Freight Class for Machinery
There is no single freight class for machinery. On the current NMFC density scale, most machines ship between class 70 and 92.5, and the way you pack the machine decides where it lands. A pump motor bolted to a skid measured 17.8 lb/ft³, which is class 70. A machine head in a roomy crate measured 10.5 lb/ft³, which is class 92.5. Some machines also have their own NMFC item, so confirm the listing with your carrier.
Why no two machinery shipments class alike
"Machinery" is the least uniform commodity in LTL. A 240-pound motor bolted to a skid and a 240-pound welded frame standing five feet tall are the same weight and wildly different freight: the motor measures dense and books cheap, the frame is mostly enclosed air and books three or four classes higher. That's why machinery is overwhelmingly density-rated — the NMFC can't pre-assign one class to a category that spans solid iron and hollow steel.
The practical consequence: never quote machinery off a previous machine's class. Each unit — or at least each model in each packaging configuration — deserves its own sixty-second density check. Shops that ship mixed equipment on one standing "class 85" assumption routinely overpay on their dense pieces and get rebilled upward on their light ones, losing both directions.
Worked examples
Each example is measured the way a carrier measures it: the outside of the skid or crate, and the total weight including packing.
Industrial motor on a skid — class 70
A pump motor bolted to a 32" × 28" skid, 26" high overall, 240 lb.
32 × 28 × 26 = 23,296 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 13.5 ft³. Density = 240 lb ÷ 13.5 ft³.
17.8 lb/ft³ → class 70 — dense, skid-mounted machinery books near the cheap end.
CNC machine head, fully crated — class 85
A machine head in a 48" × 40" × 50" crate with internal blocking, 700 lb all-in.
48 × 40 × 50 = 96,000 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 55.6 ft³. Density = 700 lb ÷ 55.6 ft³.
12.6 lb/ft³ → class 85 — the crate's clearance moves it from class 70 to 85 versus skid-mounting.
The same machine in a 10-inch-taller crate — class 92.5
The identical 700 lb unit crated with extra top clearance, 48" × 40" × 60".
48 × 40 × 60 = 115,200 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 66.7 ft³. Density = 700 lb ÷ 66.7 ft³ = 10.5 lb/ft³.
10.5 lb/ft³ → class 92.5. Ten inches of unused headroom, one class more expensive.
Skid or crate: the machinery shipper's rate decision
Bare-on-a-skid is the densest (cheapest) configuration and fine for robust castings, motors and pumps — the machine's own build is its protection. Full crating protects precision surfaces and control panels but bills every cubic inch of clearance you leave around the machine; a generous crate can move a unit from class 70 to 92.5 without adding a pound. The middle road — skid plus frame-and-shrink-wrap — protects edges and keeps most of the density.
Whatever the configuration, load the void. Manuals, spare parts, fittings, and accessories packed into a crate's dead space add weight exactly where it lowers the class; shipped as a separate light carton they'd rate terribly on their own. And measure the shipped unit honestly, forks-to-top — machinery overhangs get flagged at the dock more than almost anything else, because an inch of protruding shaft widens the whole measured footprint.
Check your machine's class
Enter the skid or crate size and the total weight. The calculator uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale in force since July 19, 2025, and also shows the old table's class if it differs.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
18.75
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
1,000
lb
15–22.5 lb/ft³ → Class 70
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 freight class is machinery?
Most machinery ships between class 70 and 92.5, but it depends on the machine and how it is packed. For most machines, density decides it: the weight divided by the cubic feet of the skid or crate. Dense, compact machines on skids rate lowest. Tall, open frames and roomy crates rate higher.
What is class 70 for machinery?
Class 70 covers 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³. Heavy, compact machines on skids, such as pumps, motors and gearboxes, often land there. The skid-mounted motor in the examples above measures 17.8 lb/ft³.
What freight class is a pallet of machinery parts?
Dense cased parts on a tight pallet usually measure 15–30+ lb/ft³ — class 60–70 territory. Assembled machines and light fabrications measure far lower. Run the actual unit's math; "machinery" spans almost the whole scale.
Does crating machinery change its freight class?
Often, yes. Class follows the crate's outside dimensions, so clearance and headroom dilute density. A snug crate with internal blocking protects without giving up much; an oversized stock crate can cost one or two classes.
Do some machines have a fixed NMFC class?
Yes — certain machinery NMFC items carry assigned classes that don't move with density. Use the density result as your estimate, then confirm the specific NMFC item number with your carrier before booking repeat shipments.