Freight Accessorial Charges: What Each One Is For and How to Avoid Them
Freight accessorial charges are fees added to the base rate when a load needs extra time, labor, equipment or stops, such as detention, liftgate, lumper fees or a truck order not used. Each one is set in the rate confirmation or the carrier tariff, not by a national price list. Most are avoidable when the shipper describes the load and both docks accurately before booking.
What are freight accessorial charges?
Freight accessorial charges are line items on top of the linehaul rate that pay for anything beyond a standard dock to dock pickup and delivery. The base rate assumes a truck arrives, loads on time, drives and unloads at a commercial dock. Anything outside that picture gets its own charge.
These are the accessorial fees trucking invoices show most often:
- Detention: waiting at a dock past the free time, usually two hours
- Layover: the driver is held overnight or longer before loading or unloading
- Truck order not used (TONU): the truck was dispatched and the load cancelled or was not ready
- Liftgate fee: a powered gate lowers freight where no dock exists
- Inside delivery, residential delivery and limited access sites
- Lumper fee: a third party crew unloads the truck, common at grocery warehouses
- Reconsignment and redelivery: changing the destination or attempting delivery twice
- Stop charges for extra pickups or drops, and the fuel surcharge
Who sets each charge and who pays it?
The rate confirmation or the carrier tariff sets every accessorial, and the booking terms name who pays it. The shipper usually pays, though a receiver can owe detention or lumper fees if the terms say so.
Billing methods vary by charge. Detention is often billed per hour after the free time ends. TONU, liftgate and residential charges are usually flat. Lumper fees match the receipt from the unloading crew. Fuel surcharge often moves with a published fuel index. Read the free time allowance, any minimums and the billing increment before signing.
On LTL and partial loads, the carrier tariff governs. On a truckload, the rate confirmation usually lists the accessorials that apply.
Which shipment details trigger surprise fees?
Wrong weight, wrong dimensions, missing site details and freight that is not ready on time cause most surprise fees. Each mistake forces the carrier to send extra equipment, wait, reweigh or come back.
Prevent them with a short checklist before booking:
- Confirm the freight is packed, labeled and staged before the truck is dispatched
- Ask whether each site has a dock; if not, request a liftgate in advance
- Flag residential, school, farm, construction or military addresses as limited access
- Check whether the receiver uses lumpers and who pays them
- Book delivery appointments early and share them with the carrier
- Weigh and measure the freight instead of estimating
What information gets an accurate all in quote?
An accurate all in quote needs the full pickup and delivery picture: addresses, dates, hours, dock type, appointment rules, freight details and any special handling. Missing details become accessorials later.
The same facts belong on the bill of lading, so gathering them once pays off twice. The truckload cost guide explains how the base rate is built before accessorials are added.
- Full pickup and delivery addresses and site type
- Ready date, delivery date and receiving hours
- Dock, forklift or liftgate needs at each end
- Piece count, weight, dimensions and freight class for LTL
- Commodity description and any hazmat details
- Stackable or not, and any temperature or securement needs
- Who pays the freight and any accessorials
When must accessorials be requested, and when can they be added later?
Liftgate, inside delivery, residential delivery, limited access and appointment services should be requested at booking. Requesting them late can mean a failed attempt and a redelivery charge.
Carriers add charges after pickup or delivery when something happens on the road: detention at a slow dock, a layover, a reweigh that finds a heavier load, a lumper at the receiver or a reconsignment. These still need to match the rate confirmation or tariff. A charge the paperwork does not allow is open to dispute.
What paperwork proves or disputes an accessorial invoice?
Keep the rate confirmation, the signed bill of lading, the proof of delivery, appointment confirmations, check in and check out times, and any lumper receipts. These records decide nearly every billing dispute.
The bill of lading is the contract of carriage and the receipt for the goods. The driver signs it at pickup and the receiver signs at delivery, and that signed copy becomes the proof of delivery. Notes on it, such as arrival times or a refused pallet, carry weight.
When a charge looks wrong, ask the carrier or broker for the backup in writing, compare it to the rate confirmation and dispute it within the window the terms or tariff set. Shippers who use a drop trailer program avoid most detention questions, because the truck does not wait at the dock.
Getting a firm price that already includes the accessorials
The cleanest invoice comes from a quote that names every likely accessorial before the truck is booked. Lifetime Logistics Services LLC runs its own 53 foot dry vans out of Southern California and brokers flatbed, step deck, LTL and expedited loads across 11 western states, and the quote form or (562) 566-8953 gets a firm price with accessorial terms spelled out. More answers live on the freight questions page.
| Charge | What triggers it | Usual billing | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detention | Truck waits past free time, usually two hours | Per hour after free time | Stage freight early, keep appointments |
| TONU | Load cancelled or not ready after dispatch | Flat charge | Confirm readiness before booking |
| Liftgate | No dock at pickup or delivery | Flat charge | Request it at booking |
| Lumper fee | Third party crew unloads at receiver | Per receipt | Ask the receiver in advance |
| Residential or limited access | Home, school, farm or job site | Flat charge | Flag the site type when quoting |
| Redelivery | Failed delivery attempt | Flat charge or new linehaul | Book appointments, confirm hours |
From our own loads
Our dispatch records for the 12 months to October 2026, every lane we ran. Ranges, not counts, so no customer can be picked out.
- Trailers
- about 8 in 10 dry van, about 1 in 10 flatbed, about 1 in 10 power only, the rest box truck, sprinter van and hot shot
- Typical transit
- 1 day
- Busiest months
- October and May
- Hauled by
- mostly partner carriers we vet
Questions shippers ask
- How should a shipper compare carriers' accessorial schedules?
- Put each schedule side by side and compare free time, detention per hour, billing increments, minimums and flat charges for liftgate, residential and TONU. Then price the services the load will actually need. The lowest base rate can cost more once realistic accessorials are added.
- What do detention charges trucking companies bill actually cover?
- Detention charges trucking carriers bill pay for the driver and truck sitting idle at a dock after the free time ends, usually two hours. The clock is measured from check in to check out, so keep gate times and appointment records to verify the hours billed.
- What is a truck order not used charge?
- A truck order not used charge, or TONU, applies when a carrier dispatches a truck and the load is cancelled, not ready or refused at pickup. It covers the lost day and empty miles. Confirming freight is ready before booking prevents nearly all of them.
- Who pays a lumper fee?
- The booking terms decide who pays a lumper fee. Often the driver or carrier pays the unloading crew at the receiver and bills the shipper, backed by the lumper receipt. Ask the receiver whether lumpers are required before the load ships, and keep every receipt.
- When is a liftgate fee charged?
- A liftgate fee is charged when the pickup or delivery site has no loading dock and the truck needs a powered gate to lower freight to the ground. Request it at booking. A truck without a liftgate cannot deliver, which leads to a redelivery charge.
- Is there a deadline to dispute an accessorial charge?
- Yes, the window is set by the rate confirmation, the carrier tariff or the broker agreement, so read those terms before the load moves. Dispute in writing as soon as the invoice arrives, attach the bill of lading, proof of delivery and timestamps, and ask for the carrier's backup.
Freight accessorial charges are predictable once the load, the docks and the timing are described honestly up front. Gather the details, request special services at booking, keep the paperwork and read the terms before signing. That habit keeps the final invoice close to the quote.
Ready to price a load?
Send the quote form or call us. Quotes within 15 minutes, Monday to Friday 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific; operations team available 24/7 for active loads.