NMFC Calculator: Freight Class by Density

Density = weight (lb) ÷ cube (ft³), and the density band sets the class. A 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet at 500 lb is 53.33 ft³ and 9.38 lb/ft³, which is class 100 on the 2025 NMFC scale.

Estimated freight class Class 100 9.38 lb/ft³ · density sub 6 of 13

Total cube53.33 ft³

Total weight500.0 lb

Pieces1

Class 400 is the least dense band and class 50 the densest. Lower classes usually rate cheaper.

Dimensions in

Weight in

Up to 10 lines. Measure as shipped, pallet included. For a cylinder, length is the diameter.

Next lower classClass 92.5 at 10 lb/ft³

Weight to add, same cube+33.4 lb

Or cube to cut, same weight−3.34 ft³

Tighter packing or a lower stack is the practical lever. Added weight is billed too.

See your row in the density chart

The calculation runs in your browser. This is a density estimate, not a binding NMFC classification.

Formula

How to Calculate NMFC Freight Class in 4 Steps

Measure the shipped unit. Take length, width and height to the farthest points, including the pallet deck, stretch wrap and any overhang.
Convert to cubic feet. Multiply L × W × H in inches and divide by 1,728. With several pieces, add every piece’s cube together.
Divide weight by cube. Total pounds, pallet included, divided by total cubic feet gives density in pounds per cubic foot (PCF).
Read the class off the scale. Find the band your density falls in. The lower bound counts, so exactly 8.00 lb/ft³ is class 100, not 125.

Your measurements are in	Cubic feet per piece	Example
Inches	L × W × H ÷ 1,728	25 × 24 × 23 in = 13,800 in³ = 7.99 ft³
Centimeters	L × W × H ÷ ≈ 28,316.85	122 × 102 × 122 cm = 1,518,168 cm³ = 53.61 ft³
Feet	L × W × H	4 × 3 × 4 ft = 48.00 ft³
Cylinder, inches	Diameter × diameter × height ÷ 1,728	14 in roll, 96 in long = 10.89 ft³

Check the math on a single carton. 25 × 24 × 23 in at 90 lb is 7.99 ft³, so the density is 90 ÷ 7.99 = 11.27 lb/ft³. That falls in the 10 to under 12 lb/ft³ band, which is class 92.5.

Measuring

How to Measure Loose, Palletized and Round Freight

Loose cartons and crates

Measure each piece at its longest, widest and tallest points, bulges and handles included. Enter one line per carton size with its piece count.

Palletized freight

Measure the whole unit after wrapping. Height runs from the floor to the top of the load, so the pallet deck is part of it. Weigh the pallet with the load.

Rolls, drums and tubes

Pick Cylinder and enter the widest diameter and the length. The calculator squares the diameter, which is how LTL density treats round freight.

Measure in whole inches or better, and round up rather than down when a tape falls between marks.
Keep a photo of the tape on the load. It is the quickest evidence if a carrier inspection disagrees.
Record the numbers on your bill of lading exactly as you measured them.

2025 density scale

NMFC Freight Class Chart by Density

The 13-sub scale in effect since July 19, 2025. The last column shows the weight a 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet (53.33 ft³) needs to land in each band.

Sub	Density (lb/ft³)	Freight class	48 × 40 × 48 in pallet weight
1	Less than 1	Class 400	53 lb or less
2	1 to under 2	Class 300	54 to 106 lb
3	2 to under 4	Class 250	107 to 213 lb
4	4 to under 6	Class 175	214 to 319 lb
5	6 to under 8	Class 125	320 to 426 lb
6	8 to under 10	Class 100	427 to 533 lb
7	10 to under 12	Class 92.5	534 to 639 lb
8	12 to under 15	Class 85	640 to 799 lb
9	15 to under 22.5	Class 70	800 to 1,199 lb
10	22.5 to under 30	Class 65	1,200 to 1,599 lb
11	30 to under 35	Class 60	1,600 to 1,866 lb
12	35 to under 50	Class 55	1,867 to 2,666 lb
13	50 or more	Class 50	2,667 lb or more

Source: NMFTA announced the move from an 11-sub to a 13-sub density scale, effective July 19, 2025. Breakpoints as published on the class and density calculator pages of Estes Express and FedEx Freight, checked September 2026. Commodity-specific NMFC items can set a different class.

