Houston, Texas
Lift and crane rental in Houston, TX
Houston is the only Texas market where plant turnaround schedules move the rental market. When several Ship Channel units come down at once, telehandlers and larger booms get scarce across the whole metro for weeks at a time.
We arrange scissor lifts, boom lifts, telehandlers, forklifts and cranes across Houston. We don't run a yard in Houston. We match your job to vetted local suppliers and stay on it until the machine is on site.
What a Houston job costs to price
Real Texas market rates by machine size and hire length. Change anything and the figure updates.
| Rental, 7 days | $625–$1,000 |
| Delivery and pickup | $300–$480 |
| Environmental fee (2%, capped at $99) | $13–$20 |
| Subtotal | $938–$1,500 |
| Texas sales tax (8.25%) | $77–$124 |
| Estimated total | $1,015–$1,624 |
|---|
Houston runs at the Texas average. Sales tax only. The TERP surcharge applies to off-road diesel equipment, so it does not apply to this machine.
Prices are estimates based on published Texas rental rates, not quotes. Your final price depends on availability, delivery distance and how long you keep the machine.
What equipment costs in Houston
Houston runs at the Texas average, and that is applied to every figure on this page.
Rates last checked .
As a worked example, a 26 ft electric scissor lift comes to $340–$500 for a week here. The same machine costs $150–$230 for a single day, which is the clearest illustration of how sharply rental pricing rewards duration: a week is roughly two and a half day rates, and four weeks is roughly five, not the nine that a lot of online cost guides still repeat.
Tax is worth planning for. Texas charges 8.25% sales tax on bare rental, and adds a 1.5% TERP surcharge on off-road diesel equipment rated 50 horsepower or more. An electric scissor lift is taxed at 8.25%; a diesel rough terrain machine can reach 9.75%. Most rental price guides never mention it. How Texas taxes equipment rental sets out both, along with the operator exception.
Houston forklift rental
Warehouse cushion-tire, outdoor pneumatic and rough-terrain forklifts from 5,000 lb up.
Houston forklift rental is one of the most searched equipment terms in Houston, and these are the sizes that actually move. Most people who rent a forklift in Houston take it for a week or more, which is where the rate stops being a day rate. Rates below are adjusted for Houston.
| Size | Day | Week | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 lb cushion | $250–$363 | $625–$1,000 | $1,250–$2,625 |
| 8,000 lb cushion | $438–$510 | $951–$1,075 | $2,200–$2,500 |
| 10,000 lb cushion | $600–$700 | $1,550–$1,800 | $3,600–$4,200 |
| 5,000 lb pneumatic | $250–$363 | $625–$1,000 | $1,250–$2,625 |
| 8,000 lb pneumatic | $363–$500 | $1,025–$1,063 | $2,125–$2,552 |
| 10,000 lb pneumatic | $544–$590 | $1,244–$1,475 | $2,400–$3,530 |
| 6,000 lb rough terrain | $350–$438 | $563–$1,031 | $1,625–$1,988 |
| 8,000 lb rough terrain | $420–$480 | $980–$1,060 | $2,300–$2,600 |
Adjusted for Houston, which runs at the Texas average.
Houston crane rental
Rough-terrain, all-terrain, crawler and tower cranes, bare or operated and maintained.
Cranes are the one category we will not put a day rate on. They are billed by the hour against a minimum, with mobilization charged separately in each direction, and for larger machines bare rental is quoted by the month. Send us the pick, meaning weight, radius and site access, and we come back with a real figure from a Houston-area crane house.
| Size | Day | Week | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-45 ton rough terrain | Quoted by hand | ||
| 50-75 ton rough terrain | Quoted by hand | ||
| 90-130 ton all terrain | Quoted by hand | ||
| 100-150 ton crawler | Quoted by hand | ||
| Tower crane | Quoted by hand | ||
Adjusted for Houston, which runs at the Texas average. Rows marked as quoted by hand are billed on a basis a day rate would misrepresent.
Houston boom lift rental
Articulating and telescopic booms from 30 ft to 185 ft, electric and diesel.
