Accessorial charges are additional fees a carrier adds to a freight invoice for services performed beyond standard dock-to-dock pickup and delivery. Common examples include liftgate service, residential delivery, inside delivery, detention, and limited-access locations. They are legitimate charges, but they are also the most common source of surprise on a freight bill, especially in LTL shipping.
Understanding accessorials before you book lets you quote accurately, avoid disputes, and keep your landed cost predictable.
Why accessorial charges exist
A base freight rate assumes a simple move: a forklift-equipped dock at pickup, a forklift-equipped dock at delivery, and standard transit. The moment a shipment needs something extra, such as a truck-mounted liftgate, a delivery appointment, or a driver waiting beyond the free time, the carrier incurs added labor or equipment cost and bills it as an accessorial.
Common accessorial charges in LTL and truckload
Delivery and pickup accessorials
- Liftgate service: A hydraulic platform to lower freight when no dock is available.
- Residential pickup or delivery: Service to a home or non-commercial address.
- Inside delivery: Moving freight beyond the threshold rather than leaving it at the curb or dock.
- Limited-access location: Schools, military bases, construction sites, and similar restricted sites.
- Notification / appointment: Scheduling a specific delivery window.
Time and handling accessorials
- Detention: A fee when a driver waits beyond the allotted free time to load or unload.
- Layover: When a driver is held overnight.
- Reweigh and reclassification: Charges when actual weight or freight class differs from the bill of lading.
- Redelivery: A second delivery attempt after a failed first attempt.
- Sorting and segregating: Separating mixed freight at delivery.
Port and drayage accessorials
On the import side, accessorials include chassis usage, pre-pull, yard storage, congestion fees, and charges tied to demurrage and detention. These can add up quickly when a container cannot be moved promptly off the terminal.
How to avoid surprise accessorial charges
The best defense is accurate information at booking. Provide correct dimensions, weight, and freight class so there are no reweigh or reclassification fees. Flag in advance whether the pickup or delivery is residential, needs a liftgate, or is a limited-access site. Build realistic loading and unloading times to limit detention. On imports, work with a carrier that can move containers fast enough to avoid demurrage and per-diem entirely. For a fuller breakdown of class-driven fees, see our guide on LTL shipping.
How asset-based drayage reduces port accessorials
Many port accessorials, especially demurrage, detention, and storage, come from delays moving the container off the terminal. Go Freight is an asset-based Miami 3PL with 100+ company-owned trucks and an in-house chassis pool, which removes the chassis-shortage delays that drive accessorials, and its AI gate-time prediction at PortMiami and Port Everglades schedules pickups around congestion. Faster container turns mean fewer time-based fees on your invoice.
Frequently asked questions
Are accessorial charges negotiable?
Some are. High-volume shippers often negotiate reduced or waived accessorials in their carrier agreements. Time-based fees like detention can frequently be avoided through better scheduling rather than negotiation.
What is the difference between detention and demurrage?
Demurrage is charged for cargo or containers left at the terminal beyond free time. Detention is charged for keeping the carrier’s equipment, such as a chassis or trailer, too long outside the terminal. Both are time-based accessorials.
Why did my LTL bill increase after delivery?
Usually because of a post-delivery accessorial: a reweigh, a reclassification to a higher freight class, or a liftgate or residential fee that was not declared at booking. Accurate booking information prevents most of these.
Get a Miami freight quote today
Go Freight is an asset-based, AI-powered 3PL in Miami handling drayage, warehousing, hazmat, LTL, and last mile. Request a free quote or call (786) 445-0150.