How Much Does a Scissor Lift Weigh? (kg by Size)

The most common scissor lift on Australian sites — the 19ft electric — weighs 1,520kg. Smaller 12ft verticals are around 900kg; big rough-terrain machines run to roughly 7,150kg. If a machine is going onto a suspended slab, into a goods lift or onto a trailer, the weight is the first number to check.

Scissor lift weights by size (metric)

Most scissor lift specs you’ll find online are American — pounds and feet. Here’s the chart in kilograms. The 19ft figure is exact for our fleet; the rest are typical figures and vary between makes and models, so verify per machine before you commit to a floor or a lift car.

Size	Type	Weight	Note
12ft	Vertical mast	~900kg	approximate — verify per machine
19ft	Electric slab scissor	1,520kg	exact — our 19ft fleet
26ft	Electric slab scissor	~2,600kg	approximate — verify per machine
32ft	Electric slab scissor	~2,870kg	approximate — verify per machine
40ft	Electric slab scissor	~3,175kg	approximate — verify per machine
32ft RT	Rough terrain (diesel)	~4,100kg	approximate — verify per machine
53ft RT	Rough terrain (diesel)	~7,150kg	approximate — verify per machine

Why does the weight matter?

Three reasons, and all of them can stop a job dead if nobody checked:

Floor loading. 1,520kg on four small wheels is a serious point load. Suspended slabs, mezzanines, old timber floors and waterproofed decks all need an engineer’s tick before a scissor drives on. Ground-bearing concrete is rarely a problem; anything above ground level, ask first.
Goods lifts and elevators. A 19ft scissor fits through a standard doorway (0.79m wide, 1.98m stowed), but the lift car has to carry 1,520kg plus whatever else rides with it. Check the lift’s rated capacity — plenty are rated under 1,500kg.
Transport and towing. A 12ft or 19ft scissor can go on a suitable trailer (we hire trailers for $75 for those two sizes), but 1,520kg plus trailer weight needs a braked trailer and a tow vehicle rated for it. Anything 26ft and up travels on a truck — our transport is $165 each way within 50km for electric scissors.

What does a 19ft scissor lift weigh exactly?

Our 19ft electric scissors weigh 1,520kg, carry 230kg on the platform, and measure 0.79m wide × 1.9m long × 1.98m stowed height. That combination — through a doorway, up a two-storey ceiling, one power point to charge — is why we run 27 of them.

Are US weight figures the same?

Same machines, different units. A US spec sheet will list the 19ft class at about 3,350lb — that’s the same 1,520kg. If you’re comparing spec sheets, divide pounds by 2.2 to get kilograms, and remember the “19ft” in the name refers to platform height, not the machine’s dimensions.

Common questions

Can a scissor lift go on a suspended slab?

Often yes, but never assume. The builder or structural engineer needs to confirm the slab can take the machine’s weight as a point load through the wheels. On big jobs this is usually already documented — ask before delivery day, not on it.

Can I tow a scissor lift myself?

The 12ft and 19ft sizes can travel on a suitable braked trailer — we hire trailers for $75 with those machines. Check your vehicle’s braked towing capacity against machine plus trailer weight. Bigger scissors go by truck only.

Does the weight include the batteries?

Yes — quoted operating weights include batteries (or fuel for diesels). Batteries are a big chunk of an electric scissor’s weight, which is partly why they’re so stable.

How much does scissor lift hire cost?

From $80/day ex-GST for a 12ft vertical, $100/day for the 19ft. See the full cost guide or the rates page.

Not sure your floor or lift can take it?

Tell us the site and we’ll confirm the exact machine weight before we quote — answers in 60 minutes.

Call 1300 806 577