Freight Class Calculator
Work out the density-based NMFC freight class for an LTL shipment from its dimensions and weight, line by line and combined, using the thirteen-band scale in effect since July 2025.
Runs in your browser — nothing is uploadedFind the NMFC density class for an LTL shipment
Carriers rate less-than-truckload freight by its class, and for most goods that class comes from density: how heavy the shipment is for the space it takes up. Enter the length, width, height and weight of each handling unit, and this calculator returns the density in pounds per cubic foot and the matching NMFC class.
It uses the standard density scale as revised by the NMFTA in July 2025, when eleven bands became thirteen. Add a line for each kind of pallet or crate: every line is classed on its own density, and the headline uses the combined weight and volume, with the band highlighted so the result can be checked.
What Freight Class Calculator gives you
Several lines at once
Add a line for each pallet or crate size; each is classed alone and together.
Inches or centimetres
Enter inches and pounds, or centimetres and kilograms; metric figures are converted before the class is read.
The July 2025 scale
The thirteen-band density table is built in and the band that applies is highlighted.
Band edges handled exactly
A density of exactly 12 lands in class 85, not 92.5, and rounding never moves a result across a band.
Runs in your browser
The figures you type are not sent anywhere.
How to use Freight Class Calculator
Measure each unit
Length, width and height at the widest points, pallet included.
Enter the weight
The weight of one unit, packing included, and how many ship.
Read the class
The density and NMFC class for each line and for the shipment.
Other names for this tool
People also look for this as nmfc calculator, freight density calculator, ltl class calculator, pcf calculator, freight class estimator, nmfc density calculator and ltl density calculator. It is the same tool on this page.
Looking for the opposite job? Volumetric Weight Calculator.
Limitations
- A density-based estimate; a specific NMFC item can carry a different class.
- Does not price the shipment or include accessorial charges.
Questions about Freight Class Calculator
How is freight class worked out?
From density: total weight divided by total cubic feet. The result is read against the NMFC standard density scale, which this calculator uses in its July 2025 thirteen-band form.
Is this the official class for my goods?
Not necessarily. It is the density-based class. A commodity’s NMFC item can set a different class for handling, stowability or liability, so confirm the item number with your carrier.
Can I class several pallets at once?
Yes. Add a line for each kind of handling unit. Each line is classed on its own density, and the headline uses the combined weight and volume of every line.
How do I calculate freight class?
Work out the density: divide the total weight in pounds by the total volume in cubic feet, where volume is length times width times height in inches divided by 1,728. Read that density against the NMFC scale to get the class.
What changed in the 2025 NMFC update?
Docket 2025-1, effective 19 July 2025, replaced the eleven-band density scale with thirteen bands and moved many more commodities onto density-based classes. This calculator uses the thirteen-band version.
Is the density class always the final class?
No. Some commodities carry a fixed class, or a class adjusted for handling, stowability or liability. The density class is the starting point; confirm the NMFC item number with your carrier before you ship.
Does the number of pieces change the class?
Not for identical units. Density is weight divided by volume, so one pallet or ten of the same give the same density. When lines differ, the combined density can differ from each line, which is why both are shown.
Can I use metric measurements?
Yes. Switch the units to centimetres and kilograms and the calculator converts to inches and pounds first, because the NMFC scale is defined in pounds per cubic foot.
What should I measure?
Measure each handling unit at its longest, widest and tallest points, including the pallet, packing and any overhang, and weigh it as it will ship. Carriers re-measure freight, and a short measurement can lead to a reclass charge.