550 gallon IBCs
For plants that move large batches of one product and want fewer, bigger containers. At this size most IBCs are steel.
| Capacity | 550 US gal (about 2,082 L: 550 x 3.785) |
|---|---|
| Build | Mostly stainless or carbon steel at this size |
| UN code | 31A, the steel IBC for liquids; one stainless line is qualified from 120 to 793 gal and makes a 550 |
| Size limit | A rigid IBC stays an IBC up to 3 m³ (793 gal) under 49 CFR |
| Dimensions and tare | By design; we send the maker’s data sheet with the quote |
| Per 53 ft trailer | About 30 large IBCs of 450 to 550 gal |
Sources: Snyder Industries, LiquiTote stainless IBC; IPS News, IBC standard volumes and sizes; IBCTanks.com, IBC specifications. Last reviewed 2026-11-13.
What to check on delivery
A steel IBC carries its UN31A marking on a plate welded or riveted to the shell. Check the month and year of manufacture, the maximum gross mass and the stacking load against the data sheet, and check the manway gasket and the valve seat before the first fill.
Why 550 gallon IBCs are usually steel
The 550 is the top of the range most people mean by a tote. Few composite designs go this large; the size is mainly built as a stainless or carbon steel IBC, rated UN31A, because a steel shell carries the weight of 550 gallons of product on four legs and stays rigid for decades of refills. Snyder, for example, qualifies its stainless IBC under UN31A from 120 to 793 gallons and lists a 550 among its sizes (Snyder LiquiTote).
The ceiling is set by the rule, not the maker: a rigid IBC stays an intermediate bulk container up to 3 cubic metres, which is 793 gallons. Above that it is a portable tank, with different rules (IPS News, IBC volumes).
Who orders the large size
Plants that ship one product in volume to a few customers, and want fewer containers to clean, track and return. Coatings and resin makers who need a steel container anyway because the product is flammable. Food and beverage plants holding a sanitary product in stainless between process steps. If any of those is you, tell us the product, how the IBCs travel and whether they come back to you, and we'll quote the steel and the build that suit.
If you move small batches, a 550 is the wrong container: product sits open longer, and a partly filled steel IBC is heavy freight for what it carries. A 350 gallon stainless IBC or a pair of 275 totes may serve better.
Freight and handling
About 30 large IBCs of 450 to 550 gallons fill a 53 ft trailer (IBCTanks.com). Steel IBCs are heavier empty than caged totes, so a full load can reach the weight limit before it fills the floor. We work out the load from the data sheet's tare and your quantity, and quote the freight to your ZIP with the IBCs.
Questions about this tote
- How big can an IBC be?
- Up to 3 cubic metres (793 US gallons) for a rigid IBC under 49 CFR. 550 gallons is a common large size within that limit.
- Is a 550 gallon tote plastic or steel?
- At 550 gallons most IBCs are stainless or carbon steel, rated UN31A. Ask if you need a different build and we will tell you what is available.
- How much does 550 gallons of product weigh?
- About 4,590 lb if it is water (8.34 lb a gallon). A product with a specific gravity of 1.2 is near 5,500 lb. That is before the steel, so check the IBC’s maximum gross mass and your forklift’s rated load at the lift height you use.
- Can a 550 gallon IBC be stacked?
- Steel IBCs are built with stacking corners and a rated stacking load marked on the plate. Whether you stack full ones depends on that figure, on your floor and on your racking rules; we send the data sheet so you can check.
Guides for this tote
Quote 550 gallon IBCs
Say how many, how often and the delivery ZIP. We quote this tote, or tell you if another suits your product better.