A new transfer matrix method for long-period fiber gratings with coupled multiple cladding modes is proposed and numerically characterized. The transmission spectra of uniform and non-uniform longperiod fiber gratings are numerically characterized. The theoretical results excellently agree with the experimental measurements. Compared with commonly used methods, such as using the fourth-order adaptive step size control of the Runge-Kutta algorithm in solving the coupled mode equation, the new transfer matrix method exhibits a faster calculation speed.