile goods:** exclude a Fragile Items category from Local Pickup so those orders always ship by a safer method.
- **Whole-cart rule:** combine Require Product Categories with **Require all** so a method shows only when every item is from your chosen categories.

### Troubleshooting

- **The method appears too often:** by default one matching item is enough. If you meant "the whole cart must qualify", enable **Require all**.
- **The rule never matches:** confirm the products actually carry the selected category, and that **Enable condition** is ticked on the correct method row.
- **Need to start over:** tick **Reset section settings** in the Product Categories section and save to reset it to defaults.

### Get more control

These category conditions are free. [Conditional Shipping for WooCommerce: Restrict Shipping Options by Anything](https://wpfactory.com/item/conditional-shipping-for-woocommerce/) Pro adds the "Use shipping instances" option, so you can set conditions per shipping-method instance (a specific Flat rate inside a specific zone) instead of globally per method type. [See what Pro unlocks](https://wpfactory.com/item/conditional-shipping-for-woocommerce/).

Related articles

- [Conditional Shipping by Product Shipping Class](https://wpfactory.com/docs/conditional-product-classes/)
- [Conditional Shipping by Product Tag](https://wpfactory.com/docs/conditional-product-tags/)
- [Conditional Shipping by Product](https://wpfactory.com/docs/conditional-product-shipping/)
- [Getting Started with Conditional Shipping for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/docs/how-to-use-conditional-shipping/)
- [Conditional Shipping by Date and Time](https://wpfactory.com/docs/date-time-conditional-shipping/)

 

[![Conditional Shipping for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Conditional-Shipping-for-WooCommerce.webp)](https://wpfactory.com/item/conditional-shipping-for-woocommerce/)