Freight Class 200
Class 200 used to cover 4–5 lb/ft³ goods such as sheet-metal parts, aircraft components and packaged mattresses. Since the July 2025 NMFC change it has no density band — that density now rates class 175.
What does freight class 200 mean?
Class 200 is a high NMFC class for bulky freight that weighs little for the space it fills. Under the old table it meant 4 to just under 5 pounds per cubic foot: auto body panels, aircraft parts, boxed mattresses. Since July 19, 2025, that density rates class 175, one step lower. Class 200 still exists for items whose NMFC listing sets it, based on handling, stowing or liability.
What happened to class 200 in 2025
Class 200 once held freight weighing 4 to just under 5 lb/ft³: stamped body panels, aircraft skins, aluminum furniture, single boxed mattresses. On July 19, 2025, NMFC Docket 2025-1 merged that band into class 175, which now runs from 4 up to 6 lb/ft³. For density-rated freight the effect is a one-class drop, from 200 to 175. For listed items nothing changed: if the NMFC item for your part says 200, you still pay 200.
Much of this freight is valuable and easy to damage, and those are exactly the factors a commodity listing can price in. So do not assume the density answer is final here. Check your item's current NMFC listing with your carrier before you book. If it names class 200, that class applies whatever the crate measures.
Class 200 worked examples
Two loads that were class 200 and are 175 now, and the same panels in a tighter crate at class 125.
Crated auto body panels — now class 175
Fenders and hoods layered in a crate, 60" × 48" × 40", 300 lb.
60 × 48 × 40 = 115,200 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 66.7 ft³. Density = 300 lb ÷ 66.7 ft³.
4.5 lb/ft³ → class 175 (200 before the 2025 change).
Single packaged mattress — class 175 by density
A queen mattress alone in a flat carton, 80" × 60" × 12", 145 lb.
80 × 60 × 12 = 57,600 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 33.3 ft³. Density = 145 lb ÷ 33.3 ft³.
4.4 lb/ft³ → class 175 by density, down from 200. A mattress listing can set its own class, so check it with your carrier.
The panels re-crated 10 inches shorter — class 125
The identical 300 lb of panels layered tighter in a 60" × 48" × 30" crate.
60 × 48 × 30 = 86,400 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 50.0 ft³. Density = 300 lb ÷ 50.0 ft³ = 6.0 lb/ft³ — exactly on the 6 line.
6.0 lb/ft³ → class 125. One tighter crate design moved it from 175 to 125.
Why 6 lb/ft³ is the line to beat
Parts that used to rate 200 now sit between two edges, 4 and 6 lb/ft³. Under 4 the shipment climbs to class 250; from 6 up it drops to class 125, because class 150 has no density band either. That makes 6 lb/ft³ a valuable line: crossing it moves a crate from 175 straight to 125.
Flat and near-flat parts cross it by layering. Panels stacked with foam interleaf in one crate measure far smaller than the same panels crated one by one, because each layer adds weight while the footprint stays fixed. Curved parts such as fenders and cowlings are harder, but many nest face-to-face. What does not pay is the oversized universal crate: sized for the largest part you ever ship, it bills every smaller part at the big part's cube.
Goods that used to ship at class 200
Typical class 200 goods under the old table. Fragile or costly items like these may have their own NMFC listing, so check it:
- Auto sheet metal
- Aircraft parts
- Aluminum tables
- Packaged mattresses
Related commodity guides:
What does your class 200 load rate now?
Enter the crate or carton size and weight. From 4 to just under 6 lb/ft³ is class 175; under 4 is class 250; 6 and up is class 125.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
4.5
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
240
lb
4–6 lb/ft³ → Class 175
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
Pre-July-2025 table: class 200. Use it only if your carrier contract still prices on the old table.
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
Is class 200 more expensive than class 175?
Yes. Higher classes cost more per pound, so a load that used to rate 200 by density and now rates 175 should price lower. How much lower depends on your carrier's rates and any discount on your account.
Does freight class 200 still exist?
Yes. Goods that are fragile, costly or hard to stow can still be listed at 200. What ended on July 19, 2025 is the density route: 4–5 lb/ft³ freight now rates 175.
What density was freight class 200?
4 to just under 5 lb/ft³ under the old table. Since the 2025 change, that is class 175 (4 to just under 6), and anything under 4 is class 250.
Why do metal parts ship at a high class?
Because class follows the density of the shipped unit, not the material. A stamped fender is dense steel shaped into a large hollow form, and its crate is mostly air. So the measured density lands in the light bands, class 175 or 250 on the current scale, even though the metal itself is heavy.