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A 40x40 pallet fits a 40x32 in load — the smallest that fits, exact on the length. Find the smallest pallet that fits your load, from the 32x30 half pallet to the 48x48. Enter your load size to find yours.
Pallet sizes run from the 32x30 half pallet to the 48x48 square pallet, with the 48x40 GMA pallet as the North American standard. This chart lists the standard pallet footprints with their area, aspect ratio, and diagonal — and it picks the smallest pallet that fits the load you enter, in either orientation. Sizes are nominal standard footprints, and actual pallets vary. This is a size chart, not a load-rating chart.
Pallet sizes run from the 32x30 half pallet to the 48x48 square pallet, with the 48x40 GMA pallet as the North American standard. The chart below lists the standard pallet footprints: the area in square inches and square feet, the aspect ratio (the long side divided by the short side), the diagonal, and what each size is best for. Sizes are nominal standard footprints, and actual pallets vary. This is a size chart, not a load-rating chart: it says nothing about how much weight a pallet can carry.
| Pallet size | Area (sq in) | Area (sq ft) | Aspect ratio | Diagonal (in) | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48x40 GMA | 1,920.00 | 13.33 | 1.20 | 62.48 | the North American grocery standard, retail and warehousing |
| 42x42 | 1,764.00 | 12.25 | 1.00 | 59.40 | paints, drums, and square loads |
| 48x48 | 2,304.00 | 16.00 | 1.00 | 67.88 | large square loads, drums, and bulk bags |
| 48x36 | 1,728.00 | 12.00 | 1.33 | 60.00 | beverages, paper, and shingle bundles |
| 36x36 | 1,296.00 | 9.00 | 1.00 | 50.91 | compact square loads, drums, and small machinery |
| 40x40 | 1,600.00 | 11.11 | 1.00 | 56.57 | square loads, drums, and export crates |
| 48x44 | 2,112.00 | 14.67 | 1.09 | 65.12 | chemicals, drums, and wide loads |
| 47.24x31.5 EUR/EPAL | 1,488.06 | 10.33 | 1.50 | 56.78 | the European EPAL standard, Euro-pallet loads |
| 44x44 | 1,936.00 | 13.44 | 1.00 | 62.23 | square loads, drums, and bulk containers |
| 32x30 half pallet | 960.00 | 6.67 | 1.07 | 43.86 | half pallets, retail displays, and small loads |
The pick is the smallest pallet by area that is at least as big as the load in both dimensions — the load sits on the pallet, so the pallet has to cover it, and the load can sit either way round. An exact fit counts as fitting. The next size up is the smallest pallet by area larger than the pick — the step up if you want a little extra room around the load. A load bigger than 48x48 in takes no pallet in the chart at all.
At the default — a 40x32 in load — the smallest pallet that fits is 40x40 (1,600.00 sq in, 11.11 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 56.57 in). The next size up is 48x36 (1,728.00 sq in, 12.00 sq ft). Note the exact fit: 40 in long is the load length exactly.
Setup: load 40 in long by 32 in wide, pallet 40x40 in.
Line 1 — the area. 40 × 40 = 1,600.00 sq in, and 1,600 ÷ 144 = 11.11 sq ft.
Line 2 — the aspect ratio. 40 ÷ 40 = 1.00.
Line 3 — the diagonal. √(40² + 40²) = 56.57 in.
Line 4 — the fit. 40 in fits the 40 in load exactly and 40 in fits the 32 in load — so 40x40 fits.
Line 5 — the next size up. 48x36 is the smallest pallet larger than the pick: 1,728.00 sq in, 12.00 sq ft — the step up if you want a little extra room around the load. Rounding convention: all figures are computed from unrounded values and rounded only for display — areas to two decimals, aspect ratios and diagonals to two decimals, so a figure worked out from the rounded numbers can differ slightly from the figure shown.
Reverse: a 30x30 in load takes a 32x30 half pallet (960.00 sq in, 6.67 sq ft). A 36x36 in load takes a 36x36 pallet, exact (1,296.00 sq in, 9.00 sq ft). A 47x31 in load takes a 47.24x31.5 EUR/EPAL pallet (1,488.06 sq in, 10.33 sq ft). A 48x40 in load takes a 48x40 GMA pallet, exact (1,920.00 sq in, 13.33 sq ft). A 50x40 in load takes no pallet at all — above the chart.
