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Accessorial charges
Accessorial charges are fees a carrier adds to the base freight rate for services beyond a standard dock-to-dock move — a liftgate, delivery to a home or a school, inside delivery, waiting time, or reweighing freight that was described wrongly. They are set out in the carrier's rules tariff and usually paid by the party that asked for the service.
Common accessorials
| Charge | When it applies | FedEx Freight (Jan 2026) | Old Dominion (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liftgate | No dock at pickup or delivery | USD 13.96/cwt, min 207, max 681 | USD 4.40/cwt, min 115, max 330 |
| Residential | A home, including a home business | USD 243 per shipment | Within limited access, below |
| Limited access | Schools, churches, construction sites, military bases and similar | USD 229 per shipment | USD 7.20/cwt, min 125, max 580 |
| Inside delivery | Beyond the trailer door | USD 18.92/cwt, min 200, max 1,999 | USD 7.70/cwt, min 125, max 605 |
| Detention | Truck held past free time (15–60 min by weight) | USD 82 per 15 min, min 97 | — |
| Reweigh | Weight 50 lb or more above the bill | USD 40 fee plus corrected charges | — |
Who pays: FedEx Freight's rules say charges for a service are borne by the party requesting it, or guaranteed to the carrier's satisfaction. That is usually whoever pays the freight — but a consignee who asks for inside delivery can be billed for it.
Worked example: one delivery, two tariffs
A 1,500 lb shipment goes to a school with no loading dock, so it needs a limited-access delivery and a liftgate. At each carrier's list rates:
FedEx Freight: 229 + (15 × 13.96 = 209.40) = USD 438.40 · Old Dominion: (15 × 7.20 = 108 → min 125) + (15 × 4.40 = 66 → min 115) = USD 240.00The same two services differ by USD 198.40 on list rates alone — which is why accessorials belong in a freight tender, not just the base rate.
The mistake people make
- Not declaring the delivery type. A home or a school found on arrival is billed after the fact.
- Assuming no liftgate means no liftgate charge: FedEx Freight's rules apply the charge when the driver uses another means to do the same job.
- Leaving the class or terms off the bill: Old Dominion defaults a missing class to class 100, and FedEx Freight moves a bill with no prepaid or collect term as prepaid, billed to the shipper.
FAQ
Accessorial charges: common questions
- What are accessorial charges?
- Fees for services beyond moving freight from dock to dock — liftgate, residential or limited-access delivery, inside delivery, detention, reweighing and similar. Each carrier lists them, with prices, in its rules tariff.
- Who pays accessorial charges?
- Usually the party that requested the service. FedEx Freight's rules say the charges are borne by the party requesting the service, or guaranteed to the carrier's satisfaction — so a consignee can be billed for a service it asked for.
- How can I avoid accessorial charges?
- Describe the shipment fully on the bill of lading — class, weight, prepaid or collect — and declare the delivery type and any liftgate or inside delivery when booking. Then negotiate the accessorial rates in your tender alongside the base rate.