FIFO Pallet Racking: How It Works and Which System to Choose

FIFO pallet racking is any rack system where the first pallet loaded is the first pallet picked. The most common version is pallet flow rack: forklifts load pallets at a raised charge end, gravity rolls them down pitched roller lanes, and operators pick from the lower discharge end. Drive-thru and selective rack can also run FIFO, but with tradeoffs in density and labor.

Key Takeaways

• Pallet flow is the densest FIFO option, with lanes that can run 20 to 25 pallets deep. 
• Every pallet in a flow lane should share the same product, date code, and packaging. 
• Flow lanes drop about 5/16 to 1/2 inch per foot and use speed controllers to keep loads under control. 
• Pallet flow needs an aisle at both ends, one for loading and one for picking. 
• Deep-lane storage can change sprinkler requirements, so bring your fire authority in early. 

It usually shows up during a cycle count. A pallet that should have shipped two months ago is stuck at the back of a lane, past its date, while newer pallets went out the door. Nobody did it on purpose. Without FIFO pallet racking, the rack simply makes it easier to grab the front pallet than the oldest one.

That mistake costs you three ways: product you throw away, forklift time spent digging for the oldest date code, and floor space lost to extra aisles added just to reach everything. Stacking higher won’t fix it either (at least not past the height your fire department signs off on).

When the rack controls rotation, your drivers don’t have to. Below, we’ll cover what FIFO pallet racking is, how a FIFO pallet racking system works, which rack types can run first in, first out, and what to plan before you ask for a quote.

What Is FIFO Pallet Racking?

FIFO stands for first in, first out. In a warehouse, it means the oldest pallet of a product ships or goes to production before the newer ones. FIFO pallet racking is rack that makes that order happen by design instead of relying on drivers to remember it.

It’s a behavior, not a single product. The Material Handling Institute’s rack fundamentals guide groups pallet flow and carton flow as the racks used when a FIFO inventory system is required, and lists pushback as a LIFO system. Carton flow handles individual cases. Pallet flow handles full pallet loads, which is what this guide covers.

If you’re still deciding between FIFO, LIFO, and FEFO for your inventory, start with our guide on how FIFO inventory management works. This article is about the steel that makes it happen.

How Does a FIFO Pallet Racking System Work?

Most FIFO pallet racking systems are pallet flow, also called gravity flow. Each lane is a set of roller or wheel tracks on a slight downhill slope, usually 5/16 to 1/2 inch of drop per foot, according to the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI). Here’s the cycle:

1. A forklift sets a pallet on the high end of the lane, called the charge end. 
2. Gravity carries the pallet down the rollers toward the low end. 
3. Speed controllers in the lane keep it moving at a steady pace. 
4. The pallet stops at the discharge end, which becomes the pick face. 
5. When an operator pulls that pallet, the next one moves forward into its place. 

Because loading and picking happen at opposite ends, the oldest pallet is always the one in front. Nobody has to decide which one to pull.

What Keeps Pallets From Slamming Into the Pick Face?

A lane full of pallets pushes on whatever is in front of it. RMI calls this back pressure and puts it at about 6% of the combined weight of the pallets behind the front one. In RMI’s example, a 3-deep lane of 2,500 lb loads puts about 300 lb against the front pallet. That’s enough to make pulling an empty pallet a real strain on your team.

Three components handle it:

• Speed controllers: brakes along the lane that keep pallets moving slowly and centered. 
• Pallet separators: hold the rest of the line back, typically 6 to 12 inches behind the pick-face pallet, until an operator releases the next one. 
• Ramp or end stops: slow and hold the first pallet at the discharge end. 

Short lanes of 2 or 3 pallets don’t always need brakes. That depends on load weight, load stability, and whether the load is stretch wrapped.

Which Rack Systems Can Run FIFO?

Pallet flow is the most common FIFO pallet racking system, but it isn’t the only one. RMI’s overview of FIFO rack names three: selective, pallet flow, and drive-thru.