Houston boom lift rental is one of the most searched equipment terms in Houston, and these are the sizes that actually move. Quotes for boom lift rental in Houston are written against the specific size, not the category, so the working height matters more than the machine name. Rates below are adjusted for Houston.
| Size | Day | Week | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-45 ft articulating | $375–$550 | $890–$1,280 | $2,000–$2,900 |
| 45-60 ft articulating | $420–$715 | $1,220–$1,750 | $2,070–$5,200 |
| 60-80 ft articulating | $625–$1,220 | $1,590–$3,000 | $3,000–$7,000 |
| 40-60 ft telescopic | $438–$650 | $1,050–$1,750 | $2,190–$3,080 |
| 60-80 ft telescopic | $625–$1,060 | $1,376–$2,410 | $3,000–$5,950 |
| 80-125 ft telescopic | $960–$1,800 | $2,250–$4,510 | $5,060–$12,000 |
Adjusted for Houston, which runs at the Texas average.
Houston scissor lift rental
Electric slab scissors for finished floors and rough-terrain scissors for open ground.
Houston scissor lift rental is one of the most searched equipment terms in Houston, and these are the sizes that actually move. Houston scissor lift rental is priced ex-yard: delivery is the line that changes most between two otherwise identical quotes. Rates below are adjusted for Houston.
| Size | Day | Week | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 ft electric | $95–$175 | $230–$500 | $430–$900 |
| 26 ft electric | $150–$230 | $340–$500 | $620–$1,100 |
| 32 ft electric | $220–$360 | $520–$730 | $950–$1,650 |
| 40 ft electric | $310–$400 | $700–$850 | $1,450–$1,900 |
| 26 ft rough terrain | $300–$420 | $700–$880 | $1,250–$1,700 |
| 32 ft rough terrain | $330–$420 | $740–$890 | $1,600–$1,950 |
| 40 ft rough terrain | $395–$450 | $875–$1,100 | $1,900–$2,250 |
Adjusted for Houston, which runs at the Texas average.
Houston telehandler rental
Reach forklifts from 5,000 lb to 15,000 lb, with 19 ft to 56 ft of lift height.
Houston telehandler rental is one of the most searched equipment terms in Houston, and these are the sizes that actually move. Most people who rent a telehandler in Houston take it for a week or more, which is where the rate stops being a day rate. Rates below are adjusted for Houston.
| Size | Day | Week | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 lb / 19 ft | $403–$553 | $1,166–$1,270 | $2,863–$3,028 |
| 6,000 lb / 42 ft | $584–$750 | $1,250–$1,398 | $2,744–$2,993 |
| 8,000 lb / 43 ft | $595–$1,000 | $1,526–$1,750 | $3,125–$3,825 |
| 10,000 lb / 55 ft | $802–$1,250 | $1,753–$3,375 | $4,378–$8,750 |
| 12,000 lb / 55 ft | $978–$1,444 | $2,253–$3,125 | $5,385–$7,500 |
Adjusted for Houston, which runs at the Texas average.
Houston bucket truck rental
Road-legal insulated and non-insulated aerial devices from 35 ft to 75 ft.
We quote bucket truck rental in Houston by hand rather than estimating it. Published rates for these units vary so widely between sources that an on-screen number would be misleading, and because they are road-legal the tax treatment differs too.
| Size | Day | Week | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 ft | $250–$400 | $750–$1,200 | $2,000–$3,000 |
| 45 ft | $300–$500 | $900–$1,450 | $2,200–$3,600 |
| 55 ft+ | $400–$770 | $1,200–$2,200 | $3,250–$5,500 |
| 20-30 ton boom truck | Quoted by hand | ||
Adjusted for Houston, which runs at the Texas average. Rows marked as quoted by hand are billed on a basis a day rate would misrepresent.
Houston man lift rental
One-person push-around and personnel lifts from 12 ft to 31 ft for indoor work.
Houston man lift rental is one of the most searched equipment terms in Houston, and these are the sizes that actually move. Quotes for man lift rental in Houston are written against the specific size, not the category, so the working height matters more than the machine name. Rates below are adjusted for Houston.
| Size | Day | Week | 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-31 ft personnel lift | $175–$235 | $390–$490 | $685–$750 |
Adjusted for Houston, which runs at the Texas average.
