How Much Does a Pallet Weigh?
Typical empty pallet weights and how to work out the gross weight of a loaded pallet.
Empty pallet weight
The weight of an empty pallet depends on its size, material and grade. Wooden pallets are the most common, and these are the typical figures:
| Pallet | Typical empty weight |
|---|---|
| GMA 48 × 40 in (North America) | 33 to 48 lb (15 to 22 kg), about 37 lb average |
| Euro / EPAL 1 (1200 × 800 mm) | about 25 kg (55 lb) |
| Industrial 1200 × 1000 mm | about 28 kg (62 lb) |
| ISO 1100 × 1100 mm | about 23 kg (51 lb) |
| Australian 1165 × 1165 mm | about 40 kg (88 lb) |
A new, dry hardwood pallet sits at the heavy end of its range, while a lightweight or used softwood pallet sits at the light end. Plastic pallets vary widely, from around 7 kg for nestable display pallets to 35 kg for heavy rackable ones.
Loaded (gross) pallet weight
The gross weight of a loaded pallet is simply:
gross weight = pallet weight + (boxes × box weight)
For example, a GMA pallet (37 lb) carrying 40 boxes at 22 lb each weighs 37 + (40 × 22) = 917 lb. To work this out for your own load, the pallet weight calculator does it instantly and warns you if the load exceeds the pallet rating.
How much can a pallet hold?
Empty weight is only half the story. Each pallet also has a load rating:
- Dynamic capacity: the load it can carry while being moved by a forklift or pallet jack. A standard GMA pallet is rated around 2,800 lb (1,270 kg); a Euro pallet around 1,500 kg.
- Static capacity: the larger load it can hold while sitting still on the ground.
A typical loaded shipping pallet weighs between 1,500 and 3,000 lb gross, but the safe maximum is set by the pallet rating and your handling equipment, not by the pallet weight alone.
Why pallet weight matters
Pallet weight feeds several other figures:
- Freight density uses the full gross weight over the full footprint. See how freight density affects LTL class.
- Container and truck payload limits are gross-weight limits, so the pallet's own weight counts against them.
- Knowing the empty weight lets you back out the net product weight from a weighbridge reading.
For the standard dimensions that pair with these weights, see the standard pallet sizes reference, or compare the two most common pallets in GMA vs Euro pallets.