Freight Class for Roofing Shingles
Roofing shingles are dense and ship at a low freight class — typically 55 to 70.
What is the freight class for roofing shingles?
Asphalt shingle bundles are heavy and pack flat on pallets, keeping the class low. Weight limits, not class, are the main constraint — a pallet of shingles can exceed 2,000–3,000 lb. Banded, full pallets rate at the lower end.
Because freight class is density-driven, there isn’t a single fixed number for roofing shingles — class 55–70 is the common range. Run your actual dimensions and weight below to pin it down.
The commodity where weight limits end the load
Roofing shingles are the purest weight-out freight on the road. Asphalt shingles are heavy — a single bundle runs 60–80 pounds, and it takes three bundles to cover one roofing square — so a pallet stacked to a workable height carries 2,000 to 3,000+ pounds. That density means the freight class is cheap and almost beside the point; the real constraints are the pallet's weight rating, the forklift's capacity, and the trailer's axle limits. Shingles run out of allowable weight long before they run out of space.
This flips the usual optimization. For most freight you're trying to add density to lower the class; with shingles the class is already at the floor, and the challenge is not exceeding the physical limits. Overload a pallet past its rating and it fails in transit; overload the trailer's axles and it's a violation. The number that matters on a shingle shipment isn't the class — it's the weight per handling unit.
Roofing Shingles freight class: worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how typical roofing shingles shipments measure out:
Architectural shingle pallet — class 55
Bundles of architectural shingles on a 48" × 40" pallet, 42" high, 1,900 lb.
48 × 40 × 42 = 80,640 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 46.7 ft³. Density = 1,900 lb ÷ 46.7 ft³.
40.7 lb/ft³ → class 55 — dense, but the pallet's weight is the real limit.
Weight-limited asphalt pallet — class 50
Asphalt shingles stacked only to the pallet's weight rating, 48" × 40" × 40", 2,600 lb.
48 × 40 × 40 = 76,800 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 44.4 ft³. Density = 2,600 lb ÷ 44.4 ft³.
58.5 lb/ft³ → class 50 — a fully-weighted shingle pallet reaches the cheapest class of all.
Roll roofing and ridge caps — class 70
Lighter roll roofing and ridge cap bundles, 48" × 40" × 36", 900 lb.
48 × 40 × 36 = 69,120 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 40.0 ft³. Density = 900 lb ÷ 40.0 ft³.
22.5 lb/ft³ → class 70 — lighter roofing accessories rate above dense asphalt.
Squares, pallet ratings, and mixed roofing loads
Plan shingle pallets by weight, not height. Work out the bundles-per-pallet from the pallet's rating and the trailer's limits rather than stacking to a target cube — a 48" × 40" pallet often maxes out on weight at a modest height, with plenty of unused vertical space that simply can't be filled. Bands and a rated pallet keep the heavy stack intact; the density takes care of the class on its own.
Not all roofing is asphalt-dense. Roll roofing, ridge caps and lighter synthetic or metal roofing products measure less dense and rate toward the top of the range or above it — so a mixed roofing order shouldn't be quoted off the asphalt-shingle assumption. Keep the dense asphalt bundles on their own weight-limited pallets and let the lighter accessories take their own class; blending them wastes the shingles' weight capacity on the light goods.
What affects roofing shingles freight class
- Bundle weight
- Pallet weight limits
- Asphalt vs. lighter materials
- Palletization
Common roofing shingles shipments include asphalt shingles, architectural shingles, roll roofing, ridge caps.
Class guides covering the 55–70 range:
Calculate the freight class for your roofing shingles
Enter dimensions and weight to get the density-based class for your exact shipment.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
42.51
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
2,267
lb
35–50 lb/ft³ → Class 55
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
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 freight class is roofing shingles?
Roofing Shingles typically ships at freight class 55–70. The exact class is set by density — weight divided by volume — so packaging and dimensions can move it within that range.
What affects the freight class of roofing shingles?
The main factors are bundle weight, pallet weight limits, asphalt vs. lighter materials, palletization. Denser, tightly packed loads rate a lower class and cost less to ship.
How do I find the exact freight class for roofing shingles?
Measure your shipment and divide weight by volume to get density, then match it to the NMFC scale — the calculator above does this. Confirm the final class and NMFC item number with your carrier before booking.
What freight class are roofing shingles?
Palletized asphalt and architectural shingles are dense — 40–58 lb/ft³ → class 50–55, the cheapest classes on the scale. Lighter roll roofing and accessories rate higher (65–70). The class is rarely the issue; pallet and trailer weight limits are.
How much does a pallet of shingles weigh?
A lot — asphalt shingle bundles run 60–80 lb each and a stacked pallet commonly hits 2,000–3,000+ lb. That's why shingles weigh out (hit weight limits) before they cube out, and why the freight class stays at the floor.
Why do shingles ship at such a cheap freight class?
Asphalt is heavy and packs flat, so a shingle pallet is extremely dense — often reaching class 50, the lowest class. The tariff rewards that density, but the practical constraint becomes the pallet's weight rating and the trailer's axle limits, not the class.