Standard Pallet Sizes: U.S. & Euro Freight Guide
Pallet dimensions influence warehouse slots, trailer floor space, carton patterns and container utilization. A few footprints account for a large share of general freight movements.
Compare common pallet footprints including 48 × 40 inch GMA, EUR 1 and EUR 2 dimensions for freight planning.
48 × 40 inch GMA footprint
The 48 × 40 inch footprint is widely used in North American supply chains. Actual pallet construction, deck boards, height and tare weight vary, so planning tools should treat the footprint as standardized but physical pallet weight as an input rather than a universal constant.
EUR 1: 1200 × 800 mm
The EUR 1 / EPAL 1 footprint is 1200 × 800 mm and is a core European logistics standard. Its geometry works well with standard road trailers and many warehouse systems.
EUR 2: 1200 × 1000 mm
The EUR 2 footprint is 1200 × 1000 mm. It is larger than EUR 1 and may be preferred in specific industrial flows. The footprint changes both cartons per layer and road-freight floor-space usage.
Plan with the actual shipping pallet
Do not assume all pallets with the same footprint have the same height, weight or load rating. Use your actual pallet tare and safe load limit when the distinction matters.
Reviewed September 29, 2026 Carrier-sensitive claims are cross-checked against the source library.
Run the calculation
Estimate cartons per layer, layers per pallet, pallet capacity, gross weight and pallets required with common U.S. and European pallet presets.