The definitive reference for IBC tote dimensions. A standard 275 gallon tote runs ~48 x 40 x 46 in and ~120-150 lbs empty; a 330 gallon tote shares the footprint but stands taller at ~53 in. Below: full capacity, weight, pallet, valve, and fill-cap charts, plus how to choose.
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The thing that surprises most first-time buyers: the two most common IBC totes — 275 and 330 gallon — occupy the exact same floor space. Both sit on a standard 48 x 40 inch pallet footprint. The difference is height and, therefore, full weight. That single fact drives most sizing decisions, because it means your constraint is usually ceiling clearance, forklift capacity, or door height — not floor area.
Figures below are typical values for caged composite IBCs (HDPE bottle in a galvanized steel cage on a pallet base). Manufacturers vary by an inch or a few pounds, so always confirm against the tote in front of you. All weights assume water at ~8.34 lbs/gallon; denser products weigh proportionally more.
Length x Width x Height in inches; weights in pounds. "Full (water)" is the gross shipping weight assuming the tote is filled with water.
| Capacity | L x W x H (in) | Empty weight | Full (water) | Pallet type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 gal (450 L) | 40 x 48 x 40 | ~90–110 lbs | ~1,100 lbs | Composite / plastic |
| 275 gal (1,000 L) | 48 x 40 x 46 | ~120–150 lbs | ~2,400 lbs | Steel, plastic or composite |
| 330 gal (1,250 L) | 48 x 40 x 53 | ~135–165 lbs | ~2,900 lbs | Steel, plastic or composite |
| 550 gal (2,000 L) | 48 x 48 x 74 | ~250–300 lbs | ~4,850 lbs | Steel-reinforced |
Note: the 275 and 330 gallon totes share the 48 x 40 in footprint — only the height changes. See our deep dive on 275 vs 330 gallon totes.
If you're matching replacement totes to an existing setup, measure the tote itself rather than trusting a stamped nominal capacity, which refers to fill volume, not outside dimensions.
For doorways, racking, and truck decks, the height and footprint are what matter — capacity alone won't tell you if it fits.
Same footprint, more height = more capacity.
Going from a 275 to a 330 gallon tote buys you 55 more gallons in the same floor space, at the cost of about 7 inches of height and roughly 500 more pounds when full. If your ceiling, door, and forklift can take it, the taller tote is usually the more space-efficient choice.
The two connection points on every IBC: the bottom outlet valve (for dispensing) and the top fill cap (for filling and venting). Thread standards vary, so these are the common defaults you'll meet most often.
| Fitting | Typical size | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Ball valve | 2 in | Standard dispense |
| Outlet thread | S60x6 buttress | Valve connection |
| Butterfly valve | 2–3 in | Higher flow |
| Camlock adapter | 2 in Type A/F | Quick connect |
| Garden hose (GHT) | 3/4 in | Water & irrigation |
| Opening | Typical size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard fill cap | 6 in (150 mm) | Most common |
| Large fill cap | 9 in (225 mm) | Faster filling |
| Vented cap | 6 in vented | Pressure relief |
| Cap thread | Buttress / coarse | Varies by maker |
| Adapter | 6 in to 2 in etc. | Fill/venting kits |
Need to convert a fitting? We stock adapters and replacement valves — see parts & accessories.
Stacking ratings are for full totes on flat, rated flooring. Always defer to the manufacturer's stamp and never exceed the rated stack height, especially with dense products.
| Capacity | Footprint (in) | Empty stack | Full stack (static) | Pallet base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 gal | 40 x 48 | Up to 4 high | 2 high | Plastic |
| 275 gal | 48 x 40 | Up to 4 high | Typically 2–3 high | Steel / plastic / composite |
| 330 gal | 48 x 40 | Up to 3 high | Typically 2 high | Steel / plastic / composite |
| 550 gal | 48 x 48 | Not stacked | 1 high (floor) | Steel-reinforced |
Two full 275s stack neatly on a standard 40-inch trailer pallet position. For palletized freight, see transport & logistics.
Check ceiling clearance, doorway height, and racking bay height before capacity. A 330 needs ~53 in plus room to lift the fill cap. If your space is tight vertically, a shorter 275 or 120 may be the only option even if you'd prefer more gallons.
A full 330 of water is ~2,900 lbs; denser products push well past a standard 3,000–5,000 lb forklift rating fast. Confirm your lift capacity and floor loading before sizing up. Water is the light case, not the worst case.
Water is ~8.34 lbs/gal. A syrup or concentrate at 1.3 specific gravity adds ~30% to every full-weight number in these charts. Size your tote and your handling equipment to the actual liquid, not to water.
