Take the curb weight of your heaviest vehicle and add a 25% safety margin. A 9,000 lb 2-post is fine for most passenger cars and small SUVs. A 10,000–11,000 lb lift covers full-size SUVs and most half-ton trucks. Step up to 12,000–14,000 lb for heavy-duty pickups (3/4-ton, 1-ton, dually). For the fastest answer, run our Lift Finder - it matches you to lifts based on your vehicle weight, ceiling, and bay size in under a minute. For the deeper read, see What Size Lift Do You Need?

Most 2-post and 4-post lifts require a minimum of 4 inches of concrete at 3,000 PSI. Heavy-duty 12k+ lifts often require 5–6 inches at the same PSI. Garages built to standard residential code typically meet 4" / 3,000 PSI, but verify with a coring test if you're unsure. Newly poured slabs need 28 days of cure time before installation. See our full install requirements guide for detail.

Most professional 2-post and 4-post lifts run on 220V single-phase, which gives faster lift times and longer motor life. Many modern lifts (especially in the 8K–10K class) ship with both 110V and 220V wiring options - 110V works for residential garages without a dedicated circuit, but cycle time is slower and motor strain is higher under heavy loads. Scissor lifts more commonly run on 110V.

The cheapest move is to run a dedicated 220V circuit when you do your slab and ceiling work - it's pennies compared to replacing a burned-out 110V motor in five years.

A standard 2-post lift typically needs 11–12 feet of ceiling clearance. Low-profile and "low-ceiling" 2-posts can fit into 9–10 ft residential garages. 4-post storage lifts vary widely - most are 7–9 ft tall in their own footprint, but you also need vehicle height + lift height + clearance to walk under. Always measure the tallest vehicle you'll lift, then add 6–12 inches for working clearance.

See Best Lifts for 8–10 ft Garages for short-stature options.

ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) is the U.S. gold standard for lift safety. It's not legally required for residential or most commercial installs, but it's mandatory in some states for commercial shops and required by some insurance carriers. If you're a pro shop, an ALI-certified lift is the safest insurance bet. For home garages, a CE-certified lift from a reputable manufacturer is plenty - and substantially cheaper.

Read ALI vs. CE Certification for the side-by-side.

A 2-post lift install typically takes 4–6 hours for an experienced installer (longer for first-timers). 4-post lifts run 3–5 hours since there's less anchoring. Add an extra day or two if your concrete needs to cure or your 220V circuit needs to be run. See Find an Installer if you want us to send you a list of local pros.

Yes - many of our customers do. The work itself isn't complicated, but it's heavy: assembling a 2-post lift solo is impractical and unsafe. Plan on at least one capable helper, an engine hoist or forklift to stand the columns, and a torque wrench for the anchor bolts. Read the manual cover-to-cover before starting.

If your concrete or electrical isn't already dialed in, hire those out separately. The lift assembly is the part DIY-friendly buyers can usually handle.

Warranty varies by brand. Most of the lifts we carry come with 2 years structural and 1 year parts. Some premium brands (Atlas Platinum, Triumph) offer extended structural warranties. We're an authorized dealer for every brand we sell, which means you get the full manufacturer warranty - not a watered-down third-party version. Plus we offer lifetime phone support on every lift, regardless of brand.

Our installer network covers most of the U.S., and we partner with local concrete and equipment contractors in areas where we don't have direct relationships. Submit your install via our Find an Installer form and we'll pull together a list of qualified options in your area within one business day.

Yes - when used properly, car lifts have an excellent safety record. The vast majority of incidents come from operator error (improper load placement, skipping the safety lock engagement) rather than equipment failure. ALI-certified lifts and lifts from reputable manufacturers are tested at 115% dynamic and 150% static load - well beyond their rated capacity. Read Are Car Lifts Safe? for the honest, real-world answer.