How Many Pallets Fit in a 40ft Container?

A standard 40ft shipping container holds 20 standard US pallets (48" × 40") on the floor in a single layer, or 23–24 Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm). If the pallets are short and stackable enough to double-stack, the same container holds up to 40 US pallets, and a 40ft high cube makes double-stacking much easier because it has about a foot more interior height.

That is the short answer. For apparel and footwear exporters, pallet count is only half the question. Clothing runs out of space long before it runs out of weight, so how you load the box (palletized, double-stacked, or floor-loaded cartons) can change how many units fit by 40% or more. This guide covers the numbers, the loading options, and what it means for landed cost in 2026.

How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?

A 40ft container fits 20 standard 48" × 40" pallets single-stacked, 40 if double-stacked, and 23–24 Euro pallets single-stacked. The floor is 39'5" long and 7'8" wide inside, which is enough for two pallets side by side (one turned 48" across, one turned 40" across) in ten rows.

Some loaders get a 21st US pallet in with a tight pinwheel pattern, but plan on 20. Ask your freight forwarder to confirm before you buy a lot sized to fill a container exactly.

Double-stacked counts assume each pallet is short enough and strong enough to carry another pallet on top. Many liquidation pallets are not, which is covered below.

What are the inside dimensions of a 40ft container?

A standard 40ft container (often called 40' GP or 40' DV) is about 39'5" long, 7'8" wide and 7'10" tall inside, with roughly 2,390 cubic feet of space. A 40ft high cube (40' HC) has the same floor but about 8'10" of interior height and roughly 2,690 cubic feet.

Exact numbers vary slightly by manufacturer and carrier. The door opening, not the interior, is usually the real height limit: a pallet taller than the door simply will not go in.

Keep in mind that container ratings are not road limits. In the US, the cargo weight you can legally truck to the port is often closer to 42,000–44,000 lb depending on the chassis and state, so heavy loads get capped by trucking before they hit the container's rating.

Can you double-stack pallets in a 40ft container?

Yes, but only if each pallet is short enough and its top load can bear weight. In a standard 40ft container, two stacked pallets need to total under about 89" (the door height), so each pallet should be roughly 44" tall or less including the pallet deck. In a 40ft high cube, each pallet can be roughly 49–50" tall.

That is why high cubes are the default choice for apparel exporters. Most liquidation pallets of clothing ship at 48–72" tall, so in a standard container they cannot double-stack at all, and you are stuck at 20 positions with a lot of empty air above them.

Before planning a double-stack, check three things:

1. Height: re-stack or break down tall pallets to fit the stacked limit.
2. Box strength: crushed cartons on the bottom tier mean damaged goods. Gaylords (large corrugated bulk boxes) of loose clothing often sag and should not carry weight.
3. Mixed loads: put the heavier footwear cartons on the bottom tier and lighter apparel on top.

Will apparel and footwear max out on space or weight?

Apparel and footwear almost always max out on space before weight. A 40ft container can carry roughly 58,000 lb, but 20 apparel pallets at a typical 500–900 lb each total only about 10,000–18,000 lb, well under any weight limit.

This "cubes out before it weighs out" pattern drives every loading decision for clothing. Your goal is to fill the box with product rather than air.

These ranges are examples, not quotes. Real counts depend on garment type (tees vs. outerwear), packaging, and how well the pallets are built. Check the manifest for unit counts whenever a lot has one.

Should you floor-load or palletize an export container?

Floor-loading (stacking cartons directly on the container floor with no pallets) fits the most product, while palletizing loads and unloads much faster. Single-stacked apparel pallets often use only about 55–65% of a 40ft container's cube; floor-loaded cartons commonly reach 80–90%.

Many apparel exporters buy palletized lots domestically and pay a warehouse to transload (move goods from trucks or pallets into a container) and floor-load them near the port. The extra handling fee is usually smaller than the freight saved by fitting more units into each container.

How does a 40ft container compare with a 53-foot truck or a box truck?

A 40ft container holds 20 standard pallets single-stacked, a 53-foot dry van holds 26, and a 26-foot box truck holds about 12. That means a full domestic truckload does not fit into one 40ft container, a common surprise for first-time exporters.

If you buy a 26-pallet truckload, you either need about 1.3 containers or a re-stack and floor-load to fit it into one high cube. For the domestic side of the math, see how many pallets fit in a 53-foot trailer and how many pallets fit in a 26ft box truck.

How do you calculate landed cost per unit for a container of apparel?

Landed cost per unit equals the lot price plus every freight and handling charge, divided by the sellable units that actually arrive. For dense apparel loads, freight often adds well under a dollar per unit, which is why filling the container matters more than shaving the per-pallet price.

Here is an illustrative example for a 40ft high cube of mixed apparel (all figures are examples, not WCD quotes):

Run your own numbers through the pallet ROI calculator, and budget for unsellable units: a 5–10% defect allowance is a sensible starting assumption for customer returns, lower for shelf pulls and overstock.

Where do exporters buy apparel pallets to fill a container?

Exporters fill containers by buying truckload or multi-pallet lots of brand-name apparel and footwear from liquidation marketplaces, retailer return programs, and closeout wholesalers, then consolidating them at a warehouse near the port. Buying from one source with consistent pallet sizes makes container planning much easier.

WCD Wholesale, a B2B marketplace for apparel and footwear liquidation with verified buyers and sellers, lists lots from single pallets up to full truckloads at fixed prices rather than auctions, so exporters know their cost before they plan the container. Many lots are manifested; check the manifest on each listing for unit counts and categories before you commit, and remember that freight is separate from the lot price, so it belongs in your landed-cost math.

If your mix includes general merchandise, compare sources in our guide to where to buy Amazon return pallets. For a broader look at grading, sources and pricing, start with the liquidation pallets buyer's guide.

What mistakes cost exporters the most?

The most expensive mistake is shipping a half-empty container. Paying ocean freight on air doubles your per-unit freight cost, and it happens most often when buyers plan around domestic pallet counts.

Other common errors:

• Ignoring the door height. A 90" pallet will not fit through a standard container door.
• Double-stacking weak gaylords. Bottom-tier crush damage wipes out the savings.
• No packing list by carton. Customs brokers at destination usually need a detailed packing list; a lot manifest is a good starting point but often needs reformatting.
• Skipping restricted-goods checks. Some countries limit used clothing or require fumigation or certificates. Confirm rules for the destination before you buy.

Bottom line

Plan on 20 standard pallets per 40ft container, 40 if you can double-stack in a high cube, and expect apparel to fill the space long before it reaches the weight limit. In 2026, the exporters with the best margins buy consistent, well-documented lots, consolidate near the port, and fill every cubic foot. WCD Wholesale is built for that kind of volume buying: browse current lots, check each manifest, and size your purchase to the container you plan to fill.