Worked example

A Dallas Brand Shipping Mixed LTL Freight to Atlanta

A home-goods brand in Dallas, Texas is sending one LTL shipment to a retailer’s distribution center in Atlanta, Georgia. It has three kinds of freight, measured in inches and pounds.

Line	Pieces	Size each (in)	Weight each	Line cube	Line density	Class on its own
Boxed bedding, pallets	2	48 × 40 × 56	640 lb	124.44 ft³	10.29 lb/ft³	92.5
Lamps and decor, pallet	1	48 × 40 × 40	310 lb	44.44 ft³	6.98 lb/ft³	125
Rolled rugs, cylinders	2	14 dia × 96	58 lb	21.78 ft³	5.33 lb/ft³	175
Shipment	5		1,706 lb total	190.67 ft³	8.95 lb/ft³	100

190.67 ft³total cube across 5 pieces

1,706 lbtotal weight, pallets included

8.95lb/ft³ for the whole shipment

Class 100estimated on the density scale

No single line is class 100. The dense bedding pallets and the light rugs average out when the shipment is rated as a whole.
Reaching class 92.5 (10 lb/ft³) would take 200.7 lb more at the same cube, or 20.07 ft³ less at the same weight.
If the carrier rates each handling unit, the rugs could rate as class 175. Ask how the tariff treats mixed shipments before you book.

Pallet breakpoints

How Heavy a 48 × 40 Pallet Must Be for Each Class

Minimum loaded weight to reach each class, for a standard 48 × 40 in footprint at four loaded heights. Heights include the pallet deck.

Loaded height	Cube	Class 175 from	Class 125 from	Class 100 from	Class 85 from	Class 70 from
36 in	40.00 ft³	160 lb	240 lb	320 lb	480 lb	600 lb
48 in	53.33 ft³	214 lb	320 lb	427 lb	640 lb	800 lb
60 in	66.67 ft³	267 lb	400 lb	534 lb	800 lb	1,000 lb
72 in	80.00 ft³	320 lb	480 lb	640 lb	960 lb	1,200 lb

Height is the lever

On a fixed footprint, every inch of height adds cube. The 500 lb pallet in the calculator reaches class 92.5 if it tops out at 45.0 in instead of 48 in.

Read across the row

At 48 in, a pallet needs 427 lb for class 100 and 800 lb for class 70. Find your height, then compare your scale weight.

Stack, then measure

Build the pallet the way it will ship, wrap it, then measure. Measuring cartons before stacking misses the deck and any overhang.

Beyond density

The Four Things That Set an NMFC Class

Carriers and NMFTA describe the same four transportation characteristics. Density is the only one a calculator can measure.

DensityWeight per cubic foot

What this tool measures. Denser freight uses less trailer space per pound and falls in a lower class.

HandlingCare in loading

Fragile, awkward or unusually shaped freight that needs special equipment or attention can class higher.

StowabilityFit with other freight

Hazardous, regulated or odd-sized items that cannot load next to other cargo can class higher.

LiabilityRisk of loss or damage

Perishable, high-value or theft-prone goods carry more carrier risk, which can raise the class.

When the estimate holds

Your commodity’s NMFC item points to the density scale, and the freight is ordinary, stackable and well packed.

When to check the item

The freight is fragile, hazardous, high value or oddly shaped. Its NMFC item may fix a class that density does not predict.

Who decides

The NMFC item for your commodity and your carrier’s tariff decide the billed class. Confirm it before you print the bill of lading.

2025 changes

What the 2025 NMFC Density Scale Changed

11 → 13 subsNMFTA replaced the 11-sub density scale with a 13-sub scale.

July 19, 2025The effective date of NMFC Docket 2025-1.

60 · 55 · 50The classes for 30 to under 35, 35 to under 50, and 50+ lb/ft³.

