Every LTL rate starts from a class, and every density-rated class comes off this chart. Since July 19, 2025 the NMFC uses a single standardized 13-tier density scale for most commodities; the old 18-class guideline survives only inside legacy tariffs and commodity-specific items.
The current chart (NMFC 2025 scale)
| Density (lb/ft³) | Freight class |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 400 |
| 1 but less than 2 | 300 |
| 2 but less than 4 | 250 |
| 4 but less than 6 | 175 |
| 6 but less than 8 | 125 |
| 8 but less than 10 | 100 |
| 10 but less than 12 | 92.5 |
| 12 but less than 15 | 85 |
| 15 but less than 22.5 | 70 |
| 22.5 but less than 30 | 65 |
| 30 but less than 35 | 60 |
| 35 but less than 50 | 55 |
| 50 or greater | 50 |
What actually ships in each band
| Class | Density | Typical freight |
|---|---|---|
| 50–55 | 35+ pcf | Steel and brick, bagged cement, machine castings, dense hardware |
| 60–70 | 15–35 pcf | Bottled drinks, canned food, engines and parts, dense cartons on tight pallets |
| 85–100 | 8–15 pcf | Crated machinery, appliances, packaged consumer goods, typical warehouse pallets |
| 125–175 | 4–8 pcf | Small appliances, furniture, sheet-metal parts, bulky boxed goods |
| 250–400 | under 4 pcf | Mattresses, empty containers, foam, assembled light furniture, ping-pong balls |
Examples assume the commodity rates on density. Items with special handling, stowability, liability or packaging provisions carry their own class regardless of the table.
The legacy 18-class table (pre-July 2025)
You'll still meet this one inside older carrier tariffs, FAK agreements and commodity items that haven't been migrated. If a quote mentions class 77.5, 110, 150, 200 or 500, it's rating from here:
| Density (lb/ft³) | Class | Density (lb/ft³) | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 and up | 50 | 8 to under 9 | 110 |
| 35 to under 50 | 55 | 7 to under 8 | 125 |
| 30 to under 35 | 60 | 6 to under 7 | 150 |
| 22.5 to under 30 | 65 | 5 to under 6 | 175 |
| 15 to under 22.5 | 70 | 4 to under 5 | 200 |
| 13.5 to under 15 | 77.5 | 3 to under 4 | 250 |
| 12 to under 13.5 | 85 | 2 to under 3 | 300 |
| 10.5 to under 12 | 92.5 | 1 to under 2 | 400 |
| 9 to under 10.5 | 100 | Under 1 | 500 |
Reading the chart like a pricing analyst
Three habits pay for themselves. First, know your boundary. The jumps at 8, 10, 12 and 15 pcf are where money changes hands: a shipment at 7.9 pcf (class 125) that consolidates to 8.1 pcf becomes class 100 — same freight, meaningfully lower rate. Second, never round before the lookup — carriers don't. Third, recheck after any packaging change. A taller carton, a new pallet height, extra dunnage: each one moves density, and density moves class. The calculator shows your distance to the nearest boundary automatically.