Understanding Freight Class: A Beginner's Guide for New Shippers
Starting your journey in freight shipping? You're not alone. One of the first things that might puzzle you is freight class, a system that seems complex but becomes straightforward once you understand how it works. At Welcome Logistics, we believe in making every step of the shipping process transparent and easy to navigate, because when you understand the fundamentals, you can make smarter decisions for your business.
What Is Freight Class?
Freight class is a standardized classification system used in the less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping industry to categorize shipments and determine shipping rates. Established by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), this system assigns every type of freight a class number ranging from 50 to 500. The lower the class number, the lower the shipping cost and vice versa.
Think of freight class as a way to create fairness and consistency across the industry. Without it, every carrier would have its own way of pricing shipments, making it nearly impossible to compare rates or plan budgets effectively. The classification system gives everyone, shippers, carriers, and logistics partners, a common language to work with.
The Four Factors That Determine Freight Class
The National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) assigns freight classes based on four key characteristics. Understanding these factors is essential for accurately classifying your shipments and avoiding unexpected costs down the line.
1. Density
Density is the most important factor in determining freight class, especially following the major NMFC updates that took effect in 2025. Density measures how much space your freight takes up relative to its weight, calculated in pounds per cubic foot.
Here's the simple formula: Density = Total Weight (pounds) / Total Volume (cubic feet)
The denser your shipment, the lower the freight class. Why? Dense items like bricks, steel parts, or bottled beverages are easier for carriers to pack efficiently into trailers, maximizing space utilization. Conversely, lightweight but bulky items like ping pong balls or lampshades take up more room relative to their weight, resulting in higher freight classes and shipping costs.
2. Stowability
Stowability refers to how easily your freight can be arranged and stacked with other shipments in a trailer. Items with regular shapes, like uniform boxes or palletized goods, stack efficiently and fit well with other freight, earning them lower classes.
On the other hand, items with irregular shapes, hazardous materials requiring special placement, or oversized freight that can't be stacked create challenges for carriers. These shipments often need dedicated space or special positioning, which translates to higher freight classes.
3. Handling
Handling considers the effort and care required to load, transport, and unload your shipment safely. Fragile items like glassware or electronics need extra attention and careful handling to prevent damage. Items with irregular dimensions or those requiring specialized equipment also fall into this category.
The more handling requirements your freight has, the higher the freight class. Sturdy, easy-to-handle items like palletized construction materials receive lower classifications because they're straightforward to manage throughout the shipping process.
4. Liability
Liability measures the risk of damage, theft, or loss associated with your freight. High-value items like fine art, electronics, or jewelry carry greater financial risk for carriers, as they're more susceptible to theft and require additional insurance coverage.
Similarly, items that are easily damaged or perishable also increase carrier liability. Low-value, durable items like paper products or textiles present minimal risk and typically fall into lower freight classes.
Understanding the Freight Class Scale
Freight classes range from 50 to 500, with lower numbers indicating dense, durable, and easy-to-handle items. Here's a general overview of what different class ranges typically include:
Class 50-85: Dense, durable items such as bricks, cement, hardwood flooring, and bagged cement. These items are heavy, compact, and easy to transport, resulting in the lowest shipping rates.
Class 92.5-150: Mid-range density items like electronics, automotive parts, furniture, and machinery. These shipments have moderate density and may require some special handling.
Class 175-300: Lighter items with lower density such as clothing, plastic articles, and packaged household goods. These take up more space relative to their weight.
Class 400-500: Very low-density or high-liability items like ping pong balls, lampshades, or extremely fragile goods. These are the most expensive to ship due to their space requirements and handling needs.
The 2025 NMFC Updates: What Changed and Why It Matters
In July 2025, the NMFTA implemented the most significant updates to the freight classification system in over 15 years. These changes were designed to simplify classification, improve pricing transparency, and create greater consistency across the industry.
The major changes include a shift to a more density-based system. Most general commodities are now classified primarily by density rather than commodity type, making the process more straightforward. The NMFTA also introduced a new 13-tier density-based scale, replacing the previous system and adding new classes 50 and 55 to reward shippers of extremely dense freight with even lower rates.
