How to Ship Plastics via LTL Freight
Complete guide to shipping plastic articles, resin, totes, and containers on pallets via LTL freight. Covers freight class by density, packaging, accessorials, and how to verify your NMFC code so you don't get reclassified at the dock.
Quick reference
Recommended packaging
Bag or box resin and pellets into sturdy gaylords or sealed poly bags, then band them to a 48x40 pallet so nothing spills in transit. Nest empty totes and containers tightly to cut void space, since loose stacking raises your freight class. Wrap finished plastic articles in foam or stretch film to guard against scuffs and cracking, and fill gaps so pieces can't shift. Shrink-wrap the full pallet with at least four layers and band heavier resin loads to keep them square. Mark "Do Not Stack" on bulky or hollow items that can't bear weight on top.
Accessorials you may need
These are the most common accessorial services for plastics shipments. Declare them at booking time — carriers that discover them on arrival bill more and back-date to the invoice. With Warp, every accessorial below is already included in the per-pallet rate.
Need to price a different combination? Use the accessorial fee calculator to see what accessorials add to any base rate.
Shipping tips for plastics
- Weigh and measure the loaded pallet before you book. NMFC 156600 is density-based, so a few inches of void space can bump you from class 85 to class 125 and raise your rate.
- Pack resin and pellets dense. Filled gaylords and bags hit 8-22 PCF and ship at class 70-100, while loosely stacked empty totes drop to 4-6 PCF and class 175.
- Nest empty containers and totes inside each other before palletizing. Air shipped as freight is the most expensive thing on the truck.
- Confirm the right NMFC sub-number on the BOL. Declaring the wrong class on plastic articles is the most common reason carriers reclassify and bill the difference plus a correction fee.
Common mistakes to avoid
Mistake 1: Plastic articles ride a 13-sub density scale under NMFC 156600. Empty or bulky plastic at under 6 PCF can land at class 175, while dense resin over 15 PCF drops to class 70. Measure before you declare.
Mistake 2: Carriers reweigh and remeasure at the terminal. If your pallet measures lighter or bulkier than the BOL says, you get a reclass charge plus an inspection fee, often $40-100 on top of the rate difference.
Mistake 3: Many plastics ship to plants, warehouses, and yards without a dock. Liftgate and limited-access fees add $75-175 each, so confirm the site setup before you quote.
Why plastics freight class swings from 70 to 175
Plastics fall under NMFC 156600, a density-based item that covers plastic or rubber articles not otherwise indicated. There's no single fixed class. Instead the carrier reads your density in pounds per cubic foot and maps it onto a 13-sub scale. Dense loads like resin packed tight in gaylords or bags run 15-22 PCF and ship at class 65-70. Moderate-density plastic articles and full totes land around 8-12 PCF and class 92.5-100. Bulky, hollow, or empty plastic containers with a lot of trapped air drop under 6 PCF and climb to class 175 or higher. The class drives your rate directly, so the cheapest way to ship plastics is to pack out the void space and measure the real pallet before you book.
Packaging plastics for LTL
Your pallet gets loaded, unloaded, and reloaded at multiple terminals, and plastic cracks, scuffs, and spills when it shifts. Bag or box loose resin and pellets into sealed poly bags or rigid gaylords so nothing leaks onto other freight. Nest empty totes and containers tightly to kill void space and hold your density down. Wrap finished plastic articles in foam or stretch film, then fill every gap so pieces can't move. Shrink-wrap the whole pallet with at least four layers of stretch film and band heavier resin loads so they stay square through the network. If a hollow piece can't bear weight on top, mark every face of the pallet "Do Not Stack" and cap it with a plywood lid.
Choosing the right accessorials
Plastics move between resin suppliers, injection molders, and distribution sites, and a lot of those locations don't have a standard dock. If the origin or destination has no dock or forklift, you need a liftgate at that stop, and pickup and delivery liftgates are billed separately. Plants, yards, and storage sites often count as limited-access, which adds its own fee. If receiving hours are tight or the site requires a call-ahead, add a delivery appointment so the truck isn't turned away. Put every accessorial on the BOL and the quote upfront. Leaving one off means the carrier adds it later at a higher rate or refuses the stop.
Plastics shipping FAQ
What freight class are plastics?
Plastics ship under NMFC 156600, a density-based classification, so the class ranges from about 70 to 175 depending on how tightly the load is packed. Dense resin in filled gaylords runs class 65-70, full totes and moderate-density plastic articles land around class 85-100, and bulky or empty plastic containers with lots of void space climb to class 125-175. The exact class comes from the weight and dimensions measured at pickup. Calculate density from your real pallet figures to find the right sub-number before you book.
How much does it cost to ship plastics LTL?
LTL plastics shipping runs about $120-550 per pallet depending on distance, freight class, and accessorials. Dense resin on a short-haul lane with a dock on both ends sits at the low end, while bulky empty containers shipped cross-country with liftgate and limited-access fees sit at the high end. Because plastics are density-rated, packing tighter lowers your class and your cost. Get an instant per-pallet rate on Warp to see exact pricing for your lane.
What NMFC code do I use for plastics?
Most plastic articles, resin, totes, and containers that aren't more specifically described fall under NMFC 156600, plastic or rubber articles not otherwise indicated. It's a density-based item with a 13-sub scale, so the sub-number you declare depends on your pounds per cubic foot. Verify the correct sub against your measured density on the BOL, since plastic articles are one of the most common commodities carriers reclassify. Use an NMFC lookup or freight class calculator to confirm before you ship.
How do I avoid reclassification and damage on plastics?
Weigh and measure the loaded pallet and declare the matching density sub-number, because carriers reweigh and remeasure at the terminal and bill a reclass charge plus an inspection fee if your numbers are off. Pack out void space so empty totes and containers don't read at a higher class than expected. Seal resin and pellets in bags or gaylords so nothing spills, wrap finished pieces to prevent cracking, and shrink-wrap the pallet with four or more layers. Photograph everything before wrapping and inspect before signing the delivery receipt.
Do empty plastic totes and containers ship at a higher freight class?
Yes. Empty totes and containers trap a lot of air, which drops the density to 4-6 PCF or lower and pushes the class up toward 175 or beyond. The fix is to nest them tightly inside each other to cut void space, which raises density and lowers the class. If they still ship light and bulky, expect a higher rate and budget for it. Run your real pallet dimensions through a density calculator, then get an instant per-pallet rate on Warp to confirm the cost.
Ship plastics with Warp
Warp gives you instant per-pallet rates with no hidden fees. Enter your origin, destination, and pallet details to see transparent pricing across LTL, FTL, box truck, and cargo van. First shipment gets $50 off with code WARP2026.