Working conditions in Houston
Soft coastal clay and a high water table across much of the metro. Outrigger pads and rough terrain tires matter more here than on a North Texas slab, and a machine that is fine on a finished floor can sink on a graded pad after rain.
Heat and humidity are the operational constraint rather than wind. Diesel machines lose performance on the worst afternoons and battery-powered units want a shaded charge point. Hurricane season also pulls aerial equipment into staging, which tightens availability at short notice.
Suppliers haul into Houston on I-45, I-10, Loop 610 and Beltway 8. Distance from the yard is usually the largest single variable in a delivery charge, which is why we ask for the site address rather than just the city.
Measured against search demand across the metro, forklift rental accounts for about 38% of what people in Houston look for, followed by crane rental and boom lift rental. That is a reasonable proxy for what the local yards keep on the fleet, and for which class runs short first.
The work driving equipment demand here is petrochemical plant turnarounds along the Ship Channel and warehouse and distribution. That shapes what local yards stock, and it is the reason availability tightens for some classes and not others. See also wind limits and Texas heat and site prep and ground conditions.
Permits and site access in Houston
Work in the public right of way needs a permit from the city, and downtown and Medical Center closures carry their own review. Build lead time into the booking rather than the rental.
If the machine has to sit in the road, on a sidewalk or over a property line, that is a permitting question rather than a rental one, and it is the most common reason a delivery date slips. Tell us where the machine needs to stand and we will flag it before the quote goes out.
How a Houston request works
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Step 1
Tell us the job
Send the machine or the working height, the dates and the site address.
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Step 2
We check the market
We price and check availability with vetted suppliers covering Houston.
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Step 3
You get a written quote
A written figure within one business day, naming the supplier and what is included.
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Step 4
The machine arrives
You deal with the supplier directly from there, and we stay on it until it is on site.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to rent a scissor lift in Houston?
- A 26 ft electric scissor lift runs about $340–$500 for a week in Houston. Houston runs at the Texas average. Longer hires drop the effective day rate sharply: a week is roughly two and a half day rates, not seven.
Do you have a yard in Houston?
- No. We don't run a yard in Houston. We match your job to vetted local suppliers and stay on it until the machine is on site. That is worth knowing up front, because it means we are quoting the whole local market rather than one company's price list.
What ground conditions should I expect in Houston?
- Soft coastal clay and a high water table across much of the metro. Outrigger pads and rough terrain tires matter more here than on a North Texas slab, and a machine that is fine on a finished floor can sink on a graded pad after rain.
Will weather stop the job in Houston?
- Heat and humidity are the operational constraint rather than wind. Diesel machines lose performance on the worst afternoons and battery-powered units want a shaded charge point. Hurricane season also pulls aerial equipment into staging, which tightens availability at short notice. Most platforms have a wind limit around 28 mph, and it applies to the gust rather than the average.
How is equipment rental taxed in Houston?
- Texas charges 8.25% sales tax on bare equipment rental in Houston. On top of that there is a 1.5% TERP surcharge on off-road diesel equipment rated 50 horsepower or more, so an electric scissor lift is taxed at 8.25% and a diesel rough terrain machine can reach 9.75%. Equipment supplied with an operator on a single charge is generally not taxed as a rental at all.
How quickly can you get equipment to a Houston job?
- We come back with a written quote within one business day, naming the supplier. Delivery itself depends on the yard and the machine. Common sizes usually move within a day or two, and anything tall, heavy or specialised needs more notice. Work in the public right of way needs a permit from the city, and downtown and Medical Center closures carry their own review. Build lead time into the booking rather than the rental.
Nearby cities we cover
- Lift and crane rental in Corpus Christi
- Lift and crane rental in Laredo
- Lift and crane rental in Brownsville
- Lift and crane rental in Austin · elsewhere in Texas
- Lift and crane rental in Dallas · elsewhere in Texas
- Lift and crane rental in San Antonio · elsewhere in Texas
Get a price estimate for your Houston job
Tell us the job and we come back with a written quote within one business day, naming the supplier.
This is a request, not a booking. We confirm availability and final pricing with a local supplier before anything is committed.