Classification Assistance & Interpretations

To assist you in determining the applicable National Motor Freight Classification® (NMFC®) provision for a given commodity, NMFTA’s Freight Classification Development Council (FCDC) interpretation experts will provide an opinion as to the applicable NMFC Item Number and Description they believe applies to the commodity in question. Opinions issued are based on the information submitted and apply only to the specific commodity in question. Opinions are not legally binding and classification provisions are subject to change.

Requests for assistance must be submitted through the NMFTA’s online store at store.nmfta.org and are limited to one article per inquiry. If more than one article is included in the inquiry, the FCDC will only provide a response for one. Additional inquiries will have to be submitted under a separate order.

For your request to be processed, sufficient information on the article in question must be provided. This would include a link to a website detailing the exact article in question and its purpose or function. If a website is not available, sales literature or photographs and a detailed explanation of the article’s intended purpose and function may be substituted. The details necessary to provide an opinion include:

Number Information
1. Manufacturer’s description of the article, include type, model number or invoice reference.
2. Digital photos, diagrams, advertising literature, retail package labels, and a direct web site link for the product in question.
3. The function or purpose of the product; specify if it is a component of a larger unit or system.
4. Type of shipping package, i.e., bag, box, crate, cylinder, drum, pail, pallet, or skid.
5. Form of shipment: set-up or assembled, knocked down, disassembled, nested, or folded.
6. Materials used to construct the product, i.e., type of metal, plastic, paper, cloth, ceramic, wood, or combinations thereof. Include all coatings, facings, backings, plating, and inserts.
7. For hazardous materials a safety data sheet (SDS) must be attached.
8. For foodstuffs, include product label and list dominant contents or ingredients.
9 Provide any additional information, explanation or documents that you believe will help identify the products under consideration for transport purposes.
10. If there is a dispute between two NMFC items, list them.