How to Ship Pallets: One Pallet, a Few or a Full Trailer
How to ship pallets comes down to three choices: the service, the build and the paperwork. One to 6 pallets usually move LTL, 6 to 18 go partial truckload, and a full trailer goes full truckload. Before the truck comes, each pallet needs a sound 48 by 40 inch base, a flat wrapped stack, labels on two sides and its true weight on the bill of lading.
How to ship pallets: which service fits your load?
One to 6 pallets usually ship LTL, 6 to 18 go partial truckload, and up to 26 single stacked pallets fill a full truckload, though handling risk, speed and price can change that.
LTL shares a trailer with other shippers' freight and moves through carrier terminals, so each pallet may be forklifted several times. A partial truckload rides one truck with one or two other shipments and skips the terminals. Full truckload puts only your freight on the trailer, door to door. Compare partial and LTL service with a dedicated full truckload when freight is fragile or time sensitive.
Parcel carriers suit loose boxes, not pallets. Air freight suits urgent, light shipments that can justify its price. A broker helps when you want one call to find the right truck across LTL, partial and full truckload.
How should you build a pallet before pickup?
Build every pallet on a sound 48 by 40 inch base, stack it flat and square with no overhang, wrap it tight and label it on two sides.
Overhang lets boxes take the hit from forklifts and trailer walls. A flat top spreads weight evenly and keeps the stack stable through every turn and stop.
- Use an undamaged 48 by 40 inch pallet with clear forklift openings.
- Put the heaviest boxes on the bottom and line up corners in columns for strength.
- Keep the stack at about 60 to 72 inches for a dry van.
- Shrink wrap the load to the pallet itself, not just around the boxes.
- Add corner boards or banding where the load can shift.
- Label two sides with shipper, consignee, piece count and the BOL number.
How is pallet shipping cost calculated?
Pallet shipping cost comes from freight class, weight, dimensions, distance, accessorials and a fuel surcharge, with LTL leaning hardest on class and full truckload leaning on distance and lane.
Freight class rates how dense, fragile and easy to handle the freight is. Denser freight usually earns a lower class and a lower rate. Carriers measure each pallet and compare its size to its weight. Accessorials such as a liftgate, inside delivery or an appointment add line items. The fuel surcharge moves with diesel prices.
Run your numbers through the pallet and freight class calculator before asking for a price. For a whole trailer, the guide to what a truckload costs explains how lane pricing works.
What details get you an accurate quote?
An accurate, comparable quote needs the same facts given to every carrier: pallet count, real dimensions, real weight, commodity, freight class, both addresses and any access limits.
Quotes built on guessed weights or missing accessorials look cheap and then grow on the invoice. Give every bidder the same list so the prices line up.
- Pickup and delivery zip codes, and whether each site is a business with a dock
- Number of pallets and the length, width and height of each
- Weight per pallet, measured on a scale, not guessed
- What the freight is and whether it is hazmat
- Ready date and any delivery deadline
- Liftgate, appointment, inside delivery or limited access needs
When do you need a liftgate, appointment or limited access service?
You need a liftgate when either end has no dock or forklift, an appointment when the receiver books delivery windows, and limited access service for sites like schools, farms, job sites and storage units.
A standard truck needs a dock or forklift to load and unload pallets. Residential addresses usually need a liftgate and often a smaller truck. A 53 foot trailer needs room to turn and park, so mention tight streets, low wires or gated lots before booking. Declaring these at quote time costs less than having them added after delivery.
What paperwork does a pallet shipment need?
A domestic pallet shipment needs a bill of lading, labels on each pallet and, after delivery, a signed proof of delivery; the shipper or broker usually prepares the BOL.
The BOL is the contract of carriage, the receipt for the goods and the document of title. It names the shipper, consignee, carrier, both addresses, pieces, weight, description and freight class. It also lists hazmat details where they apply, special instructions and who pays the freight.
The driver signs the BOL at pickup. The receiver signs at delivery, and that signed copy becomes the proof of delivery. Put the weight per pallet on the BOL every time.
Getting a firm price for your pallets
A firm price starts with the details above and a quick check of pallet count, weight and access at both ends. Lifetime Logistics Services LLC ships pallets LTL, partial and full truckload across 11 western states with its own 53 foot dry vans, and the quote form or (562) 566-8953 gets a firm price.
| Factor | LTL | Partial truckload | Full truckload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical pallets | 1 to 6 | 6 to 18 | Up to 26 single stacked |
| Typical weight | Light loads | 5,000 to 30,000 pounds | Up to about 45,000 pounds |
| Trailer | Shared with many shippers | Shared with one or two shipments | Yours alone |
| Terminal handling | Yes, several transfers | None | None, door to door |
| Priced mainly by | Class, weight, distance, accessorials | Space, weight, distance | Lane and distance |
| Best fit | Small, sturdy shipments | Fragile or mid size loads | Large, heavy or urgent loads |
From our own loads
Our dispatch records for the 12 months to October 2026, every lane we ran. Ranges, not counts, so no customer can be picked out.
- Trailers
- about 8 in 10 dry van, about 1 in 10 flatbed, about 1 in 10 power only, the rest box truck, sprinter van and hot shot
- Typical transit
- 1 day
- Busiest months
- October and May
- Hauled by
- mostly partner carriers we vet
Questions shippers ask
- What is the simplest way to ship a pallet by itself?
- Knowing how to ship a pallet by itself starts with LTL. Build it on a 48 by 40 inch base, wrap and label it, weigh it, then book pickup with the class, dimensions and both addresses. If either end lacks a dock, add a liftgate when booking.
- How long does pallet shipping take?
- Transit depends on distance, service and pickup timing. A partial or full truckload rides one truck and often arrives sooner than LTL, which stops at terminals along the way. Late day pickups, weekends, holidays and rural delivery points can each add a day or more.
- Who is responsible if pallets arrive damaged, short or late?
- The carrier is generally liable for loss or damage in transit, within the limits on the BOL and its tariff. Count and inspect at delivery, write any damage or shortage on the receipt before signing, take photos, keep the packaging and file a written claim promptly. Delays rarely bring payment unless agreed in writing.
- What commonly goes wrong when shipping pallets of freight?
- The usual problems are reweighs and reclassification when declared weight or class is wrong, rejected freight from overhang or loose wrap, missed pickups when freight is not ready, and damage from top heavy stacks. Accurate weights, honest dimensions, a solid build and a ready dock prevent most of them.
- How many pallets fit in a 53 foot trailer?
- A 53 foot dry van holds about 26 standard 48 by 40 inch pallets single stacked, in two rows of 13. Freight weight usually tops out around 42,000 to 45,000 pounds, because the loaded truck must stay inside the 80,000 pound gross limit on interstate highways.
- Can pallets be double stacked to save space?
- Only when the freight is built for it and the carrier agrees. Double stacking needs flat, strong tops and loads that carry the weight above without crushing. Mark pallets that cannot take weight as do not stack on the labels and the BOL so the dock handles them correctly.
Get the count, the weight and the access right before the truck is booked, and the rest of a pallet shipment tends to go the way it should.
Ready to price a load?
Send the quote form or call us. Quotes within 15 minutes, Monday to Friday 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific; operations team available 24/7 for active loads.