Pushback is in the table because it gets confused with pallet flow. It uses sloped lanes too, but the last pallet in is the first one out. If rotation doesn’t matter for your product, see how pushback racking works.

A few tradeoffs to know:

• Selective rack gives you access to everything, but it needs an aisle for every row, so you pay for it in square footage. 
• Pallet flow needs an aisle at both ends and clear lanes with no building columns in the way. Lanes should also be batch equivalent. Every pallet in a lane needs the same product, date code, and packaging, or rotation breaks down. 
• Drive-thru rack doesn’t move loads forward. Forklifts drive deeper into the bay for each pallet, the whole bay has to hold one SKU, and empty positions sit unused until the bay is reloaded. That’s called honeycombing. 

What Should You Plan Before Installing FIFO Pallet Racking?

Most FIFO pallet racking problems start before the steel arrives. Work through these before you ask for a quote:

• Pallet quality: damaged or inconsistent pallets hang up in flow lanes. Plan for consistent, undamaged pallets. Some pallet flow designs handle more than one pallet size, so share every size you run. 
• Load weights: know your heaviest and lightest loads. They affect roller and brake selection. 
• Lane depth and rise: pitch adds up. At 1/2 inch per foot, a 100-foot lane puts the charge end more than 4 feet above the discharge end. 
• Levels: forklifts have to reach the top charge position, so most pallet flow systems top out around 4 pallets high. 
• Aisles at both ends: one for loading, one for picking. 
• Building columns: flow lanes need clear runs. 
• Secure storage: OSHA 1910.176(b) requires stored material to be stable and secure against sliding or collapse. 

Ready to price it out? Our pallet flow rack page covers the system and lets you request a quote, and our pallet flow racking systems overview goes deeper on lane options. A CAD warehouse layout puts all of this on paper, including lane depth, pitch, and aisle placement, before anything is ordered.

Do FIFO Racks Need Permits or a Fire-Code Review?

Usually, yes. In most locations, rack over 5’9″ needs a permit, and a FIFO system with deep, tall lanes will almost always cross that line. Fire protection is the second review. RMI notes that recent NFPA standards changes and insurer guidelines may require added sprinkler protection for deep-lane storage.

Talk to your local fire authority or fire protection consultant early, because sprinkler requirements can reshape your layout.

Which Operations Get the Most From FIFO Pallet Racking?

FIFO pallet racking earns its cost when rotation is tied to money, safety, or process. Common fits:

• Food and beverage: date codes decide what ships. Rotation matters all the way down the chain. The FDA Food Code (section 3-501.17), which covers retail food establishments, requires ready-to-eat, temperature-controlled food held over 24 hours to be date marked and used within 7 days at 41°F or below. 
• Cold storage and freezers: pallet flow puts a lot of pallets in a small refrigerated footprint and keeps drivers out of the deep rack, which saves time and cold exposure. See our cold storage racking options. 
• Manufacturing inputs that need dwell time: RMI cites syrups conditioning in heated rooms and plastic bottle preforms acclimating before blow molding. The first pallet in reaches production first. 
• Outbound staging: production loads the back of the lane, and dock crews pull finished loads for a specific trailer from the front. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FIFO racking the same as pallet flow?

No. Pallet flow is the most common type, but selective and drive-thru rack can also run FIFO. Pallet flow is the only one that moves the oldest pallet to the front on its own.

How deep can a pallet flow lane be?

RMI describes lanes up to 20 to 25 pallets deep. Your practical depth depends on building length, the rise created by the pitch, load weight, and fire protection.

Can one flow lane hold different products?

It shouldn’t. Mixed products or date codes in one lane break rotation. Give each SKU and date its own lanes.

How much does FIFO pallet racking cost?

It depends on the number of lanes, depth, levels, and loads, so pallet flow is quoted per project. Rollers, brakes, and speed controllers make it one of the more expensive rack types. As a benchmark, RMI puts a pushback lane at about 65% of the cost of a comparable pallet flow lane.

Ready to Plan Your FIFO System?

