Freight Class Calculator (2025 NMFC density rules)
Enter your shipment's dimensions and weight to get its density in pounds per cubic foot and the LTL freight class that density maps to. This tool uses the 13-tier density scale that took effect on 19 July 2025, not the older commodity-based table.
What changed on 19 July 2025
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association replaced the way most LTL freight is classified. The old system assigned a class from four factors at once: density, stowability, handling and liability, looked up against a commodity description in the NMFC tariff. Two shipments of identical size and weight could carry different classes because of what was inside them.
Under the revised system, more than 2,000 commodity items moved to straight density-based classification. For all non-specialised freight, commodity type no longer drives the class. Density does. Only genuinely specialised or regulated freight, such as hazardous materials or goods with unusual handling requirements, still sits outside the density model.
The scale itself also changed. The previous 11-tier density scale became a 13-tier scale. The practical consequence that catches people out is that Class 77.5 no longer exists on the density scale. Freight between 15 and 22.5 pounds per cubic foot is Class 70, and the next tier down is Class 85. If a calculator hands you 77.5, it is still using the pre-July-2025 table.
The density-to-class table this calculator uses
| Density (lb per cubic foot) | Freight class |
|---|---|
| 50 and above | 50 |
| 35 to 50 | 55 |
| 30 to 35 | 60 |
| 22.5 to 30 | 65 |
| 15 to 22.5 | 70 |
| 13.5 to 15 | 85 |
| 12 to 13.5 | 92.5 |
| 10.5 to 12 | 100 |
| 9 to 10.5 | 110 |
| 8 to 9 | 125 |
| 7 to 8 | 150 |
| 6 to 7 | 175 |
| Under 6 | 200 to 500 |
Below 6 pounds per cubic foot the published scale gives a band rather than one class, because the exact figure depends on the specific NMFC item and the carrier's tariff. This calculator reports the band and shows a legacy sub-scale estimate as guidance only. For very light freight, confirm the class with your carrier before the load ships.
How density is worked out
Multiply length by width by height in inches, divide by 1,728 to convert cubic inches to cubic feet, then divide the weight in pounds by that cubic footage.
Two measuring mistakes cause most reclassification charges. The first is measuring the product rather than the shipping unit: you must measure the freight as it actually travels, packaged, banded and sitting on the pallet, including the pallet's own height and weight. The second is ignoring overhang, where cartons extend past the pallet edge. Carriers dimension to the outermost point, so overhang increases your cubic feet, lowers your density and pushes you into a higher, more expensive class.
Why an accurate class matters more than it used to
Historically around 15 per cent of LTL shipments were reclassified somewhere between pickup and delivery. Carriers now have explicit authority to reweigh and re-measure freight at the dock, and most large terminals run automated dimensioning systems that photograph and measure every pallet as it passes through. A discrepancy is caught in seconds rather than by a dock worker's judgement.
When a mismatch is found, the carrier bills the corrected class before the load delivers, and adds a reclassification fee on top. You find out on the invoice, after the freight has moved and after you have already quoted your own customer. Moving one shipment from Class 100 to Class 125 can add 20 to 35 per cent to the line haul on that shipment.
The direction of the change depends on what you ship. Dense freight that was previously classified by commodity description at a class above what its density warranted may now fall to a lower class and cost less. Bulky, lightweight freight, such as foam, large plastic assemblies or anything shipped with significant air space, tends to move up the scale and cost more.
Common questions
Is this the same as an NMFC number?
No. The freight class is the rate bucket. The NMFC item number identifies the specific commodity listing in the tariff. Under density-based classification the class for non-specialised freight follows from density, but the bill of lading may still need the correct NMFC item number, and specialised or regulated commodities keep their own listings. Check the current tariff or ask your carrier for the item number.
Why did my calculator give Class 77.5 and yours did not?
Because Class 77.5 was removed from the density scale in the July 2025 revision. On the current 13-tier scale, density between 15 and 22.5 pounds per cubic foot is Class 70 and the tier below it is Class 85. A tool still returning 77.5 has not been updated.
Do I include the pallet in the measurements?
Yes. Measure and weigh the shipment exactly as the carrier will receive it, including the pallet, packaging, banding and shrink wrap. The pallet typically adds around five to six inches of height and 30 to 50 pounds. Leaving it out is one of the most common reasons a declared class does not survive the dock.
What if my cartons overhang the pallet?
Measure to the widest and longest point, including the overhang. Carriers dimension to the outermost extremity because that is the space the shipment actually occupies on the trailer. Overhang raises cubic feet, lowers density and can push the shipment into a higher class.
Does the class alone determine my rate?
No. Class sets the base rate bucket, but the final charge also depends on your carrier contract and discount, the origin and destination pair, the total weight and any accessorial services such as a lift gate, residential delivery, inside delivery or a limited-access location. Two shippers with the same class on the same lane can pay very different amounts.
Is a lower class always better?
A lower class carries a lower base rate, so it is cheaper, but only if it is correct. Declaring a class lower than your density supports is not a saving, it is a reclassification charge waiting to happen, plus a fee. The aim is the accurate class, not the lowest one.