What class 50 means
Class 50 is the cheapest class on the scale, for the densest freight. LTL carriers price freight per hundred pounds, and the class sets the rate: the lower the number, the less each pound costs. Density decides the class for every commodity whose NMFC item follows the density scale, which Dockets 2025-1 and 2026-1 extended to many more items.
Lighter freight for its size, under 50 lb/ft³, is class 55. No class is cheaper on the density scale. The freight class chart shows all 13 bands.
Pallet weights for class 50
The weight a standard 48 × 40 in pallet must have, at each height with the pallet included, to measure as class 50.
| Height (with pallet) | Cube | Weight for class 50 |
|---|---|---|
| 24 in | 26.7 ft³ | 1,333.4 lb or more |
| 36 in | 40 ft³ | 2,000 lb or more |
| 48 in | 53.3 ft³ | 2,666.7 lb or more |
| 60 in | 66.7 ft³ | 3,333.4 lb or more |
| 72 in | 80 ft³ | 4,000 lb or more |
Weights include the pallet. A weight shown is always inside the class; at the upper limit the next cheaper class begins.
Already the lowest class
Class 50 is the bottom of the density scale: denser freight stays class 50. Savings come from the rate itself, not from a lower class.
Class 50 and the 2025 scale change
Class 50 is new: Docket 2025-1 added it on July 19, 2025. Before that, freight this dense was class 60, so a shipment that qualifies now ships two classes lower than it used to. The background is in NMFC density changes 2025–2026.
Measuring it right
Measure each handling unit at its longest and widest points, overhang included, and weigh it with the pallet. Some carriers bill tall freight as if it were taller: XPO treats an article 75 in or taller as 96 in high, which lowers its density and can raise its class. If a carrier measures a different density at the dock, it can reclass the shipment; see reclass and reweigh fees.
Questions
What is class 50 freight?
On the NMFC density scale, freight whose density is 50 lb/ft³ or more. It is the cheapest class on the scale, for the densest freight. Commodities whose NMFC item follows the density scale take class 50 when they measure in this band; items with a fixed class keep their own.
What density is freight class 50?
50 lb/ft³ or more, which is 801 kg/m³ or more. Density is the weight in pounds divided by the cubic feet of the handling unit, pallet included.
How much does a class 50 pallet weigh?
A 48 × 40 in pallet stacked 48 in high, pallet included, is class 50 at 2,666.7 lb or more. Taller or shorter pallets shift the range; the table above lists each height.