Additionally, over 2,000 NMFC items were consolidated into broader categories, reducing complexity and making it easier to find the correct classification. Freight requiring special handling, stowability considerations, or liability concerns now receives special identifiers to flag these requirements clearly.
For new shippers, these updates mean the classification process is more intuitive than ever. The emphasis on density makes it easier to calculate your freight class with accuracy, reducing the likelihood of unexpected reclassification fees.
How to Calculate Your Freight Class
Determining your freight class starts with accurate measurements and calculations. Here's a step-by-step process to help you get it right:
Step 1: Measure Your Shipment. Measure the length, width, and height of your freight in inches. For irregularly shaped items, measure as if they were in a rectangular box, using the extreme points of the freight. If shipping on a pallet, include the pallet dimensions in your measurements.
Step 2: Calculate Volume in Cubic Feet. Multiply length x width x height to get total cubic inches, then divide by 1,728 (the number of cubic inches in a cubic foot) to convert to cubic feet.
Step 3: Weigh Your Shipment. Get an accurate weight for your entire shipment in pounds. Include packaging materials and pallets in this measurement.
Step 4: Calculate Density. Divide the total weight by the total cubic feet to determine your freight's density in pounds per cubic foot.
Step 5: Use the NMFC Classification Tool. Once you have your density, use tools like the NMFTA's ClassIT+ or consult with your logistics partner to determine the appropriate freight class. At Welcome Logistics, our team can help verify your classification to ensure accuracy and avoid reclassification fees.
Why Accurate Freight Classification Matters
Getting your freight class right the first time isn't just about avoiding extra fees, though that's certainly important. Accurate classification affects every aspect of your shipping experience, from pricing predictability to delivery timelines.
When you misclassify freight, carriers will reclassify it during processing, which can result in reclassification fees, invoice adjustments, and unexpected costs that disrupt your budget. Delays can also occur as carriers take time to verify and reclassify shipments, potentially pushing back delivery schedules.
Proper classification also determines liability coverage. If your freight is incorrectly classified and damage occurs, you may face complications with insurance claims. Additionally, carriers use freight class to determine the appropriate handling procedures; misclassification could mean your freight isn't handled with the necessary care.
In today's freight environment, many carriers use advanced technology like automated dimensioning systems and scales to verify declared measurements. If your numbers don't match reality, you'll face immediate reclassification, which is why precision matters more than ever.
Common Freight Classification Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced shippers sometimes make classification errors. Here are the most common pitfalls to watch out for:
Using estimated measurements instead of precise ones is a frequent error. Guessing dimensions or weights almost always leads to reclassification. Always measure carefully and use calibrated scales.
Forgetting to include packaging and pallets is another mistake. Your freight class must account for the entire shipping unit, including boxes, cushioning materials, and pallets. These add both weight and volume.
Relying solely on density without considering handling, stowability, or liability can also lead to errors. While density is the primary factor under the new system, some freight still requires special classification due to fragility, irregular shape, or high value.
Using outdated NMFC codes is problematic, too. The 2025 updates changed many classifications, so always verify you're using current codes and density ranges.
Finally, averaging classes for mixed shipments doesn't work. If you're shipping multiple items with different classes on the same pallet, each commodity needs its own classification. Averaging them together will result in incorrect pricing.
How a Logistics Partner Can Help
While understanding freight class is valuable, you don't have to navigate it alone. Working with an experienced logistics partner like Welcome Logistics takes the guesswork out of classification and helps you avoid costly mistakes.
Our team has access to the complete NMFC database and classification tools, ensuring your freight is categorized correctly from the start. We verify measurements and calculations, double-checking your dimensions, weights, and density calculations to prevent reclassification issues.
We also provide guidance on packaging improvements. Sometimes, better packaging can move your freight into a lower class, reducing costs. Our experts can recommend packaging strategies that protect your goods while optimizing classification.
Beyond classification, we handle all the documentation requirements, ensuring your bills of lading, freight labels, and shipping paperwork include accurate class information. This attention to detail streamlines the shipping process and minimizes delays.
At Welcome Logistics, we're not just about moving freight; we're about building relationships and making your supply chain run smoothly. When you work with us, you're working with a team that treats you like family and goes the extra mile to ensure your success.
