02 Catalog line
48x40 plastic pallets
A 48x40 plastic pallet is 48 in long and 40 in wide (1219 x 1016 mm), the grocery footprint that most US distribution runs on. We quote new nestable, stackable, rackable and food grade 48x40 models and graded used ones; send the type, deck, heaviest load, quantity and delivery ZIP.
- Dynamic load
- Light nestables to heavy rackables; ask for the exact model's figure
- Static load
- Floor-stack ratings run high on most 48x40s; confirm the exact model
- Racked load
- Only rackable 48x40s publish one; nestables rarely do, so ask first
The 48x40 footprint in inches and millimetres
The nominal size is 48 x 40 in, or 1219 x 1016 mm. That metric figure is one of the footprints listed in ISO 6780, so a 48x40 is the North American entry in the international table rather than an oddity outside it.
Molded pallets usually measure a little over nominal. One published heavy-duty nestable sold as a 40x48 is 48.25 x 40.25 x 6.5 in and weighs 28.5 lb. Check the overall size on the drawing if your racks, conveyors or wrap stations were set to tight tolerances.
| Measure | Inches | Millimetres |
|---|---|---|
| Length (runner direction) | 48 | 1219 |
| Width (fork-entry face on two-way) | 40 | 1016 |
| Example overall size, one heavy-duty nestable | 48.25 x 40.25 x 6.5 | about 1226 x 1022 x 165 |
| Height | Varies by model; nestables sit low, rackables taller | Read the drawing |
48x40 or 40x48: which way the runners run
US sizes put length first, and length is the stringer or runner direction. A 48x40 has its runners running the 48 in way. A 40x48 has the same outline turned, with runners running the 40 in way. Grocery uses 48x40. The military and cement trades are the usual users of 40x48.
On a four-way plastic pallet the forks go in from all four sides, so the difference is easy to miss. It still matters in three places. A chain conveyor carries the pallet on its runners, so they have to run with the chain. A rackable pallet's runners should cross the beams. A pallet jack's wheels need clear openings, which runners close off on two of the four faces. Tell us which way your line and racks expect them, and searches for 40x48 plastic pallets will reach the same quote.
Who standardized on 48x40
Grocery made 48x40 the default. The grocery manufacturers and retailers settled on one footprint, often called the GMA pallet, so a load could travel from a food plant through a distribution center to a store without being restacked. Racks, dock doors, trailers and pallet pools across the country were built around it.
Beyond grocery, the size carries consumer packaged goods, beverage, pharmaceutical distribution, household chemicals and general retail freight. Plants that take wood out of washdown rooms usually buy plastic in 48x40 first because their whole outbound chain already expects that outline.
Pallet types molded in 48x40
Almost every plastic pallet type has a 48x40 version, which makes this the easiest size to match to a job. The ratings in each row come from the maker's sheet for the exact model, not from the footprint.
| Type | Base and entry | Racking | Usual job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nestable | Nine legs, no runners; four-way | Most are floor-only | Return loops and one-way shipments where empties ride back nested |
| Stackable | Legs joined by runners or a perimeter base | Some models | Floor stacks of loaded pallets, conveyors |
| Rackable | Three runners or a full perimeter base | Yes, at the published racked load | Selective racking, drive-in lanes, AS/RS |
| Food grade | Smooth, cleanable deck; sealed reinforcement | Depends on the base | Washdown rooms, coolers, bakeries, dairy |
| RFID | Molded tag pockets on rackable or stackable bases | As rated | Pooled and tracked fleets |
| Export | Light nestable or stackable | Rarely | One-way container and air freight |
| Used | Any of the above, graded A, B or mixed | Grade A only, if rack-rated | Lower-cost replacement fleets |
How 48x40 pallets fit a 53-foot van
A 53-foot dry van is about 52.5 ft long inside, or 630 in, and about 100 in wide. Loaded straight, with the 48 in length along the trailer, two pallets sit side by side (40 + 40 = 80 in) and 630 / 48 = 13.1, so 13 rows give about 26 floor positions. Turned, with the 40 in side along the trailer, two still fit across (48 + 48 = 96 in) and 630 / 40 = 15.75, so 15 rows give about 30.
Empties are counted by the stack, not the floor spot. The heavy-duty nestable cited above is published at 1,200 pallets per 53-foot trailer because its legs drop into the pallet below.
48x40 in shipping containers
ISO containers are narrower than a van, about 92.4 in inside. Two 48x40s fit across only with the 40 in sides facing each other (80 in). A 20-foot box is about 231.6 in long, and 231.6 / 48 = 4.8, so straight loading gives 4 rows of 2, about 8. Mixing orientations does a little better: one lane of pallets with 40 in across (4 deep) beside one lane with 48 in across (231.6 / 40 = 5.8, so 5 deep) uses 88 in of width and holds about 9.
A 40-foot box is about 474 in long. The same two-lane pattern gives 474 / 48 = 9 in one lane and 474 / 40 = 11 in the other, about 20 pallets one high. If the receiver is in Europe or Asia, compare this with a metric footprint before you commit to 48x40.
Buying used 48x40 pallets
Used plastic in 48x40 comes off grocery, beverage and consumer-goods fleets, so it is the size most likely to be available by the truckload. Grade A means a whole deck, intact legs or runners and no repairs; it is rackable only when the model was rack-rated new. Grade B is structurally sound with scuffs, faded color or old labels, and it should not go in a rack without a check. A mixed lot is assorted makers and models sorted only to 48x40.
To quote, send the type, deck, heaviest load, whether it will be racked, the quantity and the delivery ZIP. We reply by email with the models or grades that meet it and a delivered price.
Questions buyers ask
Are 48x40 and 40x48 plastic pallets the same?
They share an outline, 48 by 40 in. The first number is the runner direction, so a 48x40 has runners along the 48 in side and a 40x48 along the 40 in side.
How many 48x40 pallets fit in a 53-foot trailer?
About 26 loaded pallets one high when loaded straight, or about 30 when turned with the 40 in side along the trailer. Nested empties are counted by the stack and run far higher.
Can I rack any 48x40 plastic pallet?
No. Rack only a model whose maker publishes a racked load, and stay under it at your beam span. Most nestable 48x40s are floor-only.
What is a GMA pallet?
It is the common name for the 48x40 grocery pallet, from the grocery manufacturers who settled on the size. In plastic it covers many models with different decks and ratings.
Sources
- Cabka: plastic pallets for export and ISPM 15
- Rehrig Pacific: 40 x 48 heavy duty nestable pallet sheet
Last reviewed November 8, 2026.