Freight Class Explained: NMFC Codes, Density, and 2026 LTL Costs

On July 19, 2025, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) flipped the LTL classification system from commodity-based to density-based. Roughly 6,000 NMFC items moved. Then Docket 2026-1 followed on February 6, 2026, canceling more legacy items and tightening the new structure. If your LTL invoices have looked off lately, this is why.

Freight class still drives every LTL quote. It still decides whether you pay $400 or $1,400 for the same pallet between two cities. Get it wrong and you eat reclassification fees plus a higher base rate. Get it right and you ship at the lowest legal price.

What freight class actually does

Freight class is a number between 50 and 500 that LTL carriers use to price your shipment. The lower the class, the cheaper it ships. The system was created by NMFTA so every carrier prices the same pallet roughly the same way.

Class is set by four characteristics of the freight.

Density (pounds per cubic foot, the dominant factor after the 2025 reform)

Stowability (how the freight fits with other loads in the trailer)

Handling (fragile, awkward, or hazardous items raise the class)

Liability (high-value or perishable freight raises the class)

The 18 freight classes from 50 to 500

There are 18 standard classes. Class 50 is the cheapest (think bricks, steel rods, dense bulk). Class 500 is the most expensive (think bagged feathers or empty boxes that fill a trailer). Most retail and consumer goods land between Class 70 and Class 175.

How to calculate density

Density is weight divided by volume in cubic feet.

Volume (cu ft) = Length x Width x Height (in inches) divided by 1728

Density (PCF) = Total weight in pounds divided by volume in cubic feet

Example: a pallet weighing 500 lbs at 48 x 40 x 48 inches has a volume of 53.3 cu ft and a density of 9.4 PCF. That puts it in Class 100.

Always include the pallet itself in the weight and the dimensions. Carriers measure the whole load, not just the cartons on top.

The 2025-2026 NMFC reform, in plain English

For decades, NMFC items were tied to commodity descriptions. A pallet of plastic chairs had one item number. A pallet of metal chairs had another. Many of those distinctions are now gone.

Docket 2025-1 (effective July 19, 2025) consolidated about 2,000 commodity listings into density-based items and expanded the density scale from 11 subprovisions to 13. Docket 2026-1 (effective February 6, 2026) canceled more legacy items and tightened how the new system applies.

What that means for you: density is now the first thing carriers look at, not the commodity. If your shipping software still pulls class from a commodity table, you may be quoting against an item number that no longer exists.

Density to freight class reference table

NMFC codes vs. freight class

Freight class is the price tier (50 to 500). The NMFC code is the specific item number that maps to that class. Two pallets at the same density can still get different NMFC codes if one is fragile or hazardous.

The NMFC code goes on the bill of lading. If you write down the wrong one, the carrier will reweigh and reclassify the load, then send you an updated invoice. Verify the code before pickup. The bill of lading is the document that gets scrutinized at every checkpoint.

Common freight class mistakes that cost money

Measuring only the cartons, not the full pallet footprint and height

Forgetting to include pallet and packaging weight in total weight

Pulling class from outdated commodity tables that no longer match post-2025 NMFC items

Ignoring overhang or oversize, which triggers oversized handling fees

Skipping the hazmat or high-value flag, which voids the rate at audit

Quoting class once and never recalculating when packaging changes

If your freight comes through a port and onto a trailer, drayage rates and accessorial fees stack on top of LTL class. Plan both together. And watch the parcel side too, since parcel surcharges have their own dimensional rules that look similar but follow different math.