Freight class calculator
Enter your pallet dimensions and weight. You get density in pounds per cubic foot and the class that density falls in, on the current NMFC scale rather than the one most calculators still run.
your shipment
Dimensions are per pallet or crate. Weight is the whole shipment, the number that goes on the bill of lading.
estimated_class
100
Subprovision 6, density 8 but less than 10 lb per cubic foot.
- density
- 8.44lb/ft³
- cube
- 53.33ft³
Density decides the class only where the commodity has no known handling, stowability, or liability concerns. Where it does, the NMFC item for that commodity governs and can land somewhere else entirely. Treat this as the starting number you take to your carrier, not the final word.
Quote this automatically at checkoutthe_method
How freight class is worked out
Three steps, and the only one people get wrong is the first.
- 01
Cube the handling unit
Length times width times height in inches, across every pallet in the shipment. Measure to the furthest point, including any overhang and the pallet itself.
- 02
Convert to cubic feet
Divide the cubic inches by 1,728. That is 12 cubed, the number of cubic inches in a cubic foot.
- 03
Divide weight by cube
Total shipment weight divided by total cubic feet gives density in pounds per cubic foot, which is what the scale below reads.
worked_example
A standard pallet at 48 x 40 x 48 in weighing 450 lb cubes out to 53.33 ft³. Divide 450 lb by that and you get 8.44 lb/ft³, which sits in subprovision 6 and carries class 100.
nmfc_density_scale
The 13 subprovisions
The scale below has been in force since 19 July 2025, when the NMFTA expanded it from 11 subprovisions to 13 under Docket 2025-1. That expansion is what introduced classes 50 and 55, so dense freight that used to bottom out at class 60 can now class lower.
| sub | density (lb per ft³) | class |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Less than 1 | 400 |
| 2 | 1 but less than 2 | 300 |
| 3 | 2 but less than 4 | 250 |
| 4 | 4 but less than 6 | 175 |
| 5 | 6 but less than 8 | 125 |
| 6 | 8 but less than 10 | 100 |
| 7 | 10 but less than 12 | 92.5 |
| 8 | 12 but less than 15 | 85 |
| 9 | 15 but less than 22.5 | 70 |
| 10 | 22.5 but less than 30 | 65 |
| 11 | 30 but less than 35 | 60 |
| 12 | 35 but less than 50 | 55 |
| 13 | 50 or greater | 50 |
Where density stops deciding
This scale applies to commodities with no known handling, stowability, or liability concerns. Where those concerns exist, the NMFC item for the specific commodity governs and can assign a class unrelated to density. Hazardous goods, fragile items, freight that will not stack, and high-value shipments are the common cases. The number this page gives you is the one to open a conversation with your carrier, not the one to put on a bill of lading unverified.
Scale verified against NMFTA's published FAQ on the 13 subprovision structure, the Estes Express density calculator, and DTS One's breakdown of the July 2025 changes.
questions
Freight class, answered
How do you calculate freight class?
Freight class starts with density. Multiply length by width by height in inches to get the cube, divide by 1,728 to convert to cubic feet, then divide the shipment weight by that figure to get density in pounds per cubic foot. That density falls into one of thirteen subprovisions on the NMFC density scale, and each subprovision carries a class. A 48 by 40 by 48 inch pallet weighing 450 pounds works out to 53.33 cubic feet and a density of 8.44 pounds per cubic foot, which lands in subprovision 6 at class 100.
Did freight classes change in 2025?
Yes. Under Docket 2025-1, effective 19 July 2025, the NMFTA expanded its density scale from 11 subprovisions to 13. That change is what introduced classes 50 and 55, which can lower the class on heavy, dense freight that previously bottomed out at 60. The NMFTA also moved a large number of commodity-specific items onto the density scale, so freight that used to carry a fixed class may now be classed on density instead. Several widely used third-party calculators still run the older scale and will disagree with this one, most visibly between 8 and 10 pounds per cubic foot.
Is density the only thing that sets freight class?
No, and this is where estimates go wrong. Density decides the class only for commodities with no known handling, stowability, or liability concerns. Where those concerns exist, the NMFC item for that specific commodity governs and can assign a class that has nothing to do with density. Hazardous materials, fragile goods, freight that cannot be stacked, and high-value items are the usual cases. Use the number here as the starting point you take to your carrier, and confirm the NMFC item before it goes on a bill of lading.
What happens if I put the wrong freight class on a BOL?
The carrier inspects, reclasses the shipment, and rebills you. The corrected charge is usually higher than the original quote, and it arrives weeks later as an adjustment rather than at the time of booking, which is what makes it painful to reconcile. Understating class is the expensive direction. This is the main reason we automate class and dimensional data at the source rather than leaving it to whoever is filling in the paperwork that day.
What is a handling unit?
A handling unit is one piece the carrier moves and counts, typically a pallet, crate, or skid. Density is calculated across the whole shipment, so if you ship four identical pallets, enter the dimensions of one pallet, set handling units to four, and enter the total weight of all four. Loose cartons that are not palletized each count as their own handling unit, which is one reason palletizing usually improves your class.
Can Shopify quote LTL freight using this class?
Yes, once the class and dimensional data live on the products themselves. The reason most stores cannot quote freight at checkout is not the carrier connection, it is that the catalog never captured the dimensions, weight, and class needed to rate a pallet. With that data in place, a customer ordering four pallets sees a real freight number at checkout instead of a form asking them to call.
freight_automation
Stop classing pallets by hand
If your team looks this up per order, that is a data problem in the catalog, not a shipping problem. We wire class and dimensions into the products so the store quotes freight on its own.