What Is an NMFC Code?
An NMFC code - short for National Motor Freight Classification item number - is the standardized identifier assigned to a commodity so LTL carriers know exactly what they are hauling. Published by the NMFTA, every code maps a specific article (down to material, packaging, and form) to a freight class.
NMFC code vs. freight class
These two are constantly confused. The simplest way to keep them straight:
- NMFC code = what the freight is (the commodity ID).
- Freight class = how it rates (one of 18 numbers, 50–500).
A single freight class (say 70) is shared by hundreds of different NMFC items; each NMFC item, however, is unique.
How an NMFC code is structured
An NMFC item number is usually 4–6 digits. Closely related variations of the same commodity share a base number and differ by a sub-number - for example different packaging or density brackets of one article. The code is paired with the commodity description and its assigned class.
Real NMFC code examples
Each row is a real NMFC item from the FreightAPIs database - click the number to open the full listing.
Look up or automate NMFC codes
Find a code by description on the NMFC lookup, or resolve descriptions to NMFC codes and classes at scale with the NMFC API.
Frequently asked questions
What is an NMFC code?
An NMFC code (also called an NMFC item number) is the identifier the National Motor Freight Classification assigns to a specific commodity. It pins down exactly what is being shipped - e.g. NMFC 157238 is "Tires, solid, NOI". Carriers use it together with the freight class to rate an LTL shipment.
What is the difference between an NMFC code and a freight class?
The NMFC code identifies the commodity; the freight class (50–500) is the rating assigned to it. One commodity has one NMFC number, but many different commodities can share the same freight class.
How many digits is an NMFC code?
NMFC item numbers are typically 4 to 6 digits, sometimes with a 2-digit sub-number for specific variations (for example a packaging or density bracket of the same item).
Where do I find the NMFC code for my product?
Search the commodity in an NMFC database. FreightAPIs lets you look it up by description on the NMFC lookup page, or programmatically via the NMFC API across 3,000+ articles.