The light pallet
40 × 48 × 48 in, 20 lb
53.33 ft³ · 0.38 pcf
Expected class: 400
An old-table calculator calls this 500. That class no longer comes from density.
Freight Class Calculator
Work out the freight class of your shipment in seconds — free, no sign-up, and calculated on the current 2025 density table, not the old one some calculators still use.
13 density classesIn effect since Jul 19, 2025Last checked Nov 7, 2026Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded
Measure each piece around its biggest outside edges — pallet, packaging and anything sticking out included. Everything is calculated in your browser as you type; nothing is uploaded.
Your recent calculations
Saved on this device only, so you can re-check a shipment later.
The 13 density classes, with your freight on the scale
Find your piece on the scale, or look its density up in the table. The highlighted rows are the classes your pieces above landed in.
| Density (lb per ft³) | Class | Weight at your piece's size |
|---|---|---|
| under 1 | 400 | under 53 lb |
| 1–2 | 300 | 53–107 lb |
| 2–4 | 250 | 107–213 lb |
| 4–6 | 175 | 213–320 lb |
| 6–8 | 125 | 320–427 lb |
| 8–10 | 100 | 427–533 lb |
| 10–12 | 92.5 | 533–640 lb |
| 12–15 | 85 | 640–800 lb |
| 15–22.5 | 70 | 800–1,200 lb |
| 22.5–30 | 65 | 1,200–1,600 lb |
| 30–35 | 60 | 1,600–1,867 lb |
| 35–50 | 55 | 1,867–2,667 lb |
| 50 and up | 50 | 2,667 lb and up |
Bands are lower-edge inclusive: a density of exactly 10.00 pcf is Class 92.5, not 100. The third column is worked out from the piece you pick — until you enter one, it shows a standard 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet.
Check our math
Three cases that separate current calculators from out-of-date ones. The full published test set — a boundary case for every class — is on the calculator test page.
Exactly on the line
24 × 24 × 24 in, 80 lb
8.00 ft³ · 10.00 pcf
Expected class: 92.5
10.00 pcf is the first density in the 92.5 band — the line belongs to the denser band.
The pallet counts
48 × 40 × 48 in, 500 lb
53.33 ft³ · 9.38 pcf
Expected class: 100
Forget the pallet height (42 in of freight only) and you'd get 92.5. The carrier measures 48.
Measure it the way the carrier will
Measure the biggest outside edges
Length, width and height at the widest points of the piece as it will travel — box bulges, wrapping and anything sticking out all count.
Include the pallet
If it ships on a pallet, the pallet's height and footprint are part of the measurement. A standard pallet is 48 × 40 in and adds roughly 6 in of height.
Weigh the whole piece
Use the full shipping weight of each piece, packaging included. Then let the calculator divide weight by volume for the density.
Common mistakes: measuring the product instead of the packaged piece · leaving off the pallet · averaging several different pieces into one density · trusting a calculator that still returns Class 500.
Freight class questions, answered plainly
What is a freight class?
It's a number from 50 to 400 that US carriers use to price LTL (less-than-truckload) freight. Heavy-for-its-size freight gets a low class and usually costs less per pound; light, bulky freight gets a high class. For most everyday goods the class comes straight from density — how much weight is packed into each cubic foot.
Do I include the pallet when I measure?
Yes. Measure the shipment exactly the way the carrier will: the full outside of everything that travels, pallet included, at the widest, tallest and longest points — including anything that bulges or sticks out. Leaving the pallet height off your measurement is the most common reason a quote comes back re-classed.
Why did another calculator give me Class 500?
Because it's still using the old density table. Until July 2025, very light freight could land in Class 500. Under the current scale, in effect since July 19, 2025, density alone no longer produces 500 — or 77.5, 110, 150 and 200. The lightest band tops out at Class 400. A calculator that answers 500 is telling you its table is out of date.
How are multiple pieces calculated?
Piece by piece. Each handling unit gets its own density and its own class, because that's how carriers rate them. This calculator scores every row separately and also shows a blended figure for the whole shipment — handy as a summary, but the blended number never replaces the per-piece classes.
What changed in 2025?
The NMFC replaced its old density scale with a cleaner 13-class scale (Docket 2025-1), effective July 19, 2025. The classes that density can produce are now 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 85, 92.5, 100, 125, 175, 250, 300 and 400. This site uses only the current scale.
Is the result my final freight class?
It's a density-based estimate, and for most goods it matches. But some products have a fixed class written into their NMFC item no matter the density, densities very close to a band edge can flip on a carrier's re-measurement, and the carrier's own check is what finally counts. Treat the result as the right number to quote and plan with — not a guarantee.
Basis: the NMFC density scale adopted in Docket 2025-1. Classes 77.5, 110, 150, 200 and 500 are no longer produced by density. Some goods carry a fixed class in their NMFC item regardless of density — the result here is the density-based estimate.