Quick Answer: Forklift Prices
Forklift prices for a new truck run $20,000 to $35,000 for propane and $25,000 to $45,000 for electric by Ritchie Bros.' figures, with Municibid putting all new trucks at $20,000 to $70,000. Municibid puts used standard-capacity trucks at $5,000 to $30,000, and DOZR lists renting a 5,000 lb truck at $150 to $250 per day. A battery adds $3,000 to $8,000 for lead-acid replacement, per Ritchie Bros., and OSHA requires trained, evaluated operators.
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Forklift prices swing from a few hundred dollars for a hand pallet jack to well over $100,000 for a heavy-capacity truck, and the number you see first depends on who is selling. This guide to forklift prices covers power type, capacity and condition, then adds the costs that sit around the truck: batteries, rental, attachments and operator training.
It is written for a buyer or a renter deciding what to budget, including anyone fitting out a new warehouse or shop. This site sells no forklifts, so all the forklift prices below are stated as the figure of the publisher that gave it, and you can follow each one to its source at the bottom of the page. Where two publishers disagree, both ranges are shown rather than blended into one number.
What a New Forklift Costs by Type
Most buyers want a standard counterbalance truck, the kind with forks at the front and a driver seat, so new forklift prices start there. Municibid, a government surplus auction marketplace, puts most new forklifts at $20,000 to $70,000 depending on type, capacity and fuel. It separates new internal combustion trucks at $20,000 to $50,000 from new electric trucks at $25,000 to $70,000.
Ritchie Bros., the industrial auction company, narrows the picture for a common capacity range. It lists new propane trucks at $20,000 to $35,000 and new electric trucks in the same range at $25,000 to $45,000. Municibid gives a standard-capacity electric truck the same $25,000 to $45,000.
| New truck | Price range | Whose figure |
|---|---|---|
| Propane, common capacities | $20,000–$35,000 | Ritchie Bros. |
| Electric, same capacities | $25,000–$45,000 | Ritchie Bros. |
| Internal combustion, all new | $20,000–$50,000 | Municibid |
| Electric, standard capacity | $25,000–$45,000 | Municibid |
| Electric, all new | $25,000–$70,000 | Municibid |
| Reach truck | $25,000–$60,000 | Municibid |
| Rough terrain | $20,000–$70,000 | Municibid |
| Over 30,000 lb capacity | $100,000–$200,000 and up | Municibid |
Two modifiers change forklift prices further, and Municibid names both. A taller or multi-stage mast raises the price by 10% to 20%, and premium brands cost 15% to 25% more than mid-range or economy ones. Those are the publisher's percentages, so treat them as direction rather than a quote.
Electric Forklift Cost
An electric truck costs more to buy and less to run. Ritchie Bros.' ranges above show the buying premium, and the savings come on the running side. It prices recharging a standard 48V or 80V battery at $1.50 to $3.00 per shift, against $10 to $20 per shift for propane.
On one shift over a 250-day year, Ritchie Bros. works that gap out at about $1,750 to $4,250 per truck a year. It also says electric maintenance runs 25% to 40% lower than propane over a comparable life. Electric forklift prices buy a truck that suits indoor work, because they burn nothing in the building.
Capacity and mast height push electric forklift prices toward the top of the range, as with any other truck. Run two shifts and the battery question changes, which the next section covers.
Match the truck to the floor
Electric trucks like smooth, level concrete. A gravel yard or a sloped apron is work for a pneumatic-tire truck. If you are still sizing a building around the machine, the forklift for metal building guide covers door width, aisle width and slab needs.
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Battery and Charger Costs
The battery is the largest single cost after the purchase, and it belongs in any comparison of forklift prices. Ritchie Bros. prices a lead-acid replacement for a standard counterbalance truck at $3,000 to $8,000 installed, and a lithium-ion battery at $8,000 to $20,000 upfront.
Forklift Action, a trade publication, ran a piece supplied by battery maker ROYPOW that gives lead-acid at $2,000 to $6,000 upfront, with standard models at $2,950 to $5,000, and lithium at $6,000 to $25,000 and up. Because a battery maker supplied it, read it as one seller's view. The common voltages it lists are 24V, 36V, 48V and 80V.
| Battery | Price range | Whose figure |
|---|---|---|
| Lead-acid, replacement, installed | $3,000–$8,000 | Ritchie Bros. |
| Lithium-ion, upfront | $8,000–$20,000 | Ritchie Bros. |
| Lead-acid, upfront | $2,000–$6,000 | Forklift Action (supplied by ROYPOW) |
| Lithium-ion, upfront | $6,000–$25,000 and up | Forklift Action (supplied by ROYPOW) |
Chargers are the line people forget. Neither publisher prices a charger, but Forklift Action calls charger upgrades an often-forgotten line item, so ask every quote to list it. Ritchie Bros. gives a recharge time of 6 to 8 hours for lead-acid and 1 to 2 hours for lithium-ion.
It also says a battery below 80% capacity is near the end of its life, and that lead-acid batteries lose 20% to 30% of their capacity in cold storage. If your building is unheated, that matters.
