How Many Kg Does a Plastic Pallet Weigh? Weight Chart

Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 43/2026

An empty plastic pallet weighs from about 2 kg to 22 kg depending on structure. Among the 41 ICD Vietnam plastic pallet codes with a published weight, the lightest floor-lining panel is 1.9 kg, and the common 1200 x 1000 mm size alone ranges from 6 kg (cup-foot) to 22 kg (one-piece warehouse pallet). A pallet’s own weight and its load rating are two different numbers: a 13.5 kg pallet can still carry a static load of 4,000 kg.

I am Le Van Thang, and I have worked at ICD Vietnam since 2011. The question “how many kg does a pallet weigh” usually comes from two groups of customers: export staff who must add the tare weight to the declaration and freight calculation, and warehouse staff who need to know whether workers can lift it by hand. This article uses the weights listed on the specification page of each plastic pallet code at ICD Vietnam, instead of rough general estimates.

How does a pallet’s own weight differ from its load rating?

The pallet’s own weight (also called self-weight or tare weight) is the kg of the empty pallet; load rating is the kg of goods the pallet can carry. The two numbers are not proportional, because load capacity depends on the structure of the feet, ribs and steel core more than on the amount of plastic. Another angle is in the article on heavy-duty plastic pallets for large loads.

Load rating is also split into three levels. Static load is when the pallet sits still on a flat floor, usually the highest. Dynamic load is when a forklift lifts and moves the pallet, much lower. Racking load is when the pallet’s two ends rest on rack beams, published only for some steel-core codes. A detailed explanation of each level is in the article on static load and dynamic load.

How many kg does a plastic pallet weigh by structure?

Structure decides weight most: a floor-lining panel is about 2 to 5.5 kg, a cup-foot pallet 5.5 to 6.5 kg, a 9-foot pallet 7 to 13.5 kg, a 3-runner pallet 10 to 22 kg and a one-piece warehouse pallet 8.5 to 22 kg. The table below picks representative codes covering every group, with load ratings so you can see that a light pallet is not necessarily weak.

Two points are easy to misread in the table. First, the slatted floor panel weighs only 3.9 kg yet lists a static load of 3,000 kg, because the panel lies flat on the ground and the force goes straight to the floor; it is not used for lifting. Second, the 9-foot warehouse pallet 1100 x 1100 x 120 mm weighs only 7 kg but has a static load of 3,000 kg, more than the cup-foot 1200 x 1000 mm model (1,500 kg), even though the two weigh nearly the same. Weight is therefore only one data point and cannot replace the load specification.

How many kg does a 1200 x 1000, 1100 x 1100 or 1200 x 800 plastic pallet weigh?

Among ICD Vietnam codes: the 1200 x 1000 mm size weighs 6 to 22 kg, the 1100 x 1100 mm size 7 to 18.5 kg, the 1200 x 800 mm size 6.5 to 18 kg and the 1200 x 1200 mm size 14.5 to 20.5 kg. No standard sets the weight of a plastic pallet; ISO 6780 only specifies the principal dimensions and tolerances of flat pallets.

The 1200 x 1000 mm size has the most models in Vietnam and is close to the North American 48 x 40 inch GMA pallet (about 1219 x 1016 mm). The 1100 x 1100 mm size is common for goods going to Japan and Korea. The 1200 x 800 mm size is the European Euro size. A summary of sizes and how to choose by market is in the article on standard plastic pallet dimensions.

For the 1100 x 1100 mm size, height changes the weight most clearly. The 120 mm model weighs 7 kg, the 125 mm cold-store model 8.5 kg, the 150 mm one-piece models 11.5 kg (PL09-LK) or 18.5 kg (PL06-LK), and the 165 mm 3-runner closed-deck model 16.5 kg. Two one-piece models of the same 150 mm height differ by 7 kg because PL06-LK has a static load of 4,000 kg against 3,000 kg for PL09-LK.

For the 1200 x 800 mm size, ICD Vietnam has a 6.5 kg cup-foot model, a 155 mm 3-runner model weighing 10 kg (static load 2,000 kg, dynamic load 800 kg), a 150 mm 3-runner model weighing 14 kg and a 180 mm one-piece warehouse model weighing 18 kg. The 1200 x 1200 mm size has a 14.5 kg recycled 3-runner model, a 19.5 kg closed-deck 3-runner model and the one-piece PL16-LK at 20.5 kg, which publishes a dynamic load of 2,000 kg.

Why do plastic pallets of the same size differ in weight?

Because the amount of plastic and reinforcing material differs: foot structure, deck style, height and steel core decide the weight, while deck size is only part of it. The comparisons below all come from the ICD Vietnam catalogue.

• Foot structure: for the 1200 x 1000 mm size, a cup-foot weighs 6 kg, a 3-runner 17.5 kg and a one-piece warehouse pallet up to 22 kg.
• Closed or mesh deck: the 9-foot 1200 x 1000 x 140 mm model weighs 12 kg with a mesh deck and 13.5 kg with a closed deck.
• Height: for the 1100 x 1100 mm size, 120 mm high weighs 7 kg, while the 150 mm one-piece line weighs up to 18.5 kg.
• Steel core: the PL10-2 model weighs 18.9 kg, in return for a static load of 4,500 kg and a dynamic load of 1,500 kg.
• Colour: it does not change the weight; the 3-runner 1200 x 1000 x 150 mm model in black, blue and recycled green is 17.5 kg in all cases.

On material, HDPE and PP have similar densities, both lighter than water, so switching between the two plastics does not change a pallet’s weight noticeably; the large differences come from how much plastic the maker puts into walls, ribs and feet. An open-deck pallet has many ventilation openings and so uses less plastic than a closed-deck pallet of the same size.

