Buyer Beware When Buying a Car Lift or Hiring a Lift Inspector

Every time you walk under a vehicle on a car lift, you’re entrusting your life to that piece of equipment. You want to know that your lift was third-party tested and ALI Certified to meet all industry safety standards, that it has been properly maintained and that a qualified lift inspector has thoroughly examined it within the last year and has found it to be in compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. After all, you want to go home at the end of your shift.

Unfortunately, there are people out there who will try to mislead you about their lifts and their lift inspection services. A number of lift sellers have been observed to fraudulently apply the ALI name, logos or certification marks to their uncertified products. Similarly, a number of lift inspectors have applied fraudulent or misleading inspection labels to lifts, providing a false sense of security.

Don’t be fooled by offers for cheap car lifts or inspection services that seem too good to be true. To ensure you receive the quality products, service and factory warranty you deserve, always buy your ALI Certified Lifts through ALI member companies, ALI authorized program participants or their approved distribution channels. Remember that you can always check if a lift is actually ALI Certified by looking in the Directory of Certified Lifts. Similarly, hire your lift inspector through an ALI member company, program participant or their approved distribution channels. You can check to see if a lift inspection company is ALI Certified in the Directory of ALI Certified Lift Inspection Providers. In all ALI certification programs, there is no such thing as pending or partial certification. If it’s in the directory, it’s certified. Otherwise, it’s not.

As the lift industry safety watchdog, ALI takes your safety seriously. ALI is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as an independent, third party, product certification body. This means ALI meets the rigorous and continuing requirements of ANSI for authorization to apply the ALI and ANSI marks to car lifts that are judged by an OSHA Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to meet all the requirements of the current edition of the American National Standard governing car lifts.

We actively monitor the car lift market for scams and false claims. Before buying a cheap car lift or hiring a lift inspection company, check the list of current Buyer Beware claims below. Remember, your safety is riding on it.