Automotive/Density or item-specific
Bumper freight class and NMFC guide
Bumpers and body panels are bulky, fragile, and easy to scratch. The class usually turns on the carton or crate and on whether the parts are nested or shipped individually.
Reviewed November 11, 2026 · Reference 2026.11 · Estimate, not a classification
At a glance
MixedClassification basis
Density or item-specific
Typical packed density
4–8 lb/ft³
Wide estimate
Density-rated span
Class 100–175
Reclass risk
High
The commodity ships in several forms, is easy to under-measure, or changes cube sharply with assembly or packaging.
Handling flags
Density-based estimate. Confirm the NMFC item, the packaging form, and any density subprovision before booking.
What drives the class
The density story behind bumpers.
Bumpers are mostly air and thin material, so packaging dominates the density. A single bumper in a large carton can be very light per cubic foot; several nested or stacked bumpers are denser. Painted surfaces add fragility and usually require foam, film, or a crate, all of which add cube. If the bumper ships with brackets, grilles, or sensors attached, the handling unit is larger and the item description may change.
Density or item-specific. Body panels may be density-rated as packaged parts, but painted, assembled, or oversize panels can carry different provisions.
Density thresholds
Where the estimate sits on the 2025 scale.
The highlighted rows are the classes touched by the endpoints of the typical density estimate. A single measured density returns one class; the span is a planning range. The scale is effective July 19, 2025.
| Density band | Class | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 50 or more lb/ft³ | 50 | Reference |
| 35 to under 50 lb/ft³ | 55 | Reference |
| 30 to under 35 lb/ft³ | 60 | Reference |
| 22.5 to under 30 lb/ft³ | 65 | Reference |
| 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³ | 70 | Reference |
| 12 to under 15 lb/ft³ | 85 | Reference |
| 10 to under 12 lb/ft³ | 92.5 | Reference |
| 8 to under 10 lb/ft³ | 100 | Typical span |
| 6 to under 8 lb/ft³ | 125 | Typical span |
| 4 to under 6 lb/ft³ | 175 | Typical span |
| 2 to under 4 lb/ft³ | 250 | Reference |
| 1 to under 2 lb/ft³ | 300 | Reference |
| 0 to under 1 lb/ft³ | 400 | Reference |
Measure it right
The handling unit is the shipment.
Carriers measure what is tendered, not the product inside the box. Use the pallet, crate, or bundle as the handling unit and include everything that travels with it.
- Measure the carton or crate at its longest and widest points.
- Use gross weight with foam, film, brackets, and pallet.
- Measure individual and nested shipments separately; the cube difference is large.
The formula
cube = L × W × H ÷ 1,728
density = gross lb ÷ cubeRound for display only. Compare the unrounded density to the scale boundary.
Fragile
Needs securement, cushioning, or a damage-resistant loading position.
Oversize / bulky
Long, tall, or irregular handling units can affect stowability and linear feet.
Pack it for the rating
Packaging changes the cube before it changes the class.
- Protect painted surfaces with film or foam; scratches are the most common claim.
- Do not let long panels overhang the pallet without support.
Don't confuse it with
Adjacent items, different answers.
The most expensive classification mistake is usually a description that sounds close but is not the item. Check these before you copy a description from another shipment.
Fenders and quarter panels
Grilles and trim
Auto parts
Before you book
Make the rating defensible.
- Confirm the item for painted versus unpainted panels.
- Ask whether attached sensors or brackets change the description.
- Photograph the packaging and painted surfaces before pickup.
BOL description template
Starting pointBumpers, [painted/unpainted], cartoned, [quantity] units, [gross weight] lb gross, [length x width x height] in per handling unit.
Add the confirmed NMFC item number before you tender the shipment. The template describes the freight; it is not a classification.
Common questions
Bumpers and the 2025 scale.
How are bumpers classified for LTL freight?
At an estimated packed density of 4–8 lb/ft³, the 2025 density scale spans Class 100–175. That is a planning span derived from the endpoints of the density estimate, not a promise that every shipment lands in every class. The NMFC item and the shipment as tendered control the final class.
What is the classification basis for bumpers?
Density or item-specific. Body panels may be density-rated as packaged parts, but painted, assembled, or oversize panels can carry different provisions.
How do I confirm the NMFC item for bumpers?
Confirm the item for painted versus unpainted panels. Ask whether attached sensors or brackets change the description. Photograph the packaging and painted surfaces before pickup. Confirm the current item in ClassIT+ or with the carrier before booking.
Related commodities
Keep the comparison close.
Automotive
Auto parts
Auto parts range from dense brake rotors to bulky body panels. The class depends on the part, the packaging, and whether the shipment is new, used, or remanufactured.
Class 70–92.5Automotive
Tires
Tires are bulky and awkward, and new, used, and baled tires can follow different classification paths. Density depends heavily on whether the tires are loose, stacked, banded, or baled.
Class 70–100Metals & hardware
Steel plate & bar
Steel plate and bar are among the densest common freight commodities. Density is not the uncertainty; the form, dimensions, and securement are.
Class 50Automotive
Lead-acid batteries
Lead-acid batteries are dense and potentially regulated. The class is only part of the story: acid, venting, and hazardous-materials rules can decide whether the shipment moves at all.
Class 50–55Sources & limits
What this page is, and what it is not.
This is an independent planning reference, not the NMFC and not a carrier classification. The typical density is an estimate. The class span is derived from the 2025 density scale. The NMFC item, the carrier tariff, and the shipment as tendered control the final rating.
Reviewed November 11, 2026 · Reference 2026.11
- NMFTA — National Motor Freight Classification
The official classification system, its 18 classes, and the role of the NMFC item.
- NMFTA — 2025 NMFC changes
The July 19, 2025 effective date and the density-scale restructuring.
- NMFTA — ClassIT+
The licensed lookup for current NMFC item numbers and classification text.
- FedEx Freight — freight class calculator
Carrier class and density reference used to sanity-check the ranges.
Next step
Measure the load, then check the class.
Use the freight class calculator for a measured density, the pallet calculator for the finished handling unit, and the chart for the full 2025 reference.