FIFO pallet racking takes rotation out of your drivers’ hands and builds it into the rack. Three things to remember:

• Pallet flow is the densest way to get true FIFO, but every lane needs one product and one date code. 
• Selective and drive-thru rack can run FIFO too, with tradeoffs in space and labor. 
• Lane depth, pitch, pallet quality, and sprinkler requirements shape the design as much as the rack does. 

Want to know what a FIFO pallet racking system would look like in your building? Call us at 503-640-5666 with your footprint, clear height, pallet size and weight, and SKU count. We’ll walk you through the options, including whether pallet flow is the right call at all.

FIFO stands for first in, first out. In a warehouse, it means the oldest pallet of a product ships or goes to production before the newer ones. FIFO pallet racking is rack that makes that order happen by design instead of relying on drivers to remember it.

It’s a behavior, not a single product. The Material Handling Institute’s rack fundamentals guide groups pallet flow and carton flow as the racks used when a FIFO inventory system is required, and lists pushback as a LIFO system. Carton flow handles individual cases. Pallet flow handles full pallet loads, which is what this guide covers.

If you’re still deciding between FIFO, LIFO, and FEFO for your inventory, start with our guide on how FIFO inventory management works. This article is about the steel that makes it happen.

How Does a FIFO Pallet Racking System Work?

Most FIFO pallet racking systems are pallet flow, also called gravity flow. Each lane is a set of roller or wheel tracks on a slight downhill slope, usually 5/16 to 1/2 inch of drop per foot, according to the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI). Here’s the cycle:

1. A forklift sets a pallet on the high end of the lane, called the charge end. 
2. Gravity carries the pallet down the rollers toward the low end. 
3. Speed controllers in the lane keep it moving at a steady pace. 
4. The pallet stops at the discharge end, which becomes the pick face. 
5. When an operator pulls that pallet, the next one moves forward into its place. 

Because loading and picking happen at opposite ends, the oldest pallet is always the one in front. Nobody has to decide which one to pull.

What Keeps Pallets From Slamming Into the Pick Face?

A lane full of pallets pushes on whatever is in front of it. RMI calls this back pressure and puts it at about 6% of the combined weight of the pallets behind the front one. In RMI’s example, a 3-deep lane of 2,500 lb loads puts about 300 lb against the front pallet. That’s enough to make pulling an empty pallet a real strain on your team.

Three components handle it:

• Speed controllers: brakes along the lane that keep pallets moving slowly and centered. 
• Pallet separators: hold the rest of the line back, typically 6 to 12 inches behind the pick-face pallet, until an operator releases the next one. 
• Ramp or end stops: slow and hold the first pallet at the discharge end. 

Short lanes of 2 or 3 pallets don’t always need brakes. That depends on load weight, load stability, and whether the load is stretch wrapped.

Which Rack Systems Can Run FIFO?

Pallet flow is the most common FIFO pallet racking system, but it isn’t the only one. RMI’s overview of FIFO rack names three: selective, pallet flow, and drive-thru.

A few tradeoffs to know:

• Selective rack gives you access to everything, but it needs an aisle for every row, so you pay for it in square footage. 
• Pallet flow lanes should be batch equivalent. Every pallet in a lane needs the same product, date code, and packaging, or rotation breaks down. 
• Drive-thru rack doesn’t move loads forward. Forklifts drive deeper into the bay for each pallet, the whole bay has to hold one SKU, and empty positions sit unused until the bay is reloaded. That’s called honeycombing.

Is Pallet Flow or Pushback Better for Your Warehouse?

These two get compared more than any others because both use sloped lanes and gravity. The difference is which pallet comes out first.

Pushback wins on cost and footprint. RMI’s comparison of the two systems puts a pushback lane at around 65% of the price of a comparable deep-lane pallet flow lane, and it only needs one aisle. But it’s LIFO, and a lane has to empty out before you restock it. Pallet flow wins whenever rotation matters.

The short version: if your product has a date on it, look at pallet flow rack. If it doesn’t, and you want density against a wall, look at pushback rack. For more on flow lane options, see our pallet flow racking systems overview.