Freight Class 175
Class 175 covers clothing and upholstered furniture (4–6 lb/ft³ on the current NMFC scale) — light, bulky goods that take up real truck space.
What is class 175 freight?
Class 175 covers light, bulky freight that weighs 4 to just under 6 pounds per cubic foot, on the NMFC scale used since July 19, 2025. Crated sofas, loose-packed clothing and stacked assembled chairs all measured in this band in the examples below. A 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet (53.3 ft³) rates class 175 at about 213 to 320 lb. Since the 2025 change, the next step down is class 125 at 6 lb/ft³, so a small gain in density can save a lot.
Why freight lands in class 175
Class 175 is where soft, bulky freight lives. At 4 to just under 6 pounds per cubic foot, these shipments are mostly air by volume: an upholstered sofa is a wooden frame wrapped in foam and fabric, and a carton of hanging garments weighs a fraction of the space it claims in the trailer. The carrier still has to move that space — a sofa occupies room that could otherwise hold half a ton of canned goods — so the tariff charges class 175 accordingly.
Since NMFC Docket 2025-1 (effective July 19, 2025) the band is two pounds wide: it took in the 4–5 lb/ft³ freight that used to rate class 200. Below 4 lb/ft³ the next class is 250; from 6 up it is class 125, because class 150 is no longer on the density scale. Both edges are big steps, so class 175 is sensitive to packaging decisions. The identical goods, boxed tighter or stacked one carton higher, can move a class in either direction — which is exactly why measuring before booking matters more here than in the dense classes.
Class 175 worked examples
Four shipments measured at their outside size. The last one shows the saving from compressing the load.
Crated sofa — class 175
A sofa in a protective carton, 88" × 38" × 36", 380 lb with packaging.
88 × 38 × 36 = 120,384 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 69.7 ft³. Density = 380 lb ÷ 69.7 ft³.
5.5 lb/ft³ → inside 4–6 → class 175.
Pallet of loose-packed apparel — class 175
Garment cartons on a 48" × 40" pallet stacked 70" high, 425 lb total.
48 × 40 × 70 = 134,400 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 77.8 ft³. Density = 425 lb ÷ 77.8 ft³.
5.5 lb/ft³ → class 175.
Stacked assembled chairs — now class 175
Assembled stacking chairs on a 48" × 40" pallet, 72" high, 370 lb.
48 × 40 × 72 = 138,240 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 80.0 ft³. Density = 370 lb ÷ 80.0 ft³.
4.6 lb/ft³ → class 175 on the current NMFC scale (the pre-2025 table said 200).
The same apparel, compressed 10 inches — class 125
The identical 425 lb of garments, compressed and restacked to 60" high on the same pallet.
48 × 40 × 60 = 115,200 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 66.7 ft³. Density = 425 lb ÷ 66.7 ft³ = 6.4 lb/ft³ — over the 6 lb/ft³ line.
6.4 lb/ft³ → class 125 (6 to under 8 on the current scale). Ten inches of height moved it from class 175 to class 125.
Getting below class 175
Because rates climb steeply in the light classes, small density gains pay off. The three levers that actually work: compress (vacuum-bag apparel and soft goods rather than shipping loose-packed cartons), knock down (a flat-packed sofa or disassembled frame ships far denser than an assembled one — assembled upholstered furniture can measure under 4 lb/ft³, which is class 250), and cube out the pallet (a short, fully-filled stack beats a tall stack with air under the top cartons; carriers measure to the highest point, including the pallet).
The reverse also bites. Carriers dimension freight with laser scanners, and an inch of overhang or a tilted carton is measured at its widest point. A shipment quoted at 6.1 lb/ft³ (class 125) that scans at 5.8 lb/ft³ is rebilled at class 175 — on a light, bulky load that jump is real money. Run your true crated dimensions through the calculator below before you book, not the catalog dimensions of the product inside.
What ships as class 175
Goods that often measure into class 175. Your own density, or a specific NMFC listing, decides the final class:
- Clothing and apparel
- Couches and sofas
- Stuffed furniture
- Mounted machinery
Related commodity guides:
Is your shipment class 175?
Enter the crate or pallet size and the total weight. Between 4 and just under 6 lb/ft³ is class 175; from 6 up it is class 125.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
5.01
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
267
lb
4–6 lb/ft³ → Class 175
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
Uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1). See the full freight class chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is class 175 freight?
Light, bulky freight that measures 4 to under 6 lb/ft³ on the current NMFC scale, such as upholstered furniture and clothing. It costs more than most classes because it fills trailer space long before it reaches the weight limit.
Why is class 175 freight so expensive to ship?
Because the carrier sells trailer space, not just weight capacity. At 4–6 lb/ft³ your freight fills the trailer long before it reaches the axle limits, so the per-hundredweight rate is set high to compensate. Denser packing is the only structural way to bring the cost down.
What's the difference between class 150 and class 175?
Under the pre-July-2025 table it was one pound per cubic foot: 150 was 6 to under 7 lb/ft³ and 175 was 5 to under 6. On the current NMFC scale (Docket 2025-1) class 150 has no density band. Class 175 runs 4 to under 6, and the next denser tier, 6 to under 8, is class 125. On a bulky load, crossing 6 lb/ft³ is often a single stacking or compression decision.
Does assembled furniture always ship at class 175?
No — it depends on density and the item's NMFC listing. Flat-packed furniture is commonly class 100–125, upholstered assembled pieces run 175–250. Measure the actual crate and check with your carrier, since some furniture NMFC items carry a fixed class regardless of density.