How does pallet weight affect freight and container load?

Pallet weight adds directly to the tare weight of the shipment, so it affects freight charged per kg, the weight limits of containers and trucks, and handling. For 20 pallets of 1200 x 1000 mm, choosing the 6 kg model instead of the 22 kg model saves 320 kg.

The ISO 668 standard sets a maximum gross mass of 30,480 kg for 20-foot and 40-foot containers; after the container’s own tare, the remaining cargo is about 28 tonnes for a 20-foot container, and in practice lower where road and bridge load rules at the transport location are stricter. Heavy shipments such as bricks, steel and chemicals often hit the weight limit before the volume is full, and then every kg of pallet is a kg of goods left behind.

A quick estimating formula: total weight = (pallet weight + weight of goods on each pallet) x number of pallets. For example, 10 pallets weighing 18 kg each, with 800 kg of goods per pallet, the total is (18 + 800) x 10 = 8,180 kg, of which the pallets alone account for 180 kg. How to arrange pallets for each container type is in the article on standards for loading pallets into containers.

In the warehouse, every ICD Vietnam plastic pallet code is under 23 kg, so one person can still lift an empty one. Even so, in my experience a warehouse handling dozens of pallets weighing 17 kg or more per shift should use a hand pallet truck for whole stacks of empty pallets, which is both faster and easier on workers’ backs.

Should you choose a heavy or a light plastic pallet?

Choose a light pallet when goods ship one way or you need to cut freight; choose a heavier pallet when the pallet circulates many times, carries heavy goods or sits on racking. The table below suggests a pallet group by need, based on the published loads of ICD Vietnam codes.

Are plastic pallets heavier or lighter than wooden pallets?

At the same load level, plastic pallets are usually lighter than wooden ones. According to a summary on Wikipedia, a 1200 x 800 mm EUR 1 wooden pallet weighs 20 to 25 kg and a 48 x 40 inch wooden pallet about 15 to 22 kg; while at the 1200 x 800 mm size, ICD Vietnam plastic pallets weigh 6.5 kg (cup-foot), 10 kg (3-runner) and 18 kg (one-piece warehouse).

Wooden pallet weight also varies with the moisture in the wood: freshly sawn or rain-soaked wood is much heavier than dried wood, so one batch of wooden pallets can differ by several kg per piece. Plastic pallets absorb almost no water, and their weight stays stable over their whole life, an advantage when declaring tare weight for export goods. On the other hand, a one-piece warehouse plastic pallet weighing up to 22 kg is not much lighter than a wooden pallet of the same size, so compare at the same load level.

Frequently asked questions about plastic pallet weight

How many kg does the lightest plastic pallet weigh?

In the ICD Vietnam catalogue, the lightest model is the 1070 x 500 x 40 mm floor-lining panel at 1.9 kg with a static load of 150 kg. If you need a pallet usable with a forklift, the lightest is the 1000 x 800 x 140 mm cup-foot pallet at 5.5 kg with a dynamic load of 500 kg.

How many kg does the heaviest plastic pallet weigh?

Among the 41 ICD Vietnam codes with a published weight, the heaviest is 22 kg, covering the one-piece warehouse pallet 1200 x 1000 x 150 mm (PL05-LK) and the 3-runner pallet 1200 x 1400 x 150 mm. The international market has heavy-duty plastic pallets that weigh much more, but they are rarely seen in Vietnamese warehouses.

How many kg does a 1200×1000 plastic pallet weigh?

About 6 to 22 kg depending on structure. The 145 mm cup-foot model weighs 6 kg, the 140 mm 9-foot model 12 to 13.5 kg, the 150 mm 3-runner model 17.5 kg, the PL10-2 steel-core model 18.9 kg and the one-piece warehouse models 10.8 to 22 kg.

How many kg does a 1100×1100 plastic pallet weigh?

About 7 to 18.5 kg among ICD Vietnam codes. The 120 mm model weighs 7 kg, the 125 mm model 8.5 kg, the 150 mm one-piece models 11.5 or 18.5 kg, and the 165 mm closed-deck 3-runner model 16.5 kg.

Is a black plastic pallet heavier than a blue one?

No. Colour does not change the weight: the 3-runner 1200 x 1000 x 150 mm model in black, blue and recycled green weighs 17.5 kg in all three. The black models in the ICD Vietnam catalogue weigh from 7 kg (warehouse 1100 x 1100 x 120 mm) to 22 kg (3-runner 1200 x 1400 x 150 mm).

Is the weight on a pallet specification exact?

Not exactly. The specification of each ICD Vietnam code states a tolerance, usually about 5% or 0.5 kg, because the amount of plastic in each moulding can vary slightly. When you need an exact tare weight for a large shipment, weigh a few pallets and take the average.

Is pallet weight counted in the weight of goods for export?

Yes. The pallet is part of the packaging of the shipment, so it is added to the gross weight on documents and when declaring the container weight. For a shipment close to the container limit, choose a light pallet to leave room for goods.

Contact ICD Vietnam

References

• Weight, static load and dynamic load of 41 plastic pallet codes: ICD Vietnam product specification pages, checked on 14 October 2026.
• Principal dimensions and tolerances of flat pallets: ISO 6780:2003, International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• Maximum gross mass of containers: ISO 668, Series 1 freight containers - Classification, dimensions and ratings.
• Weight of EUR wooden pallets and 48 x 40 inch pallets: Pallet - Wikipedia.

See also other articles about plastic pallets from ICD Vietnam.