For freight, an empty IBC is a classic "light but bulky" item, so carriers often price it on dimensional (DIM) weight rather than actual weight. A 275 gallon tote occupies roughly 48 x 40 x 46 in — about 51 cubic feet. Using a common DIM divisor, that footprint can bill out heavier than the tote's ~130 lb actual weight, which is why loose empties ship expensively and palletized full totes often ship more efficiently per gallon.
A single 48 x 40 in pallet position holds one full IBC or two stacked empties. A standard 53-ft dry van fits roughly 40–52 IBC footprints on the floor depending on stacking and load rules. If you're moving totes in volume, stacking empties and consolidating loads is where the real freight savings live — something our nationwide logistics team plans for you.
The charts above assume water. Real products are rarely water. This table shows how gross full weight shifts with specific gravity (SG) — the ratio of a liquid's density to water. Size your forklift and floor to the actual liquid, not the light case.
| Product example | Approx. SG | 275 gal full | 330 gal full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isopropyl / light solvent | ~0.8 | ~1,970 lbs | ~2,340 lbs |
| Water (baseline) | 1.0 | ~2,400 lbs | ~2,900 lbs |
| Liquid fertilizer | ~1.2 | ~2,880 lbs | ~3,480 lbs |
| Syrup / concentrate | ~1.3 | ~3,120 lbs | ~3,770 lbs |
| Heavy brine / dense acid | ~1.5 | ~3,600 lbs | ~4,350 lbs |
Full weight ≈ (gallons × 8.34 lbs × SG) + empty tote weight. A dense product can push a full 330 past a standard 5,000 lb forklift once you add the empty weight.
A full tote is a serious load. Before you size up, confirm three things: what your forklift is rated to lift, what your floor is rated to hold, and how high the manufacturer allows the tote to be stacked when full. Water is the easy case — dense products are where handling limits get exceeded quietly.
For safe handling by product type, see our safety & compliance guide.
Full tote weight vs. common forklift ratings.
| Full tote (water) | Min. lift class |
|---|---|
| 120 gal — ~1,100 lbs | Any standard lift |
| 275 gal — ~2,400 lbs | 3,000 lb+ lift |
| 330 gal — ~2,900 lbs | 3,500 lb+ lift |
| 550 gal — ~4,850 lbs | 5,000 lb+ lift |
Dense products add up fast — re-check with Chart E for your actual SG.
An empty IBC is the textbook "light but bulky" freight item, so LTL carriers often bill it on dimensional (DIM) weight rather than actual weight. DIM weight converts the space a shipment occupies into a billable weight using a divisor set by the carrier.
A 275 gallon tote is about 48 × 40 × 46 in = 88,320 cubic inches, or roughly 51 cubic feet. With a common DIM divisor of 139 (cubic inches per pound), that footprint bills at about 635 lbs — far above the tote's ~130 lb actual weight. The carrier charges on whichever is greater, so an empty tote almost always ships on its size, not its scale weight.
A full tote uses the same footprint but carries thousands of pounds of product, so its actual weight exceeds DIM weight and you pay for real mass you actually wanted to move. That's the counterintuitive rule of tote freight: loose empties are the expensive thing to ship, and consolidation is where the savings live.
A single 48 × 40 in pallet position holds one full IBC or two stacked empties. A standard 53-ft dry van fits roughly 40–52 IBC footprints on the floor depending on stacking and load rules. Stacking empties and consolidating loads is exactly what our nationwide logistics team plans — including nationwide shipping for volume moves.
Under ~50 in of usable height points to a 275 (~46 in) or 120. Plenty of headroom opens up the taller 330 (~53 in) and its extra 55 gallons in the same footprint.
Standard 3,000 lb lifts handle a full 275 of water; a full 330 wants 3,500 lb+. Dense products (Chart E) can require more. Confirm floor loading for stacked full totes.
Water is the light case at 8.34 lbs/gal. A 1.3 SG concentrate adds ~30% to every full-weight number. Size the tote and the handling gear to the actual liquid.
When space is the constraint, the 330 is the most space-efficient common tote — more capacity than a 275 in the identical 48 × 40 in footprint.
The full primer on capacities, construction, fittings, and applications.
Read →What food-grade, A, B, and C mean before you buy on spec.
Read →Valves, caps, adapters, and replacement cages for any fitting.
Read →A side-by-side deep dive on the two most common totes.
Read →How we palletize, consolidate, and ship totes nationwide.
Read →UN / DOT ratings, handling, and stacking done right.
Read →Tell us your product, your volume, and your dock — we'll spec the right tote and quote it, usually within one business day.
A look inside our Austin operation — buying, grading, reconditioning, and loading IBC totes for reuse across all 50 states.
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