48x40 GMA: 1,920.00 sq in, 13.33 sq ft, aspect 1.20, diag 62.48 in — the North American grocery standard, retail and warehousing. 42x42: 1,764.00 sq in, 12.25 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 59.40 in — paints, drums, and square loads. 48x48: 2,304.00 sq in, 16.00 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 67.88 in — large square loads, drums, and bulk bags.
48x36: 1,728.00 sq in, 12.00 sq ft, aspect 1.33, diag 60.00 in — beverages, paper, and shingle bundles. 36x36: 1,296.00 sq in, 9.00 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 50.91 in — compact square loads, drums, and small machinery. 40x40: 1,600.00 sq in, 11.11 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 56.57 in — square loads, drums, and export crates.
48x44: 2,112.00 sq in, 14.67 sq ft, aspect 1.09, diag 65.12 in — chemicals, drums, and wide loads. 47.24x31.5 EUR/EPAL: 1,488.06 sq in, 10.33 sq ft, aspect 1.50, diag 56.78 in — the European EPAL standard, Euro-pallet loads. 44x44: 1,936.00 sq in, 13.44 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 62.23 in — square loads, drums, and bulk containers. 32x30 half pallet: 960.00 sq in, 6.67 sq ft, aspect 1.07, diag 43.86 in — half pallets, retail displays, and small loads.
Reverse — the other way round: a 30x30 in load takes a 32x30 half pallet; a 36x36 in load takes a 36x36 pallet, exact; a 47x31 in load takes a 47.24x31.5 EUR/EPAL pallet; a 48x40 in load takes a 48x40 GMA pallet, exact; a 50x40 in load takes no pallet at all. Extras: a 48x48 pallet is 1.20x the area of a GMA pallet; a EUR/EPAL pallet is 0.78x; a half pallet is 0.50x.
The chart assumes the standard pallet footprints above, with the EUR/EPAL size from the European EPAL standard and the GMA size from the Grocery Manufacturers Association. It assumes you measure the load length and width in inches, and the pallet size by its footprint, length by width. It assumes the load can sit either way round on the pallet, and an exact fit counts as fitting. It does not know the pallet's construction: this is a size chart, not a load-rating chart, so it says nothing about how much weight a pallet can carry. Sizes are nominal standard footprints, and actual pallets vary. With a 0 or negative load size the calculator asks for a real number. Rounding convention: all figures are computed from unrounded values and rounded only for display — areas to two decimals, aspect ratios and diagonals to two decimals, so a figure worked out from the rounded numbers can differ slightly from the figure shown.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Smallest pallet that fits | the smallest area that fits the load in either orientation | 40x40 (1,600.00 sq in, 11.11 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 56.57 in). |
| Next size up | the smallest pallet by area larger than the pick | 48x36 (1,728.00 sq in, 12.00 sq ft) — the step up if you want a little extra room. |
| 48x48 vs GMA area | 2,304 ÷ 1,920 | 1.20x. |
| EUR/EPAL vs GMA area | 1,488.06 ÷ 1,920 | 0.78x. |
| Half pallet vs GMA area | 960 ÷ 1,920 | 0.50x. |
| Load 30x30 in | same model, 30x30 in load | Smallest 32x30 half pallet. |
| Load 36x36 in | same model, 36x36 in load | Smallest 36x36, exact. |
| Load 47x31 in | same model, 47x31 in load | Smallest 47.24x31.5 EUR/EPAL. |
| Load 48x40 in | same model, 48x40 in load | Smallest 48x40 GMA, exact. |
| Load 50x40 in | same model, 50x40 in load | no pallet fits — above the chart. |
| 48x40 GMA | same model, 48x40 GMA pallet | Size 48x40 GMA, area 1,920.00 sq in, 13.33 sq ft, aspect 1.20, diag 62.48 in. |
| 42x42 | same model, 42x42 pallet | Size 42x42, area 1,764.00 sq in, 12.25 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 59.40 in. |
