Pallet Scale: What It Is, What It Costs, and How to Choose the Right One
If your warehouse is weighing pallets with a general-purpose floor scale and guessing at configurations, you are probably losing time and accuracy on every weigh cycle. A pallet scale is a floor-level weighing platform built to the dimensions of a standard pallet, and choosing the right one comes down to three things: capacity, surface size, and whether you need NTEP certification for commercial or legal-for-trade weighing.
This guide covers the main types, what they cost, and what to look for before you buy.
What Is a Pallet Scale?
A pallet scale is a low-profile weighing platform designed to sit at floor level so a standard pallet can be slid, rolled, or forklift-placed directly onto the weighing surface. Most models have a deck sized between 40x40 inches and 48x48 inches to match standard pallet footprints, with weight capacities ranging from 2,500 to 10,000 pounds depending on the application.
Pallet scales are commonly used in receiving docks, shipping departments, and production floors where outbound loads need to be verified before they leave the building. They are also used for incoming freight verification, inventory weight tracking, and any operation where you are charging by weight.
Types of Pallet Scales
Floor pallet scales are the most common type. The platform sits at floor level and a pallet is set on it with a pallet jack or forklift. A digital indicator displays the weight. These are fixed-position scales that stay in one location.
Pallet jack scales integrate the scale into the forks of a pallet jack, so you weigh while you move the pallet. This is faster in high-volume environments because you eliminate the extra step of setting the pallet on a separate platform. The tradeoff is a slightly lower capacity ceiling, most pallet jack scales top out at 5,000 pounds, and a higher per-unit cost.
Floor scales with ramps allow a pallet jack to roll directly onto the scale surface without needing to lift the pallet. This is the right configuration when you are weighing in a facility where forklifts are not present and you are using a manual or electric pallet jack to load and position pallets.
NTEP Certification: Do You Need It?
NTEP stands for National Type Evaluation Program. A pallet scale with NTEP certification has been tested and approved for commercial or legal-for-trade use, meaning you can use it to weigh goods you are billing by the pound, or in any regulated environment where the weight reading has a compliance implication.
If you are using your pallet scale purely for internal inventory management or rough load verification, you do not need NTEP certification. If you are billing customers by weight, operating in a regulated industry, or any government inspector might check your scales, NTEP is required.
What Does a Pallet Scale Cost?
A standard floor-level pallet scale in the 2,500 to 5,000 pound capacity range typically runs between $400 and $900. NTEP-certified models in the same capacity range start around $600 and go up based on platform size and indicator features. Larger platforms (60x60 or 72x72) for oversized pallets start around $800 and scale up from there.
Pallet jack scales carry a higher price point, typically $1,400 to $5,000, because the mechanism is more complex and the unit handles both weighing and transport. If your team is weighing dozens of pallets per shift, the time savings usually justify the cost within a few months.
How to Choose the Right Pallet Scale for Your Operation
Start with capacity. Weigh your heaviest typical load, pallet plus product, and add 20 percent. That is the minimum capacity you need. Undersizing a scale shortens its lifespan and risks inaccurate readings at the top of the range.
Next, confirm the deck size. A standard 48x48 inch pallet fits on most standard floor scales. If you run oversized pallets, unusual configurations, or double-stack anything, measure first.
Decide whether you need NTEP certification before you start shopping. NTEP-certified and non-certified scales are often priced differently, and you cannot retrofit certification after purchase.
Finally, consider how the pallet gets onto the scale. If you have forklifts, a flat floor scale works fine. If your team uses manual pallet jacks only, a ramp configuration or a pallet jack scale will save time.
Where to Buy a Pallet Scale
Browse our full selection of industrial floor scales, including pallet-sized platforms in multiple capacity and surface configurations, at SellEton Scales. NTEP and non-NTEP options ship free nationwide.
If you want to weigh and move pallets in a single pass, our pallet jack scales are built for warehouse and distribution environments with daily high-volume cycles.
Questions about capacity, certification, or configuration? Call 844-735-5386.