Dictionary

CWT (Hundredweight)

CWT means a rate per 100 pounds in U.S. moving and transportation pricing. Learn the calculation and how it differs from cubic feet.

Scott Hampton

Scott Hampton

— 1 min read
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Published 5 Sep 2026 · Updated 5 Sep 2026. Sources, scope and corrections

TRE Dictionary

Hundredweight is 100 pounds in U.S. transportation usage. On a moving rate sheet, CWT indicates a rate or charge per 100 pounds. It does not mean cubic weight.

In plain English

Convert the applicable billable pounds into units of 100, then apply the stated rate. Confirm the tariff’s minimums, calculation rules and included services before treating that result as the final price.

A worked example

Hypothetical rate, not a market quote: 5,000 pounds ÷ 100 = 50 hundredweight. At $75 per CWT, that component is 50 × $75 = $3,750. This example excludes any other applicable services, minimums or adjustments. Do not add an included charge twice.

Who uses it, and when?

Estimating, billing, operations and customers may encounter CWT during quote review, transportation pricing, storage pricing or bill review. Ask which quantity and tariff item the rate applies to.

Responsibility and handoff

Pass the weight basis, applicable minimum, rate, tariff item and service description from estimating to billing. Keep measured shipment weight distinct from billable weight. A minimum can affect the calculation without changing what the goods actually weigh.

Common misunderstandings

  • CWT concerns weight; cubic feet concerns volume.
  • A rate per CWT is not automatically the total moving price.
  • An estimated weight is not a scale measurement.
  • The abbreviation alone does not establish whether an estimate is binding.

Net Weight · Tariff · Cubic Feet · Shipment Weight guide · Moving Quotes Explained · Dictionary

Sources and use

FMCSA’s glossary defines Cwt. as a rate or charge per 100 pounds. TRE’s example explains that unit; the actual contract and tariff determine the charge.

Reviewed September 5, 2026. U.S. transportation context; do not assume all international uses of hundredweight use the same unit.

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