Pallet sizes and dimensions
The standard pallet size in North America is 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm), the GMA pallet, widely reported as about 30% of new wood pallets made in the US. In Europe it is the EUR/EPAL pallet, 1200 × 800 mm. ISO 6780 recognizes six sizes worldwide.
Pallet sizes chart
| Size | Inches | Millimetres | Region | Typical use | 53 ft van | 40 ft box |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 × 40ISO | 48 × 40 | 1219 × 1016 | North America | Grocery and most industries (GMA pallet) | 30 | 20 |
| 42 × 42ISO | 42 × 42 | 1067 × 1067 | North America | Telecommunications, paint | 30 | 22 |
| 48 × 48 | 48 × 48 | 1219 × 1219 | North America | Drums, bulk bags, chemicals | 26 | 9 |
| 48 × 42 | 48 × 42 | 1219 × 1067 | North America | Chemicals, beverage | 30 | 20 |
| 40 × 40 | 40 × 40 | 1016 × 1016 | North America | Dairy | 30 | 22 |
| 48 × 45 | 48 × 45 | 1219 × 1143 | North America | Automotive | 28 | 18 |
| 44 × 44 | 44 × 44 | 1118 × 1118 | North America | Drums, chemicals | 28 | 20 |
| 36 × 36 | 36 × 36 | 914 × 914 | North America | Beverage | 34 | 26 |
| 48 × 36 | 48 × 36 | 1219 × 914 | North America | Beverage, shingles, packaged goods | 34 | 22 |
| 48 × 20 | 48 × 20 | 1219 × 508 | North America | Half pallet, retail floor displays | 62 | 41 |
| 24 × 20 | 24 × 20 | 610 × 508 | North America | Quarter pallet, retail displays | 124 | 88 |
| 1200 × 800 mmISO | 47.2 × 31.5 | 1200 × 800 | Europe | EUR / EPAL 1, the European standard | 40 | 25 |
| 1200 × 1000 mmISO | 47.2 × 39.4 | 1200 × 1000 | Europe, UK, Asia | UK standard, industrial, EUR 2 / EUR 3 | 32 | 22 |
| 800 × 600 mm | 31.5 × 23.6 | 800 × 600 | Europe | EUR 6 half pallet, retail | 80 | 55 |
| 600 × 400 mm | 23.6 × 15.7 | 600 × 400 | Europe | Quarter pallet, retail displays | 160 | 110 |
| 1140 × 1140 mm | 44.9 × 44.9 | 1140 × 1140 | Europe | Chemicals (CP3, CP9) | 28 | 20 |
| 1100 × 1100 mmISO | 43.3 × 43.3 | 1100 × 1100 | Asia | Japan, Korea, Taiwan (T11) | 28 | 20 |
| 1165 × 1165 mmISO | 45.9 × 45.9 | 1165 × 1165 | Australia | Australian standard pallet | 26 | 20 |
| 1200 × 1200 mm | 47.2 × 47.2 | 1200 × 1200 | Europe, Asia | Drums, bulk bags, bulky goods | 26 | 10 |
Length is stated first and is the length of the stringers or stringerboards. ISO marks the six sizes in ISO 6780. Truck and container counts are single-stacked floor positions with pallets turned or mixed for the best fit; see the pallets per truck calculator.
What is the standard pallet size?
In the United States and Canada the standard is 48 × 40 in, the GMA or grocery pallet, built as a partial four-way stringer pallet or a four-way block pallet. Its overall height is typically 4-3/4 to 6 in: 3-1/2 in stringers with two 5/8 in decks give 4-3/4 in, and thicker decks or taller stringers add to that. In Europe the standard is the EUR/EPAL 1, 1200 × 800 × 144 mm. The UK and much of industrial Europe use 1200 × 1000 mm, Australia uses 1165 × 1165 mm, and Japan and Korea use 1100 × 1100 mm.
A pallet size is always a footprint: length × width, with length along the stringers (or stringerboards). A 48 × 40 and a 40 × 48 pallet have the same footprint but are built differently, so state the length first on a spec.
North American sizes
The standard US pallet is 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm), the GMA pallet, used for grocery, retail and most general freight. Other common North American sizes are 42 × 42, 48 × 48, 48 × 42, 40 × 40, 48 × 45, 44 × 44, 36 × 36 and 48 × 36 in, each tied to particular industries.
