The 13-sub density chart.
The whole current scale on one page. Print it, pin it by the scale, and settle the class argument before the pallet leaves your dock. Subprovisions 12 and 13 are new, and they reward genuinely dense freight with classes that did not exist before.
NMFC density scale
Effective July 19, 2025 under Docket 2025-1. Density in pounds per cubic foot decides the class for most general freight.
| Sub | Density (lb per ft³) | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 50 or greater | 50NEW |
| 12 | 35 to less than 50 | 55NEW |
| 11 | 30 to less than 35 | 60 |
| 10 | 22.5 to less than 30 | 65 |
| 9 | 15 to less than 22.5 | 70 |
| 8 | 12 to less than 15 | 85 |
| 7 | 10 to less than 12 | 92.5 |
| 6 | 8 to less than 10 | 100 |
| 5 | 6 to less than 8 | 125 |
| 4 | 4 to less than 6 | 175 |
| 3 | 2 to less than 4 | 250 |
| 2 | 1 to less than 2 | 300 |
| 1 | Less than 1 | 400 |
Source: NMFTA published density and class breaks for the 13-subprovision structure. Always confirm against the current NMFC before booking.
How to work out density
Three steps, and the only one people get wrong is the first.
- Measure as it ships. Include the pallet, about 5.5 inches, and any overhang past the edges. The carrier measures the whole handling unit, not your product.
- Get cubic feet. Multiply length by width by height in inches, then divide by 1,728. Multiply by the number of handling units.
- Divide. Total weight in pounds divided by total cubic feet gives density. Find that number in the chart.
Or let the calculator do it
Type in the dimensions and weight and it returns the class, the density and the subprovision, with the matching notch on the scale lit up.
It runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere and it never asks for an email address.
Open the calculatorWant it as a one-page PDF?
Use your browser's print function on this page and choose "Save as PDF." The chart is laid out to fit a single sheet.
A designed, downloadable version is on our list. Ask us for it and we will send it when it is ready.
Density is not the whole answer
It decides the class for most general freight. Four things can override it, and all four cost money when they are missed.
Stowability
Freight that cannot be stacked or loaded alongside other shipments takes up space its weight does not pay for.
Handling
Anything requiring special equipment or care to load moves up regardless of how dense it is.
Liability
High-value, fragile or hazardous freight carries a risk the carrier prices in separately from density.
A specific NMFC item
Some commodities have their own listing with a fixed class. When one applies, it beats the density calculation.
Not sure which item number applies?
Send us up to 10 of the item numbers you ship on today. We will tell you which ones moved under Docket 2025-1 and what they are now.