Propane and Diesel Forklift Prices
Propane and diesel trucks are both internal combustion, and their forklift prices run lower at the entry level. Municibid puts new internal combustion trucks at $20,000 to $50,000, with larger-capacity models reaching $100,000 or more. Ritchie Bros. puts new propane trucks at $20,000 to $35,000.
Neither source gives a separate price for diesel, so no diesel figure is quoted here. Ask a dealer for a diesel quote at your capacity and compare it with a propane quote for the same lift.
Ritchie Bros. says propane refuels in about two minutes, which is the case for it in a busy yard. It prices propane at $10 to $20 per shift. Exhaust and stored cylinders are the trade-off, so ask your local building department where propane trucks may be fuelled and parked.
Rough Terrain Forklifts and Telehandlers
A rough terrain forklift has big pneumatic tires and sits on dirt, gravel and slopes. A telehandler adds a telescoping boom, so it reaches up and out instead of only lifting straight up the mast. Municibid puts new rough-terrain forklifts at $20,000 to $70,000.
It gives no separate purchase price for telehandlers, and no fetched source here does either, so ask a dealer. DOZR, an equipment rental marketplace, does list telehandler rental at an average of $450 to $700 per day. That compares with its rate for ordinary forklifts in the rental section below.
Both machines turn up on a construction site, setting steel and moving pallets of materials. If you need one only while a building goes up, compare the rental table below with the purchase ranges before you commit.
Reach Trucks and Narrow-Aisle Equipment
A reach truck lifts pallets high into racking and works in narrower aisles than a counterbalance truck. Municibid prices a new reach truck at $25,000 to $60,000.
That is a wide span for reach truck forklift prices, and the top of it buys a taller mast and more capacity. Mast height is the first thing to settle, because Municibid says a taller or multi-stage mast adds 10% to 20% to the price. Settle your rack height and pallet weight before asking for quotes.
Manual pallet jacks sit at the opposite end. Municibid says a manual pallet jack costs a few hundred dollars, which is why its page can say forklift prices start at a few hundred dollars and run past $200,000.
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How Capacity Changes the Price
Capacity is the biggest driver of forklift prices after power type. Municibid gives two examples of how capacity moves forklift prices: a standard 5,000 lb forklift is about $35,000, and a high-capacity 20,000 lb model could exceed $100,000. Trucks over 30,000 lb run $100,000 to over $200,000.
The rental market shows the same slope. DOZR lists daily rental rates that climb with each capacity step, from a light warehouse truck to an extra-heavy one.
| Capacity | Per day | Per week | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 lb | $100–$175 | $300–$500 | $700–$1,200 |
| 5,000 lb | $150–$250 | $400–$700 | $950–$1,600 |
| 8,000 lb | $300–$450 | $800–$1,200 | $1,800–$2,800 |
| 10,000 lb | $450–$600 | $1,200–$1,600 | $2,800–$3,800 |
| 15,000 lb | $600–$800 | $1,500–$2,100 | $3,500–$5,000 |
| 20,000 lb | $800–$1,200 | $2,100–$3,200 | $5,000–$7,500 |
These are DOZR's rental rates, not purchase prices. They are in the table to show how steeply the cost rises with capacity. Buy for the heaviest pallet you regularly lift, not the heaviest one you imagine, because each capacity step costs real money.
Used Forklift Prices
Used forklift prices run much lower, and the saving is the reason most small businesses start there. Municibid says used forklifts typically sell for 40% to 60% below new. It puts standard-capacity used trucks at $5,000 to $30,000 and specialized or high-capacity used trucks at $10,000 to $80,000.
Wide used forklift prices reflect age, operating hours and condition, which are the three things to ask any seller about. A truck with fewer hours and a service record is worth more than a cheaper one with neither.
For an electric truck, the battery is the question. Ritchie Bros. says a battery below 80% of capacity is close to end of life, and a replacement was priced above at $3,000 to $8,000 for lead-acid. Add that to the sticker price when comparing.
Inspect before you buy
Check the mast for play and leaks, the tires, the hour meter and the battery's condition. Have a mechanic look at any truck bought outside a dealer, since repair costs follow you home with the truck.
Renting a Forklift
Rental can beat buying when forklift prices are out of reach, and it suits a buyer who needs a truck for a project, a season or a trial. DOZR's rates by capacity appear in the table above. For a general range, Municibid gives forklift rental at $100 to $400 per day, $300 to $1,200 per week and $800 to $4,500 per month, without breaking it out by type. The two publishers describe different samples, so use them as two points of reference.
The base rate is rarely the whole bill. DOZR lists several charges as separate from the rate:
What DOZR says is billed on top of the rental rate
- Delivery and pickup: $150 to $400 for standard units, and $500 or more for heavy units that need a flatbed or lowboy
- Damage waiver: 10% to 15% of the rental cost
- Attachments, per day: side shift $25 to $50, fork positioner $30 to $60, rotator $50 to $100
- A certified operator: $25 to $45 per hour, or $200 to $360 per day
- Fuel or battery charging during the rental
DOZR also says 16- to 24-hour operation is priced at 1.5 to 2 times the single-shift daily rate, and that electric trucks rent for 15% to 25% less than propane or diesel ones. The attachment figures above are daily rental charges, not what an attachment costs to buy.
