Box truck sizes: dimensions, capacity and pallets for every common box

Box truck sizes are quoted by the length of the cargo box, but length is only one of five numbers that decide what the truck can haul. The others are inside width, inside height, payload and gross vehicle weight. This guide puts all five side by side for six common sizes, works out how many pallets each one takes, and explains what the numbers mean for the freight you can book.

Box truck size chart

The chart below draws each box to scale by inside length and height. The amber marks along each floor are rows of standard 48 x 40 inch pallets, single-stacked. The 16, 20, 22 and 26 ft boxes are wide enough for two pallets per row; the 10 and 12 ft boxes take one.

The same numbers as a table. All dimensions are inside the box.

These are rental fleets' published numbers, and a truck from another builder can differ by a few inches either way. They are a good guide to what each size class looks like. They are not a substitute for a tape measure in the truck you are buying or loading.

Box truck dimensions, measured three ways

Box truck length

Size names round the inside length. The "26 ft" box in the chart is 25 ft 11 in inside, and the "22 ft" box is 21 ft 11 in. The truck's overall length is longer again, because the cab, hood and rear bumper sit outside the box. Box truck length matters most for pallets: every 4 ft of floor is one more row of standard pallets.

Box truck height

Inside height grows with size. In our chart, the 12 ft box is 6 ft 1 in high inside and the 26 ft box is 8 ft 7 in, which is the difference between stacking appliances and standing furniture on end. Outside height matters on the road. There is no federal height limit for trucks; states set their own, mostly between 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft. Penske lists 13 ft 6 in of clearance for its CDL 22-26 ft box. Low bridges are posted for that reason, so know your number.

SOURCE:FHWA, Federal Size Regulations for CMVs, OCT 2026;Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026

Box truck width

Width decides whether pallets go two across. A 26 ft box at about 8 ft 1 in inside takes two 40-inch pallet faces side by side; a 12 ft box at 6 ft 6 in takes only one. Outside, federal rules cap commercial vehicle width at 102 inches on the National Network of highways, so no standard box truck gets much wider than the largest sizes here.

SOURCE:eCFR, 23 CFR 658.15, OCT 2026

Payload, GVW and the CDL line

Payload is how much freight the truck may carry: the gross vehicle weight rating minus what the empty truck weighs. A box can run out of payload long before it runs out of floor. A 26 ft box filled with 12 pallets of canned goods may be over its rating while the same floor of mattresses is not.

The weight rating also decides the license. A truck rated 26,001 lb or more needs a CDL driver. Penske's non-CDL 22-26 ft box tops out at 26,000 lb GVW with up to 10,000 lb of payload. Its CDL version runs up to 33,000 lb GVW and up to 17,000 lb of payload. Same box length, different license. Our medium duty box truck guide covers the weight classes in more depth.

SOURCE:Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026;Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 383.5, OCT 2026

Other box truck sizes: 14, 18, 24, 28 and 30 ft

Builders mount boxes in plenty of lengths beyond the six in the chart. A 14 ft box truck lands between the 12 and the 16 on floor length; the nearest rental size we found is U-Haul's 15 ft truck, 15 ft long inside with 764 cubic feet, so expect a 14ft box truck to hold a little less. An 18 foot box truck sits between the 16 and the 20, and a 24 ft box between the 22 and the 26. Width, height and payload depend on the chassis and body each builder used, rather than the length alone.

At the long end, a 28 foot box truck or a 30 foot box truck is longer than anything in the chart. Before buying or driving a 30 ft box truck, check its GVWR: at 26,001 lb or more, it is in CDL territory. For any of these, there is no single published spec to quote: read the body plate for inside dimensions and the door sticker for the weight rating. Our guides on the 16 foot box truck, 20 foot box truck, 24 foot box truck and 26 foot box truck cover each size in detail.

What box truck size means for the loads you can book

Brokers post box truck freight by size and equipment, because the receiver decides what can unload there. That is why the 26 ft box with a liftgate is such a flexible size: it takes pallets two across, stands tall enough for furniture, and can deliver to a business without a dock.

A smaller box still has steady work, mostly local: moves, parcels, final mile runs for stores. It competes for less of the load board, though, and a load posted for a 26 ft truck will not fit a 16.

How to choose a box truck size

1. Count the freight. Pallets, pieces or cubic feet for your typical load, not your biggest one.
2. Weigh it. Compare the heaviest typical load with the payload, not the GVWR.
3. Check the license line. Decide whether you or your drivers will hold a CDL before you look at anything rated over 26,000 lb.
4. Match the receivers. If you deliver to homes or small shops, budget for a liftgate. If you load at warehouses, check the floor height against their docks.
5. Run the numbers. The truck size calculator matches your load to a box length, pallet count and volume.

Every guide in this topic

Sizes: 10 ft, 12 ft, 12 ft with liftgate, 16 ft, 20 ft, 24 ft, 26 ft, pallets in a 26 ft box, weight, mpg.

Types and builds: box truck types, classes, brands, most reliable, medium duty, diesel, electric, cutaway, dual axle, crew cab, with sleeper, with side door, curtain side, refrigerated, dock height.

Comparisons: straight truck, cargo truck, straight truck vs box truck, straight truck vs tractor trailer.

New to the topic? Start with what a box truck is.

SOURCE:U-Haul (page snapshot 2026-09-28, Internet Archive), OCT 2026;U-Haul (page snapshot 2026-09-28, Internet Archive), OCT 2026;U-Haul (page snapshot 2026-09-28, Internet Archive), OCT 2026;Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026;Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026;Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026;Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026;Penske Truck Rental, OCT 2026;eCFR, 23 CFR 658.15, OCT 2026;FHWA, Federal Size Regulations for CMVs, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 383.5, OCT 2026

Questions box truck owners ask

Q-01How big is a box truck?

It depends on the size. In one large rental fleet's published specs, a 12 ft box truck has 450 cubic feet inside and a 26 ft box truck has up to 1,700. That is nearly four times the space for a truck a bit more than twice as long, because bigger boxes are also wider and taller.

Q-02How tall is a box truck?

Inside, the 12 and 16 ft boxes in our chart stand 6 ft 1 in and 6 ft 6 in high, and the 26 ft stands 8 ft 7 in. Outside, Penske lists 13 ft 6 in of clearance for its CDL 22-26 ft box. Check the height sticker in your own cab before any low bridge, drive-thru or parking garage.

Q-03How wide is a box truck?

Inside, a 26 ft box is about 8 ft 1 in wide, enough for two standard pallets side by side. A 12 ft box is about 6 ft 6 in, which fits only one. Outside, federal rules cap vehicle width at 102 inches on the National Network.

Q-04What size box truck do I need?

Start from the freight, not the truck. Count your pallets or cubic feet, add the weight, and compare both against the box's floor, volume and payload. A load that fills the floor can still be too heavy, and a light load can still run out of height. Our truck size calculator does that math.

Q-05Is a 26 ft box truck the biggest box truck?

It is the biggest common size, and the largest you will usually find without needing a CDL. Some builders mount longer boxes, such as 28 or 30 ft, on heavier chassis. If one is rated above 26,000 lb GVWR, the driver needs a CDL, so check the door sticker before you buy or hire.