--- title: Choosing your cargo type and commodity when quoting description: What cargo type should I choose? --- [Skip to content](https://help.mothership.com/choosing-your-cargo-type-and-commodity-when-quoting#main-content) [![](https://help.mothership.com/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed-1.png?width=150&height=15&name=unnamed-1.png)](https://mothership.com) Open main navigation Close main navigation How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Mothership Help Center](https://help.mothership.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [General](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en) 3. [Quoting and Booking](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#quoting-and-booking) # Choosing your cargo type and commodity when quoting ### What cargo type should I choose? Pick the option that matches how your freight is actually packaged and handled: - **Pallet** — goods stacked and secured on a pallet (shrink-wrapped or banded) for forklift handling. The most common choice. - **Crate / flight case** — freight in a wooden crate or hard case. - **Loose boxes** — individual boxes not on a pallet. **[Accepted on the Mothership Carrier Network (local delivery)](https://help.mothership.com/accepted-and-prohibited-freight-mothership-carrier-network?hsLang=en).** For **National LTL Partner Carrier** shipments, loose boxes are **not** accepted — they must be palletized first. Enter each cargo type on its own line (use **Add another** for mixed freight), with quantity, weight, and dimensions per unit. See [How to get a quote](https://help.mothership.com/how-to-get-a-quote?hsLang=en) for how the Quantity and Piece count fields work. ### Freight class & NMFC — enter them on every LTL shipment Every LTL shipment is billed on its **NMFC commodity number** and **freight class** (driven by density — pounds per cubic foot). If a shipment goes out without an NMFC, with an incorrect class, or with a description that doesn't match the actual commodity, the carrier can inspect it, reclassify it, and issue a **rebill**. This is an industry-wide carrier requirement, not a Mothership rule. When you enter dimensions and weight, Mothership suggests an **estimated class as a starting point**. It's a helpful guide — **not a substitute for your actual NMFC number and verified class.** Only you know exactly what's on the pallet. The Class and NMFC fields are labeled "optional" in the dashboard (carriers will still move the freight without them), but treat them as **strongly recommended on every LTL shipment.** Shipping without them puts you at high risk of a rebill.  > **Important — rebill policy (effective Monday, July 27, 2026):** Carrier rebills caused by commodity reclassification, or by a missing or incorrect NMFC number or class, are passed through to your account. Most rebills come from one of three things: accepting the auto-calculated class without verifying it, leaving the NMFC blank, or shipping commodities that differ from the description. **To avoid rebills:** 1. Add the correct **NMFC number** to every LTL shipment. 2. **Verify the freight class** rather than defaulting to the suggested one. 3. Keep **commodity descriptions accurate** to what's actually shipping — e.g. "steel shelving brackets," not "parts" or "freight." 4. **Review your frequently shipped items** against the updated NMFC. **Why this matters now:** The NMFTA recently completed the biggest overhaul of freight classification in decades. As of **July 19, 2025**, thousands of commodities shifted to **density-based** classification on a new **13-tier scale**, and **Docket 2026-1** (Feb 2026) removed more legacy items. Carriers enforce the new rules closely, often with automated dimensioning equipment at their terminals — so classifications that used to be fine may now trigger a rebill. | Helpful official resources: - [NMFC Classification FAQs](https://help.nmfta.org/hc/en-us/articles/32790591446427-NMFC-Classification-FAQs) - [Official NMFC lookup (ClassIT+)](https://classit.nmfta.org) ### Is my commodity accepted? Most general commodities ship fine. Some require a declaration or are restricted: - **Hazmat** must be declared and fully documented (see [Hazmat Service](https://help.mothership.com/hazmat-service?hsLang=en)). Hazmat under 1,000 lbs ships on the Mothership Carrier Network (local); via LTL only on approved partner carriers. - **Alcohol** must be declared with the alcohol accessorial. - **Prohibited items** (refrigerated/temperature-controlled freight, firearms, live animals, cannabis/THC, hazardous waste, precious metals, etc.) can't ship on the network — full list in [Accepted and prohibited freight](https://help.mothership.com/accepted-and-prohibited-freight-mothership-carrier-network?hsLang=en). - [FAQs](https://help.mothership.com/faqs?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Technical Questions](https://help.mothership.com/faqs?hsLang=en#technical-questions) - [Getting started](https://help.mothership.com/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Access Plan](https://help.mothership.com/getting-started?hsLang=en#access-plan) - [General](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Billing](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#billing) - [Quoting and Booking](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#quoting-and-booking) - [Shipping](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#shipping) - [Tracking](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#tracking) - [Support](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#support) - [Claims and Insurance](https://help.mothership.com/general?hsLang=en#claims-and-insurance) - [Reports](https://help.mothership.com/reports?hsLang=en) - [Integrations](https://help.mothership.com/integrations?hsLang=en) - [Product Updates / Changelog](https://help.mothership.com/product-updates-changelog?hsLang=en) - [Glossary](https://help.mothership.com/glossary?hsLang=en) - [Account](https://help.mothership.com/account?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Notifications](https://help.mothership.com/account?hsLang=en#notifications) - [Podcast](https://help.mothership.com/podcast?hsLang=en) - [Terms & Policies](https://help.mothership.com/terms-policies?hsLang=en) Copyright © 2026, Mothership Technologies, Inc.