Freight class & density calculator

What freight class is, and why density decides most of it

Freight class is how less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers group shipments for pricing. Classes run from 50 for dense, easy-to-handle freight up to 400 for light, bulky freight that takes a lot of trailer space for its weight. A higher class usually means a higher rate per hundred pounds, because the shipment uses more room for the money.

The classes come from the National Motor Freight Classification, the NMFC, published by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). In July 2025, a major update made density the main factor for most items. Instead of looking up a commodity and finding a fixed class, most shipments are now classed by how many pounds they weigh per cubic foot. That makes a freight density calculator the fastest way to estimate a class.

How to determine freight class from density

Measure the shipment as it will ship, including the pallet, at its longest, widest and tallest points. Multiply length by width by height in inches, then by the number of identical pieces, and divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet. Divide the total weight, pallets and packaging included, by those cubic feet. That's the density in pounds per cubic foot, often written PCF.

Then find the density on the scale. The 2025 scale has 13 steps, from under 1 PCF at class 400 to 50 PCF or more at class 50. The calculator highlights your row so you can see how close you are to the next break.

• EXAMPLE

  EXAMPLE PALLET

  48 x 40 x 48 inches, 500 lb

  48 x 40 x 48 is 92,160 cubic inches. Divided by 1,728, that's about 53.33 cubic feet. 500 lb over 53.33 cubic feet is about 9.38 PCF. On the density scale, 8 to under 10 PCF is class 100. Add 40 lb of product and the density passes 10 PCF, which moves the estimate to class 92.5.

The density scale in this calculator

The calculator uses the 13-step density scale that took effect on July 19, 2025, under NMFC Docket 2025-1. From the bottom: under 1 PCF is class 400, then 300, 250, 175, 125, 100, 92.5, 85, 70 and 65 for densities up to 30 PCF. The 2025 change split the top: 30 to under 35 PCF is class 60, 35 to under 50 is class 55, and 50 or more is class 50. NMFTA describes the new breaks in its help center. We checked the scale in October 2026.

This is an estimate, not a classification. Some items still carry their own class because of how they handle, how fragile or valuable they are, or how hard they are to load with other freight. The carrier's tariff, and the NMFC item that fits your commodity, decide the final class. If a carrier reweighs or remeasures and gets a different number, expect a reclass and a corrected bill.

Reading your result

• +Near a break. If your density sits just under a step, small changes to packaging or how you stack the pallet can move the class. Tighter, shorter pallets weigh the same but take less space.
• +Light and bulky freight. Classes above 150 add up fast. If you ship a lot of it, ask carriers about cubic or space-based pricing too.
• +Dense freight. Classes 50 to 60 usually price well per hundred pounds. Make sure your measurements are accurate, since a reweigh can only move dense freight up the scale.

Measure carefully. The most common reason for a reclass is a height that left out the pallet, or a shipment that overhangs its pallet and was measured at the pallet's edges.

Why a carrier or dispatcher cares about freight class

Freight class matters most to shippers buying LTL service. Full truckload freight is usually priced per mile or per load instead, so most owner-operators never quote a class. But it still shows up: partial loads, volume quotes and some shipper requests are described by class and density, and knowing what drives LTL pricing helps when a shipper is deciding between LTL and a dedicated truck. Our guide to freight rates covers how truckload and LTL pricing differ.

If you run a truck rather than ship freight, our dispatchers find full and partial loads that fit your equipment, check each broker and counter above your floor. You approve every load. See how we work with owner-operators, or read about the freight rate software carriers and shippers use to price freight.

For the cost side of a trip, the fill-up cost calculator works out what a tank costs, and the fuel surcharge calculator shows how surcharges follow the price of diesel.