Retail, sport & outdoor/Density-rated
Toy freight class and NMFC guide
Toys are packaged for retail, which means colorful cartons, display units, and a lot of air. Density is usually low, and packaging variation is the main reclass risk.
Reviewed November 11, 2026 · Reference 2026.11 · Estimate, not a classification
At a glance
DensityClassification basis
Density-rated
Typical packed density
4–10 lb/ft³
Wide estimate
Density-rated span
Class 92.5–175
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 toys.
Toy density is dominated by packaging. A large play set in a retail carton is mostly air; a carton of small die-cast toys is much denser. Display-ready packaging adds cube and fragility, and mixed cartons can be hard to describe. The same SKU may ship as a master carton, a pallet display, or a floor display, and each measures differently. Use the packed carton dimensions and keep the description specific.
Density-rated. Packaged toys are generally density-rated. Retail-ready and bulk cartons can be very different handling units.
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 | Typical span |
| 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 master carton or display unit as packed, including retail packaging.
- Use gross weight with cartons, inserts, and pallet.
- Measure display and bulk cartons 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.
Fragile
Needs securement, cushioning, or a damage-resistant loading position.
Pack it for the rating
Packaging changes the cube before it changes the class.
- Protect retail packaging; crushed corners can make the product unsellable.
- Keep display units upright and braced so they do not collapse in transit.
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.
Games and puzzles
Sporting goods
Baby products
Before you book
Make the rating defensible.
- Confirm the item for the specific toy or game.
- Ask whether retail display packaging changes the description.
- Photograph the cartons and display units before pickup.
BOL description template
Starting pointToys, [product type], boxed, [quantity] cartons, [units per carton] units per carton, [gross weight] lb gross, [length x width x height] in per carton.
Add the confirmed NMFC item number before you tender the shipment. The template describes the freight; it is not a classification.
Common questions
Toys and the 2025 scale.
How are toys classified for LTL freight?
At an estimated packed density of 4–10 lb/ft³, the 2025 density scale spans Class 92.5–175. 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 toys?
Density-rated. Packaged toys are generally density-rated. Retail-ready and bulk cartons can be very different handling units.
How do I confirm the NMFC item for toys?
Confirm the item for the specific toy or game. Ask whether retail display packaging changes the description. Photograph the cartons and display units before pickup. Confirm the current item in ClassIT+ or with the carrier before booking.
Related commodities
Keep the comparison close.
Retail, sport & outdoor
Bicycles
Bicycles ship assembled or boxed, and the two are very different handling units. A boxed bike is light for its cube; an assembled bike is awkward, fragile, and often high-value.
Class 100–175Apparel & textiles
Boxed clothing
Boxed clothing is light for its cube unless it is compressed or densely packed. Carton size, fold method, and the number of units per carton drive the density.
Class 92.5–175Furniture & 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 175–250Automotive
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 70–100Sources & 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.