Accessorial Charges Calculator for Owner Operators

Add up detention, layover, TONU, extra stops and lumper fees for a load, see your new rate per mile, and get a ready message to send the broker.

There is no federal rule for these fees. Use only the rates, free time and rounding written in your rate confirmation or carrier agreement. If a fee is not in writing, ask the broker for approval before you deliver. The numbers below are examples.

The load

Line-haul pay

Loaded miles

Detention

Hours waited at pickup

hrs

Hours waited at delivery

hrs

Free time at each stop

hrs

Detention rate

$/hr

Bill detention by

Other charges

Layover days

days

Layover rate

$/day

TONU fee

Lumper fee you paid

Extra stops

Rate per extra stop

Other charge name

Other charge amount

What you are owed on top of the line-haul

Accessorials

$837.50

42% of the line-haul

Invoice total

$2,837.50

line-haul $2,000.00

Rate per loaded mile

$3.55

was $2.50 on the line-haul alone

Detention hours billed

4.5

3 at pickup, 1.5 at delivery

Itemized accessorial charges with how each was worked out
Charge	How it is worked out	Amount
Detention at pickup	5 hours waited, 2 hours free, 3 hours billed at $75.00 an hour	$225.00
Detention at delivery	3.5 hours waited, 2 hours free, 1.5 hours billed at $75.00 an hour	$112.50
Layover	1 day at $250.00 a day	$250.00
Extra stops	1 stop at $100.00 each	$100.00
Lumper fee paid	Paid at the dock, passed through at cost. Attach the receipt	$150.00

Keep these records for each charge

Detention at pickup: Signed in and out times from the shipper, plus your ELD or phone GPS record of arrival and departure.
Detention at delivery: Signed in and out times from the receiver, plus your ELD or phone GPS record of arrival and departure.
Layover: A written note or message from the broker or shipper that the load could not move that day, and where you waited.
Extra stops: The bill of lading with every stop, and the rate confirmation or a message that approved the added stop.
Lumper fee paid: The lumper receipt, and the broker's approval before you paid if the agreement asks for it.

This is common practice, not a rule. Your agreement may ask for more, such as notice within a set time.

Message to the broker

Load number

Broker contact

Your company

Subject: Accessorial charges, load [load number]

Hi there,

On load [load number], I am adding these accessorial charges to the invoice:

- Detention at pickup: $225.00 (5 hours waited, 2 hours free, 3 hours billed at $75.00 an hour)
- Detention at delivery: $112.50 (3.5 hours waited, 2 hours free, 1.5 hours billed at $75.00 an hour)
- Layover: $250.00 (1 day at $250.00 a day)
- Extra stops: $100.00 (1 stop at $100.00 each)
- Lumper fee paid: $150.00 (Paid at the dock, passed through at cost. Attach the receipt)

Line-haul: $2,000.00
Accessorials: $837.50
Invoice total: $2,837.50

I have the supporting records (times, receipts and paperwork) and will attach them to the invoice. Please confirm the charges are approved so payment is not held up.

Thank you,
[your company]

To work out detention from arrival and release times, use the Detention Pay Calculator. To log lumper receipts, use the Lumper Tracker. To make the invoice, use the Invoice Generator.

Detention is the hours waited at a stop minus the free time, rounded up the way your agreement says, times the hourly rate. Layover is days times the daily rate. Extra stops are stops times the rate per stop. Lumper fees are passed through at cost. Rates per mile use loaded miles. Your numbers stay in this browser. This is a planning aid, not legal advice.

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What accessorial charges can a trucker bill?

Truckers can bill detention, layover, TONU, extra stops, lumper fees and other services when the rate confirmation or carrier agreement allows it. Detention is the hours waited beyond the free time, times the hourly rate. There is no federal rule that sets these amounts.

Enter the line-haul pay and loaded miles from your rate confirmation.
Enter the hours you waited at pickup and delivery, the free time and the detention rate.
Choose how detention is rounded in your agreement.
Enter layover days, TONU, extra stops, lumper fees and any other charge.
Read the total, your new rate per mile, and the itemized list.
Copy the message to the broker and attach the records for each charge.

Ranges published by Truckstop for common accessorials
Charge	Range in Truckstop's guide
Detention	$50 to $85 an hour after 2 free hours
Layover	$200 to $500 a day
TONU	$150 to $300
Stop-off	$75 to $150 per stop
Lumper, standard unload	$75 to $300
Redelivery	About $400 each time

Ranges are from a Truckstop article on accessorial charges, read September 26, 2026, and other guides give wider ranges. They are not a standard and are not used in the calculation. Every rate, free time and rounding rule in the tool is one you enter from your rate confirmation or carrier agreement. There is no federal rule that sets these amounts.

Last reviewed September 2026. Sources: Truckstop: accessorial charges brokers need to know; TrueNorth: accessorial charges 101; O Trucking: complete trucking accessorial charges list.

Frequently Asked Questions - Accessorial Charges Calculator

What are accessorial charges in trucking?

They are extra fees on top of the line-haul rate for things beyond moving the load from A to B. The common ones are detention, layover, truck order not used (TONU), extra stops and lumper fees. Others include tarps, redelivery and driver assist. Each is paid only if your rate confirmation or carrier agreement allows it.

How much is detention pay in trucking?

There is no federal rule that sets it. Truckstop's guide to accessorials says most carrier agreements give two free hours at each facility, then carriers typically charge $50 to $85 an hour. Other guides give ranges from $25 to $100. Your rate confirmation controls what you are owed.

How much is layover pay in trucking?

Truckstop's guide says layover is typically a flat daily charge of $200 to $500 a day. It is for when a load is held overnight, not for hours of waiting, which is detention. The amount that counts is the one in your rate confirmation or agreed with the broker before the delay.

What is TONU in trucking?

TONU means truck order not used. It is a fee a carrier is paid when a shipper or broker cancels a load after the carrier was dispatched. Truckstop's guide says TONU fees generally range from $150 to $300. Get the TONU amount in writing on the rate confirmation.

How much is an extra stop charge?

Truckstop's guide says stop-off charges generally run $75 to $150 per stop. Some rate confirmations include a set number of stops in the line-haul. Enter the number of extra stops and the rate from your paperwork.

Do I get paid back for a lumper fee I paid?

Usually, if the broker or shipper approved it and you have the receipt. Truckstop's guide puts lumper fees at $75 to $300 for standard unloads. Ask the broker for approval before you pay, and keep the receipt. The tool passes the fee through at cost.

How do I bill accessorials to a broker?

Add each charge to your invoice with the times or receipts that back it, and send a short message that lists them. The calculator writes that message for you with every charge and how it was worked out. Send it before or with the invoice, and follow any notice deadline in your agreement.

What if the accessorial is not on my rate confirmation?

Ask the broker to approve it in writing before you deliver, or as soon as the delay starts. Truckstop's guide says every rate confirmation should say which accessorials are included, which are capped, and when the detention clock starts. Without that, a broker can refuse the charge.

Does the detention clock round up?

It depends on your agreement. Some brokers pay by the exact time, others by each 15 or 30 minutes or by the hour. The calculator lets you pick how detention is billed. The Detention Pay Calculator can work out the hours from your arrival and release times.

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