What Is Accessorial Charges in Trucking?
Also called: Accessorials
Accessorial charges are fees for freight services beyond the basic pickup and delivery, such as detention, layover, TONU, lumper fees and extra stops. They are billed on top of the linehaul rate. They are owed only when your rate confirmation or carrier agreement provides for them. One industry guide lists most of them between about $50 and $600.
Last reviewed September 23, 2026 · Facts checked October 15, 2026
Key Points
- Accessorial = a charge for a service beyond plain pickup and delivery, billed as its own line on top of the linehaul rate
- Common ones: detention, layover, TONU, lumper fees, extra stops, tarps, driver assist and hazmat
- No law sets the amounts. Each is owed only when the rate confirmation or carrier agreement provides for it
- ATS, a logistics company, lists detention at $50 to $75 an hour, TONU at $200 to $600 and layover at $250 to $500. Its page was last updated in December 2023, and it calls the numbers general approximations
- The ATS guide is written for shippers. It says a charge raised after the fact usually costs more than one agreed up front
- Lumper fees are the exception to a fixed price. They are usually a pass-through of the receipt amount
- Track accessorials apart from linehaul. That shows which brokers actually pay what they agreed to
Common accessorial charges and one industry guide's ranges
| Range in the ATS guide | How it is usually billed | |
|---|---|---|
| TONU | $200 to $600 | One flat fee |
| Detention | $50 to $75 an hour | By the hour, after about 2 free hours |
| Layover | $250 to $500 | A flat fee per day |
| Extra stop | $50 to $100 a stop | Per stop |
| Tarp | $100 to $150 | One flat fee |
| Driver assist | $100 to $150 | One flat fee |
| Hazmat | $150 to $200 | One flat fee, often in the quote up front |
| Lumper | Varies | A pass-through of the receipt amount |
What counts as an accessorial charge?
Anything that goes beyond moving the freight from pickup to delivery. That includes waiting time (detention and layover), a canceled load (TONU) and hand unloading (a lumper). It also includes extra stops, tarping an open-deck load, a driver helping to unload, and hazmat or over-size handling. Each one has its own way of being billed and its own proof. They share one rule: none of them is automatic.
How much do accessorial charges cost?
There is no official price list. Every number depends on the contract. ATS, a logistics company, gives these general approximations in a page it last updated in December 2023. Detention is $50 to $75 an hour, after about two free hours. TONU is $200 to $600. Layover is $250 to $500. A stop is $50 to $100. Tarping and driver assist are $100 to $150 each. Hazmat is $150 to $200. Your own rate confirmation sets the real number, and a broker may pay less or more.
Why do accessorials have to be agreed to in advance?
A carrier cannot add a fee after the load and expect it to be paid. An accessorial is owed when the rate confirmation or a standing carrier agreement says so. The ATS guide makes the same point from the shipper side: a charge that comes up after the fact usually costs more than one that was planned. So read the accessorial terms on every rate confirmation. Do not assume an industry rate applies.
How do accessorials change what a load really pays?
They can turn a thin load into a fair one, but only the ones that get paid. Example: a load pays $1,800 in linehaul. You wait five hours, two of them free, and the rate confirmation pays detention at $60 an hour. That is 3 hours, or $180. You also pay a $120 lumper and get the receipt reimbursed. The invoice is $1,800 + $180 + $120 = $2,100. The $300 of accessorials is about 14% of the total. If the broker refuses them, your real rate is the $1,800.
Related Terms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are accessorial charges in trucking?+
Accessorial charges are fees for services beyond the basic pickup and delivery. Examples are detention, layover, TONU, lumper fees and extra stops. They are billed on top of the linehaul rate, and they are owed only when your rate confirmation or carrier agreement provides for them.
How much are accessorial charges?+
There is no official price list. ATS, a logistics company, lists detention at $50 to $75 an hour, TONU at $200 to $600 and layover at $250 to $500 as general approximations, in a page last updated in December 2023. Your rate confirmation sets the real amount.
How do I make sure accessorial charges get paid?+
Confirm the terms on the rate confirmation before you accept the load. Record arrival and departure times and keep receipts and photos of gate logs or bills of lading. Send each claim as its own invoice line, right away, and cite the rate confirmation number.
Is a fuel surcharge an accessorial charge?+
It is usually its own line next to accessorials, not one of them. A fuel surcharge is a formula tied to diesel prices, not a fee for a one-off service. Like the others, its terms should be spelled out in the rate confirmation or carrier agreement.
Can a broker refuse to pay an accessorial?+
Yes, if it is not in your rate confirmation or carrier agreement. Without a written term the broker does not have to pay it, though you can still ask and send proof. If the term is written and the broker refuses, send the document and ask for payment in writing.
Are lumper fees an accessorial charge?+
Yes, and they work a little differently. The ATS guide says a lumper is usually a pass-through, so the carrier bills exactly what it paid with no added fee. Federal law (49 U.S.C. §14103) says who is responsible for the help when a receiver requires it, so keep the receipt.
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This is industry terminology and typical practice. It is not legal or tax advice. Rates, fees, and rules mentioned are general ranges. Confirm the details on your rate confirmation, carrier agreement, or a current official source.