Accessorial audit: catch liftgate, residential, and inside delivery fees you never asked for
Upload a CSV of billed accessorials or enter one shipment by hand. We check every fee against what the bill of lading actually requested, typical carrier tariff ranges, and duplicate billing across the same PRO.
How it works: Load your billed accessorials, mark what the BOL requested, and the tool flags phantom charges, fees above the typical range, and duplicate lines, each with a reference number, a dollar amount, and what to do next.
What this audit catches
Accessorial charges, liftgate, residential delivery, inside delivery, limited access, notify/appointment, reweigh, reclass, detention, hazmat, and oversize fees, are the most common source of freight invoice surprises because they depend on conditions at the dock that no one confirms until the truck is already there. This tool compares every billed accessorial against what the bill of lading requested, a typical carrier tariff range for that fee type, the delivery address type, and every other line on the same PRO number.
It flags a phantom charge (billed but never requested), a residential fee on a commercial address, a liftgate fee at a location that likely had a dock, a notify fee with no appointment on file, an amount above the typical range for that fee type, and duplicate lines on the same reference number.
How to run an accessorial audit
Pull the accessorial line items off your carrier invoices, along with the PRO or reference number, the amount billed, whether the fee was requested on the BOL, and whether the delivery address is commercial or residential. Upload that as a CSV, or use the manual form to check one shipment at a time.
For every finding, pull the original bill of lading and confirm what was actually authorized before the shipment moved. Most carriers accept a billing dispute within 180 days of the invoice date. Keep a record of what you submitted and follow up if you do not hear back within 30 days.
Common accessorial billing errors
How Warp bills accessorials instead
Warp LTL pricing is per pallet and all inclusive: liftgate, residential delivery, inside delivery, limited access, and every other standard accessorial is priced into the quote before the shipment books. There is no separate line item to review after the fact because there is no separate line item at all. The invoice matches the quote every time.
Accessorial audit FAQ
What is a phantom accessorial charge?
A phantom accessorial charge is a fee, like liftgate, residential delivery, or inside delivery, that appears on a freight invoice but was never requested on the bill of lading or agreed to before the shipment moved. Carriers add these when a driver flags a delivery condition at the dock, and the charge lands on the invoice without a matching authorization. Comparing every billed accessorial against what the BOL actually requested is how you catch it.
How much do liftgate and residential delivery fees typically cost?
Liftgate pickup and delivery typically run $75 to $150 per occurrence in carrier service guides. Residential delivery typically runs $75 to $200. Inside delivery, which requires the driver to bring freight past the dock or curb, typically runs $100 to $250. These are typical ranges, not fixed prices. Check your carrier’s current tariff or service guide for the exact number that applies to your account.
Why would a liftgate fee get billed at a commercial address?
Most commercial buildings have a loading dock, which means a liftgate is not needed to unload the truck. When a liftgate fee shows up on an invoice for a delivery marked commercial, it is worth confirming with the receiver whether the site actually lacked a dock. If it had one, the fee is disputable.
What is the difference between a reweigh fee and a reclass fee?
A reweigh fee is billed when the carrier weighs the shipment and finds the actual weight differs from what was on the BOL. A reclass fee is billed when the carrier changes the NMFC freight class, usually after a density check. They are separate events with separate evidence: a reweigh fee needs a weight discrepancy, a reclass fee needs a class change. A single PRO billed for both is worth a second look.
Can I dispute an accessorial charge I did not request?
Yes. Most carriers have an overcharge or billing dispute process, typically filed within 180 days of the invoice date. Pull the original BOL, note that the accessorial was not checked or authorized, and submit the dispute with the PRO number and invoice number. Keep a record of the submission date so you can follow up if the carrier does not respond within 30 days.
What does notify or appointment fee mean on a freight invoice?
A notify or appointment fee is billed when the carrier calls ahead and schedules a specific delivery window, usually because the receiver requires one. If the BOL did not request an appointment and the receiver never asked for a scheduled window, the fee is worth disputing.
How does Warp handle accessorial charges?
Warp LTL pricing is per pallet and all inclusive. Liftgate, residential delivery, inside delivery, limited access, and notify/appointment are built into the quote, so there is nothing extra to bill and nothing to audit after the fact. The price you are quoted is the price on the invoice.
What counts as a duplicate accessorial line?
A duplicate accessorial line is the same fee type billed more than once against the same PRO or reference number, for example two liftgate delivery charges on one shipment. One occurrence may be legitimate; the rest are a billing error and should be disputed.
Stop auditing accessorial charges
Warp LTL bills liftgate, residential, and inside delivery at zero. They are built into the per pallet price, so there is nothing left to dispute.
Performance figures are computed from Warp network data. See our methodology.