Freight class calculator
Measure the pallet, type it in, read the class off the top of the screen. Mixed pallets welcome, nothing to sign up for.
Enter dimensions and weight
Measure over the wrap and the overhang. Round every dimension up.
Results
Show the math
Where your density lands
| Class | Density, lb per cubic foot |
|---|
Now get the price
Class is one input. Lane, accessorials, and carrier contracts decide what you actually pay.
How the class is worked out
LTL carriers don't price on weight alone. A pallet of steel fittings and a pallet of throw pillows can weigh the same and take up completely different amounts of trailer. Density settles it: how many pounds you ship for every cubic foot you occupy.
Find the cubic feet
Length times width times height in inches, divided by 1,728 — the number of cubic inches in a cubic foot.
Divide the weight by that
The result is pounds per cubic foot. Read it off the ladder above and you have the class.
A 48 × 40 × 48 inch pallet weighing 400 pounds:
48 × 40 × 48 = 92,160 cubic inches
92,160 ÷ 1,728 = 53.33 cubic feet
400 ÷ 53.33 = 7.5 pounds per cubic foot
7.5 sits in the 7 to 8 band, so class 125.
Mixed pallets rate as one shipment
Add a row for each different pallet. The calculator totals the volume and the weight, then divides — which is how a carrier rates everything moving on a single bill of lading. Working the pallets out separately and averaging gives the wrong answer.
Why we warn you near a class line
Densities near a band edge are where reclassing happens. At 8.05 pounds per cubic foot you are class 110, but one extra inch of height drops you to 125 and the corrected invoice arrives weeks after you quoted the job. When your density lands within touching distance of an edge, the bar at the top turns amber and tells you which way it could tip.
- Measure after wrapping, never before
- Round every dimension up to the next whole inch
- Weigh on a certified scale with the pallet on it
- Keep the numbers on file so you can dispute a reclass
Every class, explained
Each band has its own page with the density range, worked examples and the freight that typically lands there.
Common questions
How do I calculate freight class?
Multiply length by width by height in inches and divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet. Divide the total weight in pounds by that figure to get density in pounds per cubic foot. Look the density up on the density-to-class ladder and you have the class.
Is density the only thing that sets freight class?
For most general commodities density is the whole answer. Some items carry a fixed class regardless of density because of how fragile, valuable, or awkward they are to handle, and hazardous materials follow their own rules entirely.
What happens if I declare the wrong class?
Carriers inspect shipments. If the pallet they weigh and measure does not match the bill of lading, they re-rate at the correct class and bill the difference, usually with an inspection fee added. The corrected invoice often arrives weeks later.
Do I include the pallet in the measurement?
Yes. Measure the pallet, the freight, the shrink wrap, and anything hanging over the edge. Carriers measure the space the shipment actually occupies, not the box inside it.
How do I handle several different pallets on one bill of lading?
Add every pallet, total the volume and the weight, then divide. That is how a carrier rates a single shipment. Working out each pallet separately and averaging the classes gives the wrong answer.
Does a lower class always cost less?
Class 50 is the cheapest band and class 500 the most expensive, so generally yes. But declaring a class your density does not support is not a saving, it is a reclass waiting to happen.