Pallet calculator
Plan one upright carton size within a pallet footprint, height limit, and carton payload allowance. See the layer layout and number of pallets required.
Pallets required
240 cartons; up to 54 cartons per full pallet.
- First pallet
- 54 cartons; 66 in loaded height; 972 lb carton payload
- Last pallet
- 24 cartons; 36 in loaded height; 432 lb carton payload
- Full-layer footprint use
- 90%
- Capacity limited by
- Loaded height
Best of two uniform footprint orientations. Mixed layouts, carton strength, load stability, and carrier approval are outside this estimate.
Example: 48 × 40 in pallet; 16 × 12 × 10 in cartons. Adjust all dimensions and limits.
What this load estimate includes
The calculator compares the two uniform orientations of one rectangular carton footprint. It keeps the carton upright, selects the orientation with more cartons per layer, and then applies your height and carton-payload limits.
The two-grid comparison does not assess mixed layouts, carton strength, or load stability.
× floor(pallet width ÷ carton width)
Allowed layers = floor((max loaded height
− empty pallet height) ÷ carton height)
Capacity = min(cartons per layer × allowed layers,
floor(carton payload limit ÷ carton weight))
Pallets = ceil(shipment cartons ÷ capacity)
Example: 240 cartons on a 48 × 40 footprint
These are illustrative inputs, not a statement of a particular pallet’s load rating: a 48 × 40 in footprint, 6 in empty pallet height, 72 in maximum loaded height, and 2,000 lb allowed carton payload. Each carton is 16 × 12 × 10 in and weighs 18 lb.
The first orientation fits 3 columns along the 48 in length and 3 rows along the 40 in width: 9 cartons per layer. Rotating every carton gives 4 columns by 2 rows, or 8. The calculator therefore chooses the 9-carton grid.
Available height above the pallet is 72 − 6 = 66 in. Six complete 10 in layers fit, for 54 cartons and a loaded height of 66 in. Their carton payload is 54 × 18 = 972 lb, below the entered allowance. A shipment of 240 cartons needs 5 pallets: four carrying 54 cartons and the last carrying 24.
Example: a payload limit creates a partial layer
Keep the same dimensions but reduce the allowed carton payload to 200 lb. Weight now permits floor(200 ÷ 18) = 11 cartons per pallet. The first layer contains 9 and the second contains 2; its height is 6 + 2 × 10 = 26 in.
A partial layer still uses the full carton height. Select the first or last pallet to inspect its top layer.
Read the drawing with its limits
The top-down drawing uses the same scale on both axes and places cartons inside the usable footprint. It shows the top layer of the selected pallet, with the number of full layers below written in the caption. For unusually dense layers, only the first 400 rectangles are drawn; the calculated count remains complete and the caption states that limit.
Footprint use measures one full layer’s covered area; it is not a stability score.
From a carton plan to freight class
Once packed, measure the finished handling unit and weigh it with the pallet, wrapping, and any bracing. The carton-payload figure above is not the gross shipment weight. Use those complete measurements in the freight class calculator.
For footprint references, read pallet dimensions. To check the finished load, follow how to determine freight class and review our calculation methodology.
Questions before you ship
How many boxes fit on a pallet?
The answer depends on the usable pallet footprint, upright carton dimensions, loaded-height limit, and allowed carton payload. For the example 48 × 40 inch footprint and 16 × 12 inch carton base, the better of two uniform orientations fits 9 cartons per layer. With 6 permitted layers and a sufficient payload allowance, capacity is 54 cartons.
Does this pallet calculator find the best possible packing?
No. It compares two uniform grids: the carton footprint as entered and the same footprint rotated 90 degrees. It does not combine rotations within a layer, interlock cartons, mix carton sizes, or solve a general packing optimization problem. A different arrangement may fit more cartons.
Can cartons overhang the pallet?
Overhang is disabled in this calculator. Every drawn carton stays inside the usable footprint you enter. This is a model constraint, not permission to use a particular packaging arrangement. Check the actual packaging and carrier requirements for your shipment.
Does the weight limit include the pallet itself?
The input is a maximum carton payload, so the calculator counts carton weight only. If your allowed limit includes the pallet, wrapping, or bracing, subtract those weights before entering the available carton payload. Add them back when recording the complete shipment weight for freight density.
Why is the loaded height lower than my height limit?
Only complete upright carton layers fit. With a 72-inch limit, a 6-inch pallet, and 10-inch carton height, 6 layers fit. The loaded height is 6 + 6 × 10 = 66 inches, leaving 6 inches unused. A partial top layer still uses one full carton height.
Method and reference
Reviewed October 25, 2026. Capacity values on this page are derived from the stated formulas and illustrative inputs. Pallet limits remain user-supplied; no pallet rating or universal carrier height limit is assumed.
NMFTA: How Much Density Margin Does Your Packaging Need?, published October 22, 2026, explains why packaging and measurement differences matter when evaluating a finished load. See also the local methodology for unit conversion, precision, and scope.
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