Automotive/Density or item-specific
Tire freight class and NMFC guide
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.
Reviewed November 11, 2026 · Reference 2026.11 · Estimate, not a classification
At a glance
MixedClassification basis
Density or item-specific
Typical packed density
8–15 lb/ft³
Wide estimate
Density-rated span
Class 70–100
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 tires.
Tire density is mostly about air and arrangement. A loose stack of tires holds a lot of empty space, so the shipment can land in a lighter class. Banding, stacking, or baling compresses the load and raises density. New tires with tags and wrap behave differently from used tires, and baled tires are a different handling unit again. The item also depends on condition, so the BOL description needs to say new, used, or scrap.
Density or item-specific. Tire items can be density-rated or item-specific depending on condition and packaging. Used and baled tires are not the same shipment as new tires.
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 | Typical span |
| 12 to under 15 lb/ft³ | 85 | Typical span |
| 10 to under 12 lb/ft³ | 92.5 | Typical span |
| 8 to under 10 lb/ft³ | 100 | Typical span |
| 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 stack or bale at its widest point, including banding.
- Use gross weight; a tall stack can be heavier than it looks.
- Measure loose, banded, and baled tires separately; do not average them into one line.
The formula
cube = L × W × H ÷ 1,728
density = gross lb ÷ cubeRound for display only. Compare the unrounded density to the scale boundary.
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.
- Band stacks so they cannot roll or separate in transit.
- Keep used tires dry and ventilated; moisture and odor can make the load unacceptable.
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.
Wheels and rims
Tire shreds and crumb rubber
Retreaded tires
Before you book
Make the rating defensible.
- Confirm the item for new, used, or scrap tires.
- Ask whether the carrier accepts loose tires or requires banded stacks.
- Photograph the stack and banding before pickup.
BOL description template
Starting pointTires, [new/used], [quantity] tires, banded in stacks of [number], [gross weight] lb gross, [length x width x height] in per stack.
Add the confirmed NMFC item number before you tender the shipment. The template describes the freight; it is not a classification.
Common questions
Tires and the 2025 scale.
How are tires classified for LTL freight?
At an estimated packed density of 8–15 lb/ft³, the 2025 density scale spans Class 70–100. 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 tires?
Density or item-specific. Tire items can be density-rated or item-specific depending on condition and packaging. Used and baled tires are not the same shipment as new tires.
How do I confirm the NMFC item for tires?
Confirm the item for new, used, or scrap tires. Ask whether the carrier accepts loose tires or requires banded stacks. Photograph the stack and banding 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
Bumpers
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.
Class 100–175Automotive
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 50–55Furniture & 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.