| 48x48 | same model, 48x48 pallet | Size 48x48, area 2,304.00 sq in, 16.00 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 67.88 in. |
| 48x36 | same model, 48x36 pallet | Size 48x36, area 1,728.00 sq in, 12.00 sq ft, aspect 1.33, diag 60.00 in. |
| 36x36 | same model, 36x36 pallet | Size 36x36, area 1,296.00 sq in, 9.00 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 50.91 in. |
| 40x40 | same model, 40x40 pallet | Size 40x40, area 1,600.00 sq in, 11.11 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 56.57 in. |
| 48x44 | same model, 48x44 pallet | Size 48x44, area 2,112.00 sq in, 14.67 sq ft, aspect 1.09, diag 65.12 in. |
| 47.24x31.5 EUR/EPAL | same model, EUR/EPAL pallet | Size 47.24x31.5 EUR/EPAL, area 1,488.06 sq in, 10.33 sq ft, aspect 1.50, diag 56.78 in. |
| 44x44 | same model, 44x44 pallet | Size 44x44, area 1,936.00 sq in, 13.44 sq ft, aspect 1.00, diag 62.23 in. |
| 32x30 half pallet | same model, half pallet | Size 32x30 half pallet, area 960.00 sq in, 6.67 sq ft, aspect 1.07, diag 43.86 in. |
The figures are exact for the numbers you enter: the area is length times width, the area in square feet is square inches divided by 144, the aspect ratio is the long side divided by the short side, the diagonal is the square root of length squared plus width squared, the pick is the smallest pallet by area that is at least as big as the load in both dimensions, and the next size up is the smallest pallet by area larger than the pick. What the chart cannot do is know your real pallet: check the footprint, because sizes are nominal standard footprints and actual pallets vary, and check the construction, because this chart is a size chart, not a load-rating chart. It assumes the standard sizes above; some shippers use non-standard pallets. For other standard sizes, see plywood size chart, lumber size chart, and flag size chart.
Bright Side Kit. "Pallet Size Chart: Standard Sizes & Dimensions 2026" https://brightoolbox.com/pallet-size-chart/ Accessed October 25, 2026.A 40x40 pallet — the smallest that fits, exact on the length. A 40x32 in load needs a pallet at least 40 in long and 32 in wide. The 40x40 is the smallest pallet in the chart that fits both dimensions, at 1,600.00 sq in (11.11 sq ft). The next size up is 48x36 (1,728.00 sq in, 12.00 sq ft) — the step up if you want a little extra room.
The 48x40 GMA pallet. At 1,920.00 sq in (13.33 sq ft), the 48x40 GMA — Grocery Manufacturers Association — pallet is the North American standard for retail and warehousing. A 48x40 load fits it exactly. The 48x48 is 1.20 times its area, and a half pallet is 0.50 times.
47.24x31.5 in, the EPAL standard. A Euro pallet is 1,488.06 sq in (10.33 sq ft), with an aspect ratio of 1.50 and a diagonal of 56.78 in. That is 0.78 times the area of a GMA pallet. A 47x31 in load takes a Euro pallet, because it is the smallest pallet that fits both dimensions.
A 32x30 pallet, half the area of a GMA pallet. At 960.00 sq in (6.67 sq ft), a half pallet is 0.50 times the area of a 48x40 GMA pallet. It is the smallest pallet in the chart, and a 30x30 in load takes a half pallet. Half pallets are used for retail displays and small loads.
1.20 times the area. A 48x48 pallet is 2,304.00 sq in (16.00 sq ft) against 1,920.00 sq in (13.33 sq ft) for a GMA pallet. A EUR/EPAL pallet is 0.78 times the GMA area, and a half pallet is 0.50 times. The diagonal of a 48x48 is 67.88 in, the longest in the chart.
No. This is a size chart: which pallet fits which load, and how big each size is. It is not a load-rating chart — it says nothing about how much weight a pallet can carry, which depends on the wood, the deck boards, and the construction. Sizes are nominal standard footprints, and actual pallets vary.