LTL accessorial cost estimator
Accessorials are the extra services on an LTL shipment: a liftgate, a home delivery, an appointment, carrying it inside. Leave one off the quote and the carrier adds it to the bill. Pick what your shipment needs to see what it adds, measured on live carrier quotes.
Short answer: On live LTL quotes for one 500 lb pallet (November 3, 2026, 6 lanes), a liftgate at delivery added a median $75, residential delivery $103, residential with a liftgate $190 and inside delivery $113, compared with the same carrier's dock-to-dock price. Add every service the pickup and delivery need when you quote, or expect it on the invoice.
Measured on live quotes for one 500 lb pallet: the same carrier and service priced with and without each service.
Added to your quote
| Liftgate at delivery | +$75 |
|---|
How we measured it
Same shipment, twice
One pallet, 48×40×48 in, 500 lb, class 100, rated on 6 lanes with no services, then again with each service.
Same carrier, same service
The difference is taken carrier by carrier, matching the same carrier and service level on both quotes, so it's the charge itself, not a different carrier.
Median and middle 50%
Each service shows the median difference and the range the middle half of carrier quotes fell in.
Live, not a tariff
All quotes came from GetShippingRates' live LTL engine on November 3, 2026. Charges change with carriers' tariffs and fuel.
A pallet to a home with no dock
A $401 dock-to-dock LTL quote to a home that needs a liftgate: residential plus liftgate adds about $190, so budget about $591. If the customer wants it carried inside, add inside delivery, about $113 more.
Frequently asked questions
What is an accessorial charge?
A fee for a service beyond dock-to-dock pickup and delivery: liftgate, residential, inside delivery, limited access (schools, churches, construction sites, storage units), appointments and notification calls. Each carrier publishes its own.
When do I need a liftgate?
When the pickup or delivery location has no loading dock or forklift to take a pallet off a truck bed about four feet off the ground. Most homes and many small businesses need one.
Why is residential delivery so expensive?
Home deliveries take a driver off the efficient business route, often on narrow streets with a smaller truck, so carriers charge for the extra time. Many add a liftgate charge too.
What happens if I leave an accessorial off the quote?
The carrier adds it when it delivers, often with a correction fee, so the invoice is higher than the quote. List every service you need when you quote.
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