A liftgate fee is an extra freight charge applied when a shipment requires a truck’s liftgate to move cargo between the trailer and ground level. It usually applies when the pickup or delivery location does not have a loading dock, forklift, or other equipment to handle heavy freight. Liftgate fees are common for residential deliveries, small businesses, construction sites, schools, and other locations where palletised or bulky goods cannot be loaded or unloaded manually.
A liftgate fee is charged when a truck equipped with a hydraulic lift is required to load or unload freight at locations that do not have a loading dock, such as residential addresses, small retail stores, or construction sites.
- Applied per pickup or delivery when a liftgate is used
- Standard charge ranges from $50 to $200 per shipment depending on the carrier
- Required for heavy freight delivered to ground-level locations
- Specify liftgate requirements when booking LTL freight to avoid unexpected fees
Liftgate is one of the most common accessorial charges in LTL freight. Always declare whether the delivery location requires a liftgate when requesting freight quotes.
For related logistics context, see glossary entries on Accessorial Charges, LTL, Residential Delivery Fee, and Final Mile Delivery.
