What is freight class 300?
1 to under 2 lb/ft³ — sub-provision 2 of the NMFC density scale.
A shipment rates class 300 when its density falls in that band. On a standard 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet (53.3 ft³) that is roughly 53 to 107 lb . Density is total weight divided by total cubic feet, including the pallet.
Class 300 in the density scale
| Sub | Density | Class | Pallet weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | under 1 lb/ft³ | 400 | 0 – 53 lb |
| 2 | 1 – 2 lb/ft³ | 300 ← this class | 53 – 107 lb |
| 3 | 2 – 4 lb/ft³ | 250 | 107 – 213 lb |
Bounds are inclusive at the bottom and exclusive at the top ("X but less than Y"). Pallet weights assume a standard 48 × 40 × 48 in pallet at 53.3 ft³.
How to move out of class 300
To reach class 250 (cheaper): get density to 2 lb/ft³ or above — about 107 lb on a standard pallet. Either add weight in the same cube, or shrink the cube at the same weight: tighter stacking, no pallet overhang, disassembly.
You slip to class 400 (dearer) if density falls below 1 lb/ft³ — under about 53 lb on the same pallet. Oversized cartons, void fill and pallet overhang are what usually cause this, not the goods themselves.
What typically ships at class 300
- Assembled wood cabinets and tables
- Chairs, assembled
- Model boats and kayaks
- Large hollow goods
Examples are illustrative of typical density, not classification rulings. A commodity's actual class comes from its NMFC item; density decides it only where that item is density-based.
The class 300 mistake worth knowing
Class 300 (1 to under 2 lb/ft³) is almost always a packaging problem rather than a product problem. Anything hollow and assembled lands here, and the only real lever is shipping it disassembled — density, not the commodity, is what is being priced.
Measure your actual shipment with the freight class calculator — it applies the July 19, 2025 scale and shows how far you are from the next class in both directions.