Buying an attachment outright is a separate quote, and no fetched publisher gives a purchase price for one. Ask the dealer to list each attachment and whether it comes with the truck.
Running Costs, Training and What Moves the Price
Forklift prices on the sticker are only the start. Municibid puts yearly maintenance and repair at $1,500 to $6,000 and suggests budgeting 10% to 20% of the purchase price a year. It says that once maintenance reaches about $4 per operating hour, replacing the truck may be cheaper than repairing it. Ritchie Bros. adds that electric maintenance costs run 25% to 40% lower than propane.
Training is not optional. OSHA's standard on powered industrial trucks, 29 CFR 1910.178, requires an employer to make sure each operator is competent. It requires formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of the operator in the workplace. The employer must certify the training, and each operator must be evaluated at least once every three years.
Refresher training is required if an operator is seen driving unsafely, has an accident or near-miss, is assigned a different type of truck, or the workplace changes in a way that affects safe operation. Read the full text on OSHA's page for 1910.178, and check whether your state runs its own program.
Forklift prices move with a short list of choices. Capacity, mast height, power type, battery chemistry, brand tier, tires and condition each shift the total. A building's fire and building codes also affect where trucks can charge or store propane, and those rules vary by jurisdiction, so check with your local building department and the International Code Council's adopted editions.
If you are buying for a business, the tax side can soften forklift prices. IRS Publication 946 explains the section 179 deduction, which covers tangible personal property used in a business and is capped each tax year. Ask a tax adviser whether a truck you buy qualifies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Forklift Prices
Municibid puts most new forklifts at $20,000 to $70,000 depending on type, capacity and fuel. Ritchie Bros. lists new propane trucks at $20,000 to $35,000 and new electric trucks at $25,000 to $45,000.
Municibid gives a standard 5,000 lb forklift as about $35,000 new, and a standard-capacity electric truck at $25,000 to $45,000. Prices climb quickly with capacity and mast height.
Ritchie Bros. lists new electric trucks at $25,000 to $45,000 for common capacities, and Municibid puts all new electric models at $25,000 to $70,000. Add a charger if the quote leaves it out.
Municibid puts used standard-capacity forklifts at $5,000 to $30,000 and specialized or high-capacity ones at $10,000 to $80,000. It says used trucks typically sell 40% to 60% below new.
No fetched source gives a purchase price for 10,000 lb exactly. Municibid puts a 5,000 lb truck at about $35,000 and a 20,000 lb truck above $100,000. DOZR lists renting a 10,000 lb truck at $450 to $600 per day.
Ritchie Bros. puts a lead-acid replacement at $3,000 to $8,000 installed and lithium-ion at $8,000 to $20,000. Forklift Action, in a piece supplied by ROYPOW, gives lead-acid at $2,000 to $6,000 and lithium at $6,000 to $25,000 and up.
DOZR lists a 5,000 lb truck at $150 to $250 per day, $400 to $700 per week and $950 to $1,600 per month. Municibid gives a general $100 to $400 per day. Delivery, a damage waiver and attachments are billed on top.
Neither Municibid nor Ritchie Bros. prices diesel separately. Municibid puts new internal combustion trucks at $20,000 to $50,000, with larger-capacity models up to $100,000 or more, so ask a dealer for a diesel quote at your capacity.
Yes. OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.178 requires formal instruction, practical training and a workplace evaluation, and an evaluation at least every three years. The employer certifies the training.
Sources
- Rameez, Rayan. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Ritchie Hub. Electric vs Propane Forklifts: Which is better? New propane and electric prices, battery prices and recharge times, fuel per shift, maintenance. blog.ritchiebros.com
- Municibid. Comprehensive Guide to Forklift Pricing. New prices by type and capacity, used prices, general rental ranges, maintenance and mast and brand modifiers. municibid.com
- DOZR. How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Forklift? Rental rates by capacity, telehandler day rate, delivery, damage waiver, attachment and operator charges. dozr.com
- Forklift Action. Forklift Battery Replacement Cost Guide: What You're Really Paying For (supplied by ROYPOW). Lead-acid and lithium battery price ranges, common voltages, charger upgrades. forkliftaction.com
- Internal Revenue Service. Publication 946, How To Depreciate Property. The section 179 deduction covers tangible personal property used in a business and is capped each tax year. irs.gov
- U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 29 CFR 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks. Operator training, evaluation, certification and refresher requirements. osha.gov
Related Resources
- Forklift for Metal Building: Choosing the Right One
- Warehouse Construction: Cost and Planning Guide
- Metal Building Warehouses: Sizes and Costs
- Equipment Rental Facility Construction
- Equipment Storage Building Size Guide
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