Freight class calculator
Find your LTL freight class from shipment density using the current 13-tier NMFC scale introduced in 2025, with cubic feet, density and the class break shown.
9.38 lb per cubic foot
At 10 lb per cubic foot this drops to class 92.5, which is a cheaper rate. Packing tighter or using a shorter pallet can be worth more than negotiating.
Typical goods in this class: Wine cases, caskets, boat covers, canvas
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic feetMeasure the pallet as loaded, including overhang and the pallet itself. | 48 × 40 × 48 ÷ 1728 | 53.33 ft³ |
| Density | 500 ÷ 53.33 | 9.38 lb/ft³ |
| Freight classTypical goods in this class: Wine cases, caskets, boat covers, canvas. Carriers may reclassify based on NMFC item number, stowability, handling and liability.Source: NMFTA (National Motor Freight Traffic Association) (effective 2025-07-19) | density ≥ 8 lb/ft³ | 100 |
Step 4 of 4 — I am planning freight
How does this load pack, and what class does it move at?
Density first, then the other three factors
US LTL pricing runs on a freight class, and the class runs on density: shipment weight in pounds divided by its volume in cubic feet. Higher density means a lower class number and a lower rate per hundredweight. The measurement that counts is the pallet as loaded — including the pallet itself, any overhang, and the wrap — not the goods inside the cartons.
Density is the largest factor but not the only one. The NMFC classification system weighs four: density, stowability, handling and liability. A shipment that is dense but awkward to stow, fragile, hazardous or unusually valuable can be classed higher than its density alone implies. That is why a carrier can reclassify a shipment that you measured correctly — and why a reclassification is the single most common reason an LTL invoice does not match the quote.
The 2025 scale change
NMFTA Docket 2025-1 replaced the previous tier structure with a 13-subprovision density scale effective 19 July 2025, and reclassified more than two thousand commodity codes at the same time. The bands below 15 pounds per cubic foot moved, which is exactly where typical palletised consumer freight sits — commonly 6 to 12 pcf. A calculator still running the older chart will be right on dense freight and wrong on the shipments most people actually send, which is the worst possible failure mode because it looks correct on the default example.
Questions people ask about this
Answers written from the published rules, not from other people's summaries of them. Every figure quoted below is listed with its source at the foot of this page.
Every formula on this siteHow is freight class calculated?
Divide the shipment weight in pounds by its volume in cubic feet to get density, then look the density up on the NMFC scale. Higher density means a lower class number and a lower rate. Measure the pallet as loaded, including overhang and the pallet itself.
Did freight classes change recently?
Yes. NMFTA Docket 2025-1 replaced the older tier structure with a 13-tier density scale from 19 July 2025 and reclassified more than 2,000 commodity codes. A calculator still running the old chart will give you the wrong class on some shipments.
Why did my carrier reclassify my shipment?
Density is only one of four factors. Stowability, handling difficulty and liability can all move a class, and carriers reweigh and remeasure routinely. A reclassification is the most common reason an LTL invoice does not match the quote.
What density do I need to hit a lower class?
On the current 13-tier scale, the breaks that matter most for palletised goods sit at 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15 pounds per cubic foot. Moving from 9.5 to 10.2 pcf is one class break and a real reduction in rate. That is often achievable by packing tighter or by using a shorter pallet rather than by changing the goods at all — the volume in the denominator includes every inch of unfilled height you ship.
Do I use the pallet dimensions or the carton dimensions?
The pallet, as loaded and wrapped, including the pallet's own height and any overhang. The carrier measures what it has to fit on the trailer, and that is the shipping unit, not what is inside it. Using carton volume overstates your density and understates your class, which produces a quote that looks good and an invoice that does not match it. Measure at the widest and tallest points after wrapping.
What is an NMFC number and do I need one?
It is the commodity code that identifies what you are shipping in the National Motor Freight Classification. Some commodities have a fixed class regardless of density; others are density-based, which is where this calculator applies. You need the number on the bill of lading, and getting it wrong is a reclassification waiting to happen. If your commodity is density-based, the density is what decides the class — but the code still has to be right.
Why did my invoice come back at a different class?
Carriers routinely reweigh and remeasure at the terminal using automated dimensioners, and the result overrides what you declared. The usual causes are an under-measured pallet height, overhang that was not counted, wrap and corner board adding volume, or a density-based commodity whose actual density fell on the other side of a break. Measure the finished, wrapped pallet and use that — a quote built on the goods rather than the shipping unit will be corrected.
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Where these numbers come from
Rates and rules change, and a calculator running on stale data is worse than no calculator. Every figure below carries the date we last checked it and a confidence level, so you can judge how much weight to put on it.
| Source | Publisher | Effective | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| NMFC density scale: the 13 subprovisions (Docket 2025-1) NMFTA expanded the Freight Classification Development Center density scale from 11 subprovisions to 13, splitting the old "30 pcf or greater" tier into 30–35 (class 60), 35–50 (class 55) and 50 or greater (class 50), and reclassified over 2,000 commodity codes. Note that many third-party charts still publish an 18-row table with breaks at 9 and 10.5 lb/ft³; those rows are from the generic commodity class list, not from the density scale. Density alone does not settle a class: stowability, handling and liability can all trigger a reclassification. | NMFTA (National Motor Freight Traffic Association) | 2025-07-19Checked 2026-08-24 | Primary source |
Page updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us — corrections are published with the date they were made.
More on the working: every formula on this site, the full source register, what the terms mean, and how we decide what to publish. What an estimate here can and cannot support is set out in the accuracy notes.