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2025 NMFC Changes… now what?
If you ship freight Less-than-Truckload (LTL) in the US, chances are you already know the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) is rolling out updates to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) in July 19, 2025; but just in case…
The changes are aimed to standardizing the evaluation of all commodities, with density (pounds per cubic foot) as the primary driver. There are over 2000 codes that are part of this change; impacted industries include: Metals & Alloys, Building & Construction Materials, Automotive & Transportation, Industrial & Machinery, Household Utensils, Clothing & Textiles, Chemicals & Industrial Materials, Food & Agriculture, Medical & Scientific Supplies, Packaging & Containers, Paper & Printing, Recreation & Arts, and Miscellaneous. You can download the full list at the NMFTA site: https://info.nmfta.org/2025-nmfc-changes
If you have not taken action yet, now is a good time. The main goal should be to understand and plan for the upcoming changes to avoid surprises in your LTL shipping costs, as well as substantial “reclass” fees. Here some suggestions on next steps:
Step 1: Get your ducks in a row. Identify the commodities you usually ship and their current NMFC.
Step 2: Do the Math. Calculate the density of your LTL shipment: a) Estimate the Cubic Feet (CuFt) of the item: by multiplying Length inches * Width Inches * Height Inches, and then divide by 1728. b) Divide the total gross weight in pounds (Lb) by the CuFt. c) The outcome is the Freight Density in Lb. per Cubic Foot (PCF)
Step 3: Dive in. With the information in steps 1 & 2. Look at your code to determine if it will be impacted moving to a full density scale. Whatever the density of the shipment is based on the code will determine your freight class.
Step 4: Don’t forget the basics: Double check your process to ensure dimensions and weight are listed in your shipping documents, packaging is as efficient as it can be.
And just for good measure…
Step 5: Phone a Friend. If all this sounds overwhelming, reach out to your logistics professional, partner with your LTL carrier, contact NMFTA, etc. You are not alone, but you do need to get moving.
If you have any questions, ask our logistics experts anytime here.
Contributor: Amparo Elizondo
About Allyn International
Allyn International is dedicated to providing high quality, customer centric services and solutions for the global marketplace. Allyn's core products include transportation management, logistics sourcing, freight forwarding, supply chain consulting, tax management and global trade compliance. Allyn clients range from small local businesses to Fortune 500 firms. Allyn conducts business in more than 20 languages and has extensive experience in both developed and emerging markets. Highly trained experts are positioned throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Allyn’s regional headquarters are strategically located in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.A., Shanghai, P.R. China and Prague, Czech Republic. For more information, visit www.allynintl.com.
Sources:
https://ntgfreight.com/resources/nmfc-changes-impacting-freight-class-groups/
https://www.chrobinson.com/de-de/resources/blog/nmfcs-what-you-need-to-know/