- 48 × 40 palletA 48 × 40 in pallet (1219 × 1016 mm) is the North American standard, also called the GMA pallet. The typical build is a partial 4-way stringer pallet about 4.75 in tall with 7 top and 5 bottom deckboards on 3 notched stringers. Pooled 48 × 40 block pallets (CHEP, PECO) share the same footprint.
- 42 × 42 palletA 42 × 42 in pallet (1067 × 1067 mm) is a square pallet used mainly for paint and coatings, telecom equipment and chemicals. It is one of the six ISO 6780 footprints. The usual build is a 3-stringer wood pallet about 4.75 to 5 in tall.
- 48 × 48 palletA 48 × 48 in pallet (1219 × 1219 mm) is the standard drum pallet. It holds four 55-gallon drums in a 2 × 2 pattern and is also common for bulk bags and totes. Typical builds use 4 stringers and 3/4 in top decks, and weigh roughly 45 to 90 lb.
- 48 × 42 palletA 48 × 42 in pallet (1219 × 1067 mm) is a North American size used mainly for chemicals and beverages. It is built like a GMA pallet with 42 in deckboards: typically 3 notched stringers, 7 top and 5 bottom boards, about 4.75 to 5 in tall.
- 48 × 45 palletA 48 × 45 in pallet (1219 × 1143 mm) is the North American automotive size, used for parts shipments and returnable containers. Wood versions are built like a GMA pallet with 45 in deckboards; plastic 48 × 45 pallets are common in closed automotive loops.
- 40 × 40 palletA 40 × 40 in pallet (1016 × 1016 mm) is a square North American size associated with the dairy industry. It is usually a 3-stringer wood pallet about 4.75 in tall, weighing roughly 27 to 56 lb depending on species and moisture.
- 44 × 44 palletA 44 × 44 in pallet (1118 × 1118 mm) is a square North American size used for drums, bulk bags (FIBCs) and chemicals. It fits two across an ISO shipping container, which a 48 × 48 does not. Typical wood builds are 3 or 4 stringers, about 4.75 to 5 in tall.
- 48 × 36 palletA 48 × 36 in pallet (1219 × 914 mm) is a North American size used for beverages, roofing shingles and packaged paper. It is usually a 3-stringer wood pallet with 36 in deckboards, about 4.75 in tall and roughly 27 to 56 lb.
- 36 × 36 palletA 36 × 36 in pallet (914 × 914 mm) is a small square North American pallet used mainly in beverage distribution and for compact loads. A typical build has 5 top and 3 bottom deckboards on 3 stringers, about 4.75 in tall, and weighs roughly 20 to 41 lb.
- 48 × 20 palletA 48 × 20 in pallet (1219 × 508 mm) is the North American half pallet: half of a 48 × 40 split along its length. It is used mainly for retail floor displays in club and mass-merchant stores. Wood versions have 2 stringers and weigh roughly 16 to 33 lb; plastic versions are common.
- 24 × 20 palletA 24 × 20 in pallet (610 × 508 mm) is the North American quarter pallet: one quarter of a 48 × 40. It is used for small retail floor displays that sit on the sales floor. Most are molded plastic; wood versions exist and weigh roughly 9 to 18 lb.
European sizes
The standard European pallet is the 1200 × 800 mm Euro pallet (EPAL 1), 144 mm tall. The 1200 × 1000 mm industrial pallet (EPAL 2 and EPAL 3) is the second standard. Retail uses the 800 × 600 half and 600 × 400 quarter pallets, and the chemical industry uses the CP1 to CP9 pallets.
- 1200 × 800 mm (EUR)A 1200 × 800 mm pallet (47.2 × 31.5 in) is the Euro pallet, standardized as EPAL 1 / EUR 1 and one of the six ISO 6780 sizes. The EPAL 1 is 144 mm tall, weighs about 25 kg, and has a safe working load of 1,500 kg. It is the standard pallet for European retail and food logistics.
