How to Measure and Weigh a Pallet for Shipping | Xargo

Carriers price freight using both weight and dimensions, because a pallet's size determines how much trailer or dock space it occupies. Under-measuring a pallet leads to reclassified shipments, added accessorial charges, and delivery delays once the freight reaches its final leg. Getting length, width, height, and weight right before you book keeps quotes accurate and avoids disputes at pickup or delivery.

Use a tape measure or laser tool to record the pallet's length and width at their widest points, including any overhang from boxes, crates, or shrink-wrapped goods. Round each dimension up to the nearest inch, since carriers calculate dimensional weight from the outer footprint, not the bare pallet size. Check the base and the top of the load separately, since uneven stacking can make the widest point higher up than the deck.

Height is the dimension shippers most often get wrong, so measure straight up from the floor to the tallest point of the load, not just the top of the pallet deck. Include any strapping, stretch-wrap domes, or shifted cargo, since carriers re-measure at the dock when paperwork looks off. Keep the load under standard clearance limits so it moves through trailers, freight elevators, and loading docks without a special handling flag.

Weigh the pallet fully loaded, banded, and shrink-wrapped exactly as it will ship, using a certified floor or dock scale rather than an estimate. Four steps keep the number accurate: zero the scale first, center the pallet on the platform, wait for the reading to settle, then record the gross weight to the nearest pound. Never subtract an assumed pallet weight after the fact; carriers bill on the number the scale shows.

Once you have length, width, height, and actual weight, multiply the three dimensions and divide by the carrier's dimensional weight factor to get the billable weight. Carriers charge whichever number is higher, actual or dimensional, so a large but light pallet can cost more than its scale reading suggests. Confirm the exact divisor with your carrier or broker before quoting, since factors vary by mode and lane.

Once your pallet is measured, weighed, and staged for pickup, Xargo's vetted and insured transporters move it on the final city leg into NYC and New Jersey in cargo vans, Sprinters, or pickups sized to the load. Scheduled windows and live tracking mean the numbers you recorded match what shows up at the receiving dock, and our X-Stacker unloads a full pallet at the curb when there is no loading dock. Request a quote to book the final city leg for your next pallet shipment.