Pallet Dimensions

Freight class calculator

Freight class for most LTL shipments is set by density: weight divided by cubic feet. Since July 19, 2025 the NMFC rates density on a 13-step scale, from class 50 at 50 lb/ft³ or more to class 400 below 1 lb/ft³. Some commodities still carry their own class, so check the item before you ship.

Checked November 14, 2026 against NMFTA, FedEx Freight and Averitt Express.

Size of one handling unit, at its greatest points, pallet included
Weight of one unit

Some carriers and brokers round fractions of an inch up. NMFTA’s own guidance only says to measure the greatest dimensions in inches.

Freight class

100

Cubic feet
53.33
Density, lb/ft³
9.38
Total weight, lb
500

48 × 40 × 48 in ÷ 1,728 = 53.33 ft³; 500 lb ÷ 53.33 ft³ = 9.38 lb/ft³.

See the full class chart

The 13-sub density scale

Effective July 19, 2025
A density at a band’s lower figure falls in that band: 15 lb/ft³ is class 70, not 85. The highlighted row is the worked example below.
ClassSubFromUnderSource
lb/ft³lb/ft³
Class 40010112678
Class 30021212678
Class 25032412678
Class 17544612678
Class 12556812678
Class 100681012678
Class 92.57101212678
Class 858121512678
Class 7091522.512678
Class 651022.53012678
Class 60113035126783
Class 55123550126783
Class 501350and up126783

Cite this table: The 13-sub density scale, Pallet Dimensions, checked November 14, 2026, https://palletdimensions.com/freight-class/calculator/#density-scaleDownload CSV

A worked example

A standard 48 × 40 in pallet loaded to 48 in high, pallet included, holds 48 × 40 × 48 = 92,160 cubic inches. Divided by 1,728, that is 53.33 ft³. At 500 lb the density is 500 ÷ 53.33 = 9.38 lb/ft³, which falls in the 8 to under 10 band: class 100.

Add 50 lb and the same pallet reaches 10.31 lb/ft³, class 92.5. Small changes near a band edge move the class, which is why carriers re-measure.

What changes the answer

How you measure
NMFTA says to use the greatest straight-line length, width and height in inches, including all projections, and that height includes the pallet.4 Measuring the carton instead of the loaded pallet understates the cube.
Whether your item is density-rated
Items with unusual handling, stowability or liability concerns can keep a class of their own instead of the density scale. The NMFC item for your commodity decides this, not the calculator.
Rounding
Some carriers and brokers round each dimension up to the next whole inch.11 Rounding 47.5 in up to 48 in on all three sides of a pallet adds about 3% to the cube.
Units and pieces
Density is figured per handling unit. Identical units give the same density whether you enter one or ten; mixed units should be worked one by one.

Questions about density and class

How do I calculate freight density?

Multiply length × width × height in inches, divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet, then divide the weight in pounds by the cubic feet. The answer is pounds per cubic foot.

What changed on July 19, 2025?

NMFTA’s Docket 2025-1 moved thousands of items onto a standard 13-sub density scale, effective 2025-07-19. The scale above is that one. See freight class for the full background.

Is the calculator result binding?

No. It is a density estimate. The class that applies is the one in the NMFC item for your commodity, and a carrier can re-weigh and re-measure your freight.

Does the calculator save my numbers?

No. It runs in your browser and sends nothing. The numbers sit in the page address only, so you can share a result as a link.

Sources

  1. Disposition Bulletin 1371, Docket 2025-1, NMFTA. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026. Dated March 14, 2025; prints the 13-sub density scale inside each amended item, effective July 19, 2025.
  2. Decoding density: the freight factor you can’t afford to overlook, NMFTA. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  3. NMFC changes FAQ: density and class breaks for the new 13-sub structure, NMFTA Help Center. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  4. How is the density of a handling unit calculated?, NMFTA Help Center. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  5. LTL freight density calculator, NMFTA. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  6. NMFC changes (flyer, May 2025), FedEx Freight. Read November 14, 2026.
  7. NMFC changes, Averitt Express. Read November 14, 2026.
  8. Rules tariff item 1014, Pitt Ohio. Read November 14, 2026.
  9. Measuring your shipment, Yellow. Read November 14, 2026.
  10. Density calculator, TForce Freight. Read November 14, 2026.
  11. Vital freight measurements, FreightCenter (broker). Read November 14, 2026. The only source read that states rounding up to the next whole inch.