Freight Class 125
Class 125 covers small household appliances and similar goods (7–8 lb/ft³) that are bulkier relative to their weight.
What is freight class 125?
Freight class 125 is one of the 18 classes in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). It applies to LTL shipments whose density falls between 7 to under 8 lb/ft³. Density is weight ÷ volume, so a shipment lands in class 125 when it weighs that much for the space it occupies. Lower classes (denser freight) cost less to ship; higher classes (lighter, bulkier freight) cost more, because they use more trailer space per pound.
What lands in class 125 — the boxed-air problem
Class 125 covers the 7 to just-under-8 lb/ft³ band, and its signature freight is the small appliance in retail packaging: microwaves, vacuum cleaners, space heaters, countertop kitchen equipment. The products themselves aren't especially light — a microwave is mostly steel and glass — but retail cartons are engineered for shelf presentation and drop protection, not freight density. Molded foam, corner blocks and box-in-box packaging mean a large share of every carton is air, and the NMFC scale prices that air.
This makes class 125 one of the most packaging-sensitive classes on the scale. The same product in bulk brown-box packaging, or several units consolidated into one master carton, can measure a class or two denser than the retail-boxed version. Shippers moving repeated volume through this band usually save more by revisiting the packaging spec than by negotiating the rate.
Class 125 worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how real shipments land in — and fall out of — class 125:
Palletized microwaves — class 125
Retail-boxed microwaves stacked 60" high on a 48" × 40" pallet, 500 lb.
48 × 40 × 60 = 115,200 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 66.7 ft³. Density = 500 lb ÷ 66.7 ft³.
7.5 lb/ft³ → inside 7–8 → class 125.
Vacuum cleaners in retail cartons — class 125
A 48" × 40" pallet of boxed vacuums, 48" high, 400 lb.
48 × 40 × 48 = 92,160 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 53.3 ft³. Density = 400 lb ÷ 53.3 ft³.
7.5 lb/ft³ → class 125.
The same microwave pallet, packed one layer denser — class 110
The identical 500 lb of microwaves, restacked with rotated layers to 54" high.
48 × 40 × 54 = 103,680 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 60.0 ft³. Density = 500 lb ÷ 60.0 ft³ = 8.3 lb/ft³ — over the 8 lb/ft³ line.
8.3 lb/ft³ → class 110. Six inches of trapped air was the whole class difference.
How to ship class 125 freight for less
Palletize tight and cube the layers. Retail cartons stack with gaps when their footprint doesn't divide evenly into 48" × 40" — rotating alternate layers or switching to a carton count that tiles the pallet removes trapped air between boxes, and every removed inch of dead space pushes density up toward class 110 (8 to under 9 lb/ft³), the next cheaper band.
Watch the top of the stack, too. Carriers dimension to the highest point of the unit, so a single carton perched on an otherwise flat top layer bills the whole pallet as if that empty height were full. Level layers, even if it means leaving two cartons for the next shipment, routinely beat a taller uneven stack on price. The calculator below shows exactly which side of the 7 and 8 lb/ft³ lines any configuration lands on.
Typical class 125 commodities
Goods that are commonly rated freight class 125 include:
- Small household appliances
- Vacuum cleaners
- Portable heaters
- Microwave ovens
These are typical examples. The exact class of any item depends on its NMFC item number and measured density — always confirm with your carrier or broker.
Commodity guides that overlap class 125:
Check if your shipment is class 125
Enter your dimensions and weight — if the density lands in 7 to under 8 lb/ft³, you’re in class 125.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
7.5
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
400
lb
7–8 lb/ft³ → Class 125
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Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
How freight class is calculated (density scale)
Freight class is set by density = weight (lb) ÷ volume (ft³). Higher density → lower class → typically lower cost. Volume here is L × W × H × quantity.
| Density (lb/ft³) | Class |
|---|---|
| 50+ | 50 |
| 35 – 50 | 55 |
| 30 – 35 | 60 |
| 22.5 – 30 | 65 |
| 15 – 22.5 | 70 |
| 13.5 – 15 | 77.5 |
| 12 – 13.5 | 85 |
| 10.5 – 12 | 92.5 |
| 9 – 10.5 | 100 |
| 8 – 9 | 110 |
| 7 – 8 | 125 |
| 6 – 7 | 150 |
| 5 – 6 | 175 |
| 4 – 5 | 200 |
| 3 – 4 | 250 |
| 2 – 3 | 300 |
| 1 – 2 | 400 |
| 0 – 1 | 500 |
Frequently asked questions
What is freight class 125?
Freight class 125 is the NMFC class for shipments with a density of 7 to under 8 lb/ft³. Typical examples include small household appliances, vacuum cleaners, portable heaters.
What products are freight class 125?
Goods commonly rated class 125 include small household appliances, vacuum cleaners, portable heaters, microwave ovens. The actual class depends on the item's density and NMFC item number, so verify with your carrier.
How is freight class 125 determined?
Divide the shipment weight in pounds by its volume in cubic feet. A density of 7 to under 8 lb/ft³ maps to class 125 on the NMFC density scale. Use the calculator above to check your shipment.
What is freight class 125?
The NMFC class for shipments measuring 7 to just under 8 pounds per cubic foot — typically small household appliances and similar goods in protective retail packaging. It sits in the upper-middle of the scale, so it rates noticeably above the dense classes.
How do I get a lower class than 125?
Increase the handling unit's density past 8 lb/ft³: consolidate units into master cartons, tile cartons to the pallet footprint without gaps, and keep layers level. The same goods at 8+ lb/ft³ rate class 110 or better.
Does the retail box really change my freight class?
Yes. Class is measured on shipped dimensions, and retail packaging with molded foam can be a third air by volume. Bulk-packed or master-cartoned versions of the same product regularly measure into a cheaper class.