NMFC Docket 2025-1 · 13-tier density scale

Freight class calculator that just gives you the number.

Enter your pallet dimensions and weight. Get cubic feet, density in pcf, and your estimated LTL freight class instantly. Multi-pallet, inches or centimetres, pounds or kilos. No account, no email, no quote form.

Shipment

Use outside dimensions of the loaded pallet, including packaging and overhang. Weight is per handling unit.

Estimated class
NMFC density class
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Enter pieces, dimensions and weight.
Cubic feet
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Density
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lb / cu ft
Total weight
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lb
Pieces
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Density scale · effective 2025-07-19

How the number is worked out

Freight class on the density scale comes from one ratio: pounds per cubic foot. The calculator does three steps.

  • Volume. Length × width × height in inches, divided by 1728, gives cubic feet per handling unit. Multiplied by quantity.
  • Density. Total weight in pounds divided by total cubic feet gives density in pcf.
  • Class. That density lands in one of thirteen bands on the NMFC density scale, and the band names the class.

Multiple pallets are pooled: all volume added, all weight added, one density for the shipment. That matches how a carrier rates a mixed tender.

Density is not the whole answer. Plenty of commodities carry a fixed NMFC item class no matter how dense they are, and stowability, handling and liability can move a class on their own. Treat this number as your rating estimate, then confirm the NMFC item number for what you are actually shipping before the BOL goes out.

Why the scale changed

NMFC Docket 2025-1 took effect on 19 July 2025 and replaced the old 11-tier density scale with 13 tiers, adding classes 50 and 55 for very dense freight. Classes 77.5, 110, 150, 200 and 500 are not on the density scale any more. Around 2,000 commodity listings moved to density-based classification at the same time. Docket 2026-1 followed in February 2026, cancelling more legacy items.

If a calculator still returns class 500 for very light freight, it is running the pre-2025 table.

Density scale reference

The full 13-tier table used by this calculator, straight from the current density sub-provisions.

Density (lb per cu ft)Class
50 or greater50
35 but less than 5055
30 but less than 3560
22.5 but less than 3065
15 but less than 22.570
12 but less than 1585
10 but less than 1292.5
8 but less than 10100
6 but less than 8125
4 but less than 6175
2 but less than 4250
1 but less than 2300
Less than 1400

Full class chart and what each class typically carries →

Questions

Do I include the pallet in dimensions and weight?

Yes. Carriers dimension and weigh the shipment as tendered. Measure the outside of the loaded pallet including packaging and any overhang, and use gross weight. Understating either is the most common cause of a reweigh or reclass charge.

What if I have pallets of different sizes?

Add a line for each. The calculator pools total volume and total weight into a single shipment density, which is how a carrier rates the tender.

Why did I get class 400 and not 500?

Class 500 was removed from the density scale by Docket 2025-1. Under the current scale, anything below 1 pcf classes at 400.

Is this an official NMFTA classification?

No. This is a density calculation against the published density sub-provisions. The authoritative classification for any commodity is its NMFC item number, which is licensed by NMFTA. Use this to estimate and sanity-check, not as the final word on the BOL.

Can I share a result?

Yes. Your inputs are stored in the page address as you type, so copying the URL sends someone the exact same shipment. Nothing is sent to a server — the whole calculation runs in your browser.