Recheck any class you copied from an older chart or a saved bill of lading template.
Dense freight at 30 lb/ft³ or more now has three bands of its own. Run it through the calculator again.
Many items moved to density-based classes, so a commodity class you used before may now depend on how you pack.
Carrier calculators and older third-party tools may not all have updated. Use one that shows the 13-sub scale.

Avoid reclasses

Six Freight Class Mistakes That Change the Bill

Leaving out the pallet

The deck adds height and weight. Leaving it out makes freight look denser than the carrier will measure.

Ignoring overhang

Cartons that hang past the pallet edge set the length and width. Measure to the farthest point on every side.

Weight each vs weight total

Enter the weight of one piece and the piece count. A line total typed as weight each is counted once per piece.

Guessing the weight

Use a scale reading for the loaded pallet, not a spec-sheet total. Carriers can reweigh after pickup.

Using an old chart

Charts from before July 2025 put everything at 30 lb/ft³ or more in class 60. The 13-sub scale narrows class 60 and adds classes 55 and 50, so dense freight is where they differ.

Skipping the commodity

Density is not the whole story. A vague description on the bill of lading invites an inspection and a reclass.

Next step

Related LTL and Pallet Tools

Pallet calculator Work out boxes per pallet, Ti-Hi and loaded height before you measure density. Dimensional weight calculator Parcel carriers bill by DIM weight instead of class. Compare the two. Bill of lading template Put the class, piece count and commodity description on a clean BOL. CBM calculator Convert the same cartons into cubic meters for an ocean or air quote.

See all free logistics tools, or read how Locad handles shipping and warehousing for the freight you just classed.

FAQ

NMFC and Freight Class Questions

Multiply length × width × height in inches, divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet, then divide the total weight in pounds by the cubic feet. That density sets the class. A 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet at 500 lb is 53.33 ft³ and 9.38 lb/ft³, which is class 100.

The NMFC item number comes from the commodity description in the National Motor Freight Classification, not from a calculator. NMFTA, which publishes it, offers a paid lookup tool called ClassIT+. Your carrier or 3PL can also confirm the item. A density calculator estimates the class only.

On the density scale, class 70 covers 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³. A 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet lands in class 70 at 800 to 1,199 lb (whole pounds). Some commodity items are class 70 for other reasons, so check the item if one applies.

NMFTA replaced the 11-sub density scale with a 13-sub scale, effective July 19, 2025, and moved many more items to density-based classes. Class 60 now covers 30 to under 35 lb/ft³ instead of everything from 30 up, and two classes were added: 55 (35 to under 50) and 50 (50 or more).

No. NMFC classes weigh four characteristics: density, handling, stowability and liability. Density drives the class for items on the density scale. Fragile, hazardous, odd-shaped or high-value freight can carry a higher class than its density suggests, so treat the result as an estimate.

Yes. Measure the freight as it will ship: pallet deck, packaging and any overhang included, to the farthest points. Add the pallet weight to the freight weight too. Leaving the pallet out makes the density look higher, and the class lower, than the carrier will find.

Add the cubic feet of every piece and the weight of every piece, then divide total weight by total cube. The worked example on this page mixes three lines at classes 92.5, 125, 175 that combine to 8.95 lb/ft³, class 100. Ask your carrier whether it rates the shipment or each handling unit.

Use the greatest dimension across the round face as both length and width, then multiply by the height or length. Choose Cylinder on a line in the calculator and it does this for you. A 14 in roll 96 in long counts as 10.89 ft³, not its 8.55 ft³ round volume.

FedEx Freight describes 18 NMFC classes, numbered 50 to 500. The 2025 density scale uses 13 of them, from class 400 for freight under 1 lb/ft³ to class 50 for freight at 50 lb/ft³ or more. A lower class number generally means a lower rate per hundredweight.

Carriers can reweigh and remeasure freight after pickup to verify density. If the measured density or the commodity puts it in a different class, the rate is adjusted and fees may apply. Accurate dimensions, the pallet included, and the right commodity description on the bill of lading prevent most reclasses.

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