- 800 × 600 mm (half)An 800 × 600 mm pallet (31.5 × 23.6 in) is the half Euro pallet, half of a 1200 × 800. EPAL makes two versions: the EPAL 6 (144 mm tall, 750 kg safe working load) and the EPAL 7 (163 mm tall, 500 kg), both about 9.5 kg. It is used for retail display and small loads.
- 600 × 400 mm (quarter)A 600 × 400 mm pallet (23.6 × 15.7 in) is the European quarter pallet: a quarter of a 1200 × 800 Euro pallet. Most are plastic display pallets or wheeled dollies. CHEP's plastic quarter display pallet is 600 × 400 × 145 mm, weighs 2.2 kg and is rated 250 kg safe working load.
- 1140 × 1140 mm (CP)A 1140 × 1140 mm pallet (44.9 × 44.9 in) is the square chemical-industry pallet, made as the CP3 (138 mm tall), CP8 and CP9 (156 mm tall). It carries drums, octabins and bulk bags, and two fit side by side inside an ISO shipping container.
- 1200 × 1200 mmA 1200 × 1200 mm pallet (47.2 × 47.2 in) is a square metric pallet used for drums, bulk bags (FIBCs), IBCs and heavy industrial loads. It is not one of the six ISO 6780 sizes. It is roughly the metric counterpart of the 48 × 48 drum pallet, and it is too wide to fit two across an ISO container.
UK sizes
The standard UK pallet is 1200 × 1000 mm (47.2 × 39.4 in). CHEP's UK wooden pallet at this size is 162 mm tall and 28 kg, rated 1,500 kg safe working load. The 1200 × 800 mm Euro pallet is also widely used in the UK, along with 800 × 600 half and 600 × 400 quarter pallets for retail.
Asian sizes
The two standard Asian pallet sizes are 1100 × 1100 mm (43.3 × 43.3 in), known as T11, and 1200 × 1000 mm (47.2 × 39.4 in). T11 is the standard pool pallet in Japan (JIS Z 0601, 144 mm tall) and Korea. China's national standard specifies both sizes. Both are ISO 6780 footprints.
Australian sizes
The standard Australian pallet is 1165 × 1165 mm (45.9 × 45.9 in), defined by AS 4068 and pooled by CHEP and Loscam. It is about 150 mm tall and was sized for Australian rail containers. For container exports, Australian shippers often use 1100 × 1100 or 1200 × 1000 mm pallets instead.
ISO pallet sizes
ISO 6780 lists six standard pallet footprints: 1200 × 800 mm (Europe), 1200 × 1000 mm (Europe, Asia), 1219 × 1016 mm or 48 × 40 in (North America), 1165 × 1165 mm (Australia), 1067 × 1067 mm or 42 × 42 in (North America, Europe, Asia) and 1100 × 1100 mm (Asia). There is no single world pallet size.
Half pallets
A half pallet is half of a region's standard pallet. In North America it is 48 × 20 in (1219 × 508 mm), half of a 48 × 40. In Europe it is 800 × 600 mm (31.5 × 23.6 in), half of a 1200 × 800 Euro pallet, made by EPAL as the EPAL 6 and EPAL 7. Half pallets are used mainly for retail floor displays.
Quarter pallets
A quarter pallet is a quarter of a region's standard pallet. In North America it is 24 × 20 in (610 × 508 mm), a quarter of a 48 × 40. In Europe it is 600 × 400 mm (23.6 × 15.7 in), a quarter of a 1200 × 800 Euro pallet. Most are plastic display pallets for retail floors.
Plastic pallet sizes
Plastic pallets come in the same footprints as wood: 48 × 40 in dominates in North America, plus 48 × 45, 48 × 48, 42 × 42 and 45 × 45 in, and 1200 × 800, 1200 × 1000 and 1100 × 1100 mm elsewhere. Most are 5 to 6.5 in tall and weigh about 14 to 70 lb.
Pallet sizes in mm and cm
The most common pallet sizes in metric are 1200 × 800 mm (120 × 80 cm, Euro pallet), 1200 × 1000 mm (120 × 100 cm), 1219 × 1016 mm (121.9 × 101.6 cm, the 48 × 40 in GMA pallet), 1165 × 1165 mm (Australia) and 1100 × 1100 mm (Asia). North American sizes are defined in inches and convert to odd millimetre values.