Tilt-bed · HIAB · Crane · Side-loader
Moving a Shipping Container
A container is easy to move with the right machine and impossible with the wrong one. This guide covers the four delivery methods, what each weighs against your site’s clearances, and what the trucking actually costs.
The single most common delivery failure is site access, not equipment: measure your approach before booking, because a truck that cannot line up simply drops the box at the kerb — or leaves with it.
The four methods
Tilt-bed (roll-off) truck: the default for local delivery. The bed tilts, the container slides off onto the ground as the truck pulls forward. Cheapest, but needs the longest straight run.
HIAB (truck-mounted crane): the truck carries its own crane and can place an empty 20 ft (~2.2 t tare) over a fence or beside a building. Limited reach and capacity — empty 20 ft units only, in most configurations.
Mobile crane: places any container, loaded or empty, exactly where you want it — including over obstacles. The most expensive option; typically $500–1,500 for a few hours, on top of trucking.
Side-loader: a trailer with two hydraulic cranes that sets the container down parallel to the truck. Common in Australia and Europe, rarer in North America.
| Method | Handles | Straight approach | Overhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tilt-bed | Empty, any size | ~18 m (20 ft) / ~30 m (40 ft) | ~5 m |
| HIAB | Empty 20 ft (~2.2 t) | Truck length + reach | Boom height |
| Crane | Loaded or empty, any size | Crane pad access | Site-specific |
| Side-loader | Loaded to ~35 t | Truck length, lateral room | ~5 m |
What delivery costs
Local delivery within ~50 miles of the depot: $150–500, usually quoted flat. Beyond that, expect $2–4 per loaded mile, so a 500-mile haul runs $1,000–2,000 — sometimes more than a used 20 ft container itself, which is why buying close to home matters (see container prices). Loaded moves cost more: the trucking is the same, but you add crane hire at both ends because a tilt-bed cannot slide a loaded box.
Weight decides the machine
Empty containers are light for their size: a 20 ft tares about 2,200 kg, a 40 ft high cube about 3,900 kg (full figures in the container weight guide). That is HIAB and heavy-forklift territory. Loaded, the same boxes gross up to 30,480 kg — at that point only a mobile crane, reach stacker or side-loader is rated for the lift. A standard warehouse forklift of 2.5–5 t capacity cannot move any container safely, even empty: the load centre is far beyond its rating.
Permits and road rules
A standard container on a standard trailer is a legal load — 2.44 m wide, under 4.3 m travelling height — and needs no permit in most jurisdictions. Permits enter the picture when the cargo inside pushes gross vehicle weight over local limits (typically 36–40 t total), or for 45 ft+ units on restricted routes. If you are placing the container permanently, check local zoning and setback rules before delivery day, not after.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to move a shipping container?
Locally, $150–500 by tilt-bed truck within about 50 miles. Long-distance moves run $2–4 per mile. Moving a loaded container adds crane hire at each end, typically $500–1,500 per lift.
Can you move a shipping container with a forklift?
Only empty, and only with a heavy forklift of 15 t+ capacity lifting from the bottom side rails or fork pockets — which exist on most 20 ft units but not on 40 ft. A standard 2.5–5 t warehouse forklift cannot do it safely at any weight.
How much space does container delivery need?
A tilt-bed truck needs a straight, level approach of roughly 18 m for a 20 ft and 30 m for a 40 ft — truck plus container plus slide-off room — with about 5 m of overhead clearance for the raised bed. No overhead wires or branches along the run.
Do I need a permit to transport a shipping container?
Not for the container itself — at 2.44 m wide and under 4.3 m travelling height it is a standard legal load. Permits apply only when gross vehicle weight exceeds local road limits or on restricted routes. Permanent placement may need local zoning approval.
Can you move a loaded shipping container?
Yes, but not with a tilt-bed. A loaded box — up to 30,480 kg gross — needs a mobile crane or reach stacker to lift on and off a flatbed, or a side-loader trailer. Budget crane time at both ends.