Calculators

Freight Class Calculator

LTL freight density and NMFC class from pallet dimensions and weight, on the 2025 scale or the legacy 18-class table.

How it works

LTL carriers price freight by class, and for most commodities class follows density. Multiply the dimensions of each handling unit in inches, times the number of units, and divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet. Divide the total weight by that to get pounds per cubic foot, then look the density up on the bracket table. Denser freight gets a lower class and a lower rate per hundredweight.

density (lb/ft³) = total weight ÷ (L × W × H × units ÷ 1,728)
L × W × H
Handling unit in inches, pallet included, at the longest points
1,728
Cubic inches in a cubic foot
Class 50
50 lb/ft³ or more, the cheapest
Class 400 / 500
Under 1 lb/ft³ on the 2025 / legacy scale

Worked example

One 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet weighing 500 lb, on the 2025 NMFC density scale.

  1. 1Cube: 48 × 40 × 48 = 92,160 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 53.3 ft³
  2. 2Density: 500 ÷ 53.3 = 9.38 lb/ft³
  3. 39.38 falls in the 8 to under 10 bracket
  4. 4To reach 10 lb/ft³ the pallet would need 533 lb

Class 100. Another 34 lb in the same space would drop it to class 92.5.

Frequently asked questions

What changed with the NMFC in 2025?

NMFTA's Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025, moved thousands of commodities from descriptive classes to density-based classification and introduced a single 13-tier density scale running from class 50 to class 400. The old 18-class density guideline, with classes such as 77.5, 110 and 150, still appears in some carrier tariffs and contracts, so this calculator can use either.

Why did my carrier reclass my shipment?

Usually because the dock measured a different size or weight than the bill of lading. Common causes are leaving the pallet out of the height, measuring a bulging load at its narrowest point, or a load that cannot be stacked and is charged as if it filled the space above it. Measure the full handling unit at its longest and widest points.

Does a lower freight class always cost less?

For the same weight, yes. Class sets the rate per hundredweight, and class 50 can cost a fraction of class 300. But density is weight over volume, so adding weight to raise density only saves money when the rate drop outweighs the extra hundredweight. Consolidating half-empty pallets is the more reliable saving.

Related calculators