Food & beverage/Density-rated
Canned food freight class and NMFC guide
Canned goods are dense, stackable, and usually straightforward. The class depends on the can size, the case pack, and whether the pallet is a mixed SKU load.
Reviewed November 11, 2026 · Reference 2026.11 · Estimate, not a classification
At a glance
DensityClassification basis
Density-rated
Typical packed density
30–45 lb/ft³
Tight estimate
Density-rated span
Class 55–60
Reclass risk
Low
Density and packaging are stable, and the handling unit is easy to measure the same way twice.
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 canned goods.
Canned goods are dense because the product is mostly water and metal. Density stays in a narrow band across most can sizes, so the class is usually stable. The variables are the case pack and pallet pattern: a tight pallet of small cans is denser than a mixed pallet with trays and air gaps. Dented cans are a damage issue, not a class issue, but they can affect whether the consignee accepts the delivery.
Density-rated. Canned food is generally density-rated. The case and pallet are the handling unit, not the individual can.
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 | Typical span |
| 30 to under 35 lb/ft³ | 60 | Typical span |
| 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 | Reference |
| 6 to under 8 lb/ft³ | 125 | Reference |
| 4 to under 6 lb/ft³ | 175 | Reference |
| 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 full pallet, including trays, slip sheets, and stretch wrap.
- Use gross weight with cans, cases, and pallet.
- Measure mixed-SKU pallets separately if the case packs differ sharply.
The formula
cube = L × W × H ÷ 1,728
density = gross lb ÷ cubeRound for display only. Compare the unrounded density to the scale boundary.
Heavy / concentrated load
Weight distribution, axle limits, and lift equipment need a pre-booking check.
Pack it for the rating
Packaging changes the cube before it changes the class.
- Keep cases dry and the pallet square; wet corrugated loses strength quickly.
- Protect the top layer from crushing with a slip sheet or board.
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.
Glass jars
Dry goods
Bottled water
Before you book
Make the rating defensible.
- Confirm the item for the specific canned product and packaging.
- Ask whether the carrier accepts mixed-SKU pallets as one handling unit.
- Photograph the pallet and any dented cases before pickup.
BOL description template
Starting pointCanned [product], [can size], [quantity] cases per pallet, [number] pallets, [gross weight] lb gross, [length x width x height] in per pallet.
Add the confirmed NMFC item number before you tender the shipment. The template describes the freight; it is not a classification.
Common questions
Canned goods and the 2025 scale.
How are canned goods classified for LTL freight?
At an estimated packed density of 30–45 lb/ft³, the 2025 density scale spans Class 55–60. 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 canned goods?
Density-rated. Canned food is generally density-rated. The case and pallet are the handling unit, not the individual can.
How do I confirm the NMFC item for canned goods?
Confirm the item for the specific canned product and packaging. Ask whether the carrier accepts mixed-SKU pallets as one handling unit. Photograph the pallet and any dented cases before pickup. Confirm the current item in ClassIT+ or with the carrier before booking.
Related commodities
Keep the comparison close.
Food & beverage
Bottled water
Bottled water is heavy, stable, and usually easy to classify. The main variables are the case count, the pallet pattern, and whether the shipment is shrink-wrapped or in trays.
Class 55–65Food & beverage
Frozen foods
Frozen food is dense and usually easy to rate, but the shipment only works if the cold chain holds. Temperature service, loading time, and pallet configuration matter more than the class.
Class 55–70Food & beverage
Wine
Wine is dense for its cube but fragile and often temperature-sensitive. The class is usually manageable; the licensing, temperature, and breakage rules are the hard part.
Class 55–65Furniture & fixtures
Mattresses
Mattresses are bulky and light for their cube, so packed density usually lands in the low single digits. Compression, pallet height, and overhang move the result more than the mattress type.
Class 175–250Sources & 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.