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Freight Class Calculator

Enter the dimensions and weight of your packaged handling unit to get its density in pounds per cubic foot and the NMFC subprovision and class that density falls into.

Using the 13-subprovision density scale effective 19 July 2025 (Docket 2025-1). This replaced an 11-subprovision scale, so calculators still running the old table return a class that is too high for dense freight.

Pallets or pieces of the same size.

Total volume
53.33
cubic feet
Density
9.38
lb per cubic foot
Density-based class
100
Sub 6

9.38 lb/ft³ falls in subprovision 6 (8 but less than 10 pcf), which the NMFC density scale assigns to class 100.

NMFC density scale, 13 subprovisions
SubDensityClass
1Less than 1 pcf400
21 but less than 2 pcf300
32 but less than 4 pcf250
44 but less than 6 pcf175
56 but less than 8 pcf125
68 but less than 10 pcf100
710 but less than 12 pcf92.5
812 but less than 15 pcf85
915 but less than 22.5 pcf70
1022.5 but less than 30 pcf65
1130 but less than 35 pcf60
1235 but less than 50 pcf55
1350 pcf or greater50

How freight class is determined

Freight class is the shorthand LTL carriers use to price a shipment. Since July 2025 the National Motor Freight Traffic Association treats density as the primary factor: how many pounds the handling unit weighs for every cubic foot it occupies. Dense freight is cheap for a carrier to haul because it uses little trailer space for its revenue, so it earns a low class number. Light, bulky freight eats space a carrier cannot sell twice, so it earns a high one.

The calculation itself is simple. Multiply the three dimensions in inches, divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet, then divide the weight by that volume. What makes it consequential is that the scale is stepped rather than smooth: crossing a single subprovision boundary changes the class, and the class changes the rate. A pallet at 29.9 lb/ft³ and one at 30.1 lb/ft³ are a class apart.

Worked example

A standard 48" × 40" pallet built to 48" tall, weighing 500 lb.

1. Volume: 48 × 40 × 48 = 92,160 cubic inches ÷ 1,728 = 53.33 cubic feet.

2. Density: 500 lb ÷ 53.33 ft³ = 9.38 lb/ft³.

3. That falls in subprovision 6 (8 but less than 10 pcf), giving a density-based class 100.

Common mistake

Measuring the product instead of the handling unit. Class is based on the packaged pallet as the carrier receives it — including the pallet deck, shrink wrap and any overhang. The same 1.88 lb/ft³ shipment above (300 class) would look far denser if you measured only the cartons and ignored the 5-6 inches the pallet itself adds.

The NMFC density scale, 13 subprovisions

Boundaries are inclusive at the bottom and exclusive at the top, matching NMFTA's own wording ("30 but less than 35"). Exactly 35.0 lb/ft³ is subprovision 12, not 11.

SubDensity (lb per cubic foot)Freight class
1Less than 1 pcf400
21 but less than 2 pcf300
32 but less than 4 pcf250
44 but less than 6 pcf175
56 but less than 8 pcf125
68 but less than 10 pcf100
710 but less than 12 pcf92.5
812 but less than 15 pcf85
915 but less than 22.5 pcf70
1022.5 but less than 30 pcf65
1130 but less than 35 pcf60
1235 but less than 50 pcf55
1350 pcf or greater50

Subprovisions 11, 12 and 13 are taken from NMFTA's published FAQ on the 13-sub structure (help.nmfta.org, retrieved 19 September 2026). Subprovisions 1-10 are not published free by NMFTA and are taken from the 13-tier table published by ArcBest, a national LTL carrier (arcb.com, retrieved the same day); that table's subprovisions 11-13 match NMFTA's primary publication exactly. The 19 July 2025 effective date is corroborated by Old Dominion and Averitt.

Where density stops being the answer

NMFTA is explicit that items with handling, stowability or liability concerns are not classified on density alone. A drum of something hazardous, a fragile oversized casting and a pallet of bricks can share a density and not share a class. The NMFC is also a voluntary standard: it is the industry reference, but a carrier's own published tariff governs where one applies.

So the number this page returns is the density-derived class — the right starting point, and the figure a carrier will check on a reweigh — not an authoritative classification of your commodity. For that you need the NMFC item number, which lives in NMFTA's ClassIT+ tool.

Keep going

  • Class is derived entirely from density on the 2025 scale; the density calculator shows that pounds-per-cubic-foot figure on its own, which is what carriers recheck on a reweigh. Freight Density Calculator
  • A low-density shipment that prices badly on class often prices on trailer length instead; the linear feet calculator shows how much of the trailer it actually occupies. Linear Feet Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

What changed in the NMFC freight class system in 2025?

On 19 July 2025, under Docket 2025-1, the NMFC moved from commodity-based to density-based classification and expanded its density scale from 11 subprovisions to 13. The two new subprovisions introduced classes 55 and 50, which did not previously exist on the density scale — before the change, everything 30 lb/ft³ and denser landed at class 60. Dense freight that used to price at class 60 can now fall to class 55 or 50.

Is a density-based class the final word on my freight class?

No. Density is the primary factor as of 2025, but NMFTA also weighs handling, stowability and liability. Items with special handling, awkward stowability or elevated liability are not classified on density alone, and specific commodities still carry their own NMFC item numbers. Treat this calculator's output as the density-derived class and confirm the actual NMFC item for your commodity.

How is density calculated for freight class?

Multiply length × width × height in inches to get cubic inches, divide by 1,728 to convert to cubic feet, then divide the total weight in pounds by that volume. The result is pounds per cubic foot. Use the dimensions of the packaged handling unit including the pallet, not the bare product.

Why did my carrier reclassify my shipment and add a fee?

Carriers re-measure and reweigh freight. If the dimensions or weight on the bill of lading do not match what they record, they will correct the class and can add a clerical or reweigh fee. Because class is now density-driven, an inch or two of extra height on the BOL can move a shipment across a subprovision boundary.

Does packaging affect freight class?

Directly. Class follows density, and density follows how tightly the handling unit is built. Overpackaging adds volume without adding weight, which lowers density and raises the class. Compressing the same weight into a shorter, tighter pallet raises density and can drop the class into a cheaper subprovision.

What is the full range of NMFC freight classes?

NMFC classes run from 50 to 500. The density scale itself spans class 50 at the dense end up to class 400 for anything under 1 lb/ft³; class 500 exists for specific commodities rather than being derived from density.

MyFreightClass is an independent reference and is not affiliated with NMFTA. Density-derived classes are estimates for planning; your carrier's tariff and the NMFC item for your commodity govern the class actually billed. Dense example shown above: 90 lb/ft³ → class 50.

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