GetShippingRatesPowered byArmstrong Transport Group877-240-1181Get a quoteQuote
Industrial · how to ship

How to ship solar panels

The right mode, how to prepare it, what drives the price and the mistakes that cost money. Best modes: LTL, Flatbed truckload, Dry van truckload.

Short answer: Solar panels ship on their factory pallets standing on edge: by LTL for a few pallets, by dry van or flatbed truckload for full loads. They're fragile and tall, so mark pallets do-not-stack, and job-site deliveries need a liftgate or forklift. Batteries that ship with systems are hazmat.

Updated November 3, 2026 · By the GetShippingRates team at Armstrong Transport Group

Step by step

Preparing solar panels for shipping

  1. Keep panels on factory pallets with edge protection.
  2. Mark pallets fragile and do not stack.
  3. Tell us if delivery is a job site or residence.
  4. Arrange a forklift or liftgate.
  5. Declare lithium batteries separately.
Cost

What drives the price

  • Non-stackable pallets take more floor space
  • Job-site and liftgate delivery
  • Hazmat for batteries
  • Tarps if on a flatbed

Freight class: Panel pallets commonly estimate at class 70 to 100 by density, but non-stackable handling raises cost. Check yours with the free freight calculators; the carrier’s NMFC item sets the final class.

For real prices see pallet shipping cost, the freight rate index and reefer shipping cost.

Avoid these

Mistakes that cost money

  • Stackable declared on fragile pallets.
  • No forklift at a rooftop install site.
  • Batteries shipped undeclared.

More industrial guides

Frequently asked questions

How are solar panels shipped?

On factory pallets, standing on edge, by LTL or truckload.

How many panels fit in a truck?

Often 20 to 26 pallets of roughly 26 to 36 panels each in a 53-foot van, depending on panel size.

Can panels go to a job site?

Yes, with a liftgate or a forklift on site.

More shipping cost guides

  • Shipping cost calculator — Billable weight for parcel, LTL, truckload, air and ocean, the mode that fits, and a dated LTL price range.
  • Pallet shipping cost — What 1 to 12 pallets cost to ship by LTL, by distance, from 97,000+ real shipments.
  • Freight shipping rates — How each mode is priced, and LTL price per 100 lb by weight and distance from real shipments.
  • LTL vs truckload — Where LTL stops making sense: pallet counts, weight, linear feet and transit, with real LTL prices.
  • Air freight rates — How air cargo is priced: chargeable weight, weight breaks, surcharges and door-to-door charges.
  • Ocean freight rates — FCL vs LCL, container sizes, revenue tons and every charge on an ocean freight quote.
  • Freight rate index — Median all-in truckload price per mile by equipment, distance and city, from hundreds of priced lanes.
  • Reefer shipping cost — What refrigerated LTL and reefer truckloads cost, from real quotes on 16 lanes.
  • White glove delivery cost — Curbside to white glove with assembly: what the two-person delivery leg costs in 16 US cities.
  • Broker vs. carrier direct — When a direct carrier contract beats a broker, and when it doesn't.
  • Volume LTL vs. partial truckload — The 6-to-18-pallet gray zone: how each is priced and handled.
  • Where to get a freight quote — Carrier sites, marketplaces, brokers and instant-rate platforms compared.
  • How to ship anything — Mode, packaging, freight class and cost drivers for furniture, machinery, produce, hazmat and more.
  • Shipping to Mexico — Cross-border freight: border crossings, the documents each side needs, and the US leg's real cost.
Live quote

Get a quote to ship solar panels

Pick the mode, enter the lane and freight, and see live rates in seconds where the mode supports it. Armstrong Transport Group's team handles the rest.

Prefer to talk? Call 877-240-1181 or email info@getshippingrates.com. Shipping several modes? Request a free multimodal shipping review.

LTL quote

  2. 2 Shipment
  3. 3 Contact
1–6 pallets or crates sharing a truck
Lane
Freight
Handling units
Extra services (optional)
At pickup
At delivery
Shipment