PierPass Fee (TMF)
What Is the PierPass Fee?
A PierPass fee is the Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) charged on loaded containers that enter or leave participating container terminals at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during peak gate hours.
PierPass OffPeak is a traffic-management program used by the West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA). Participating terminals extend their gate hours into nights and weekends. The TMF applies during peak hours and does not apply during off-peak hours.
The fee belongs to the terminal program rather than the ocean carrier. It is not a universal carrier surcharge or a Customs duty, although it may appear as a separate line on a freight invoice.
Compare: a Clean Truck Fee is a separate environmental charge. A Terminal Handling Charge covers container handling at the terminal. Demurrage applies when a container stays at the terminal beyond its free time.
How Much Is the PierPass Fee?
The WCMTOA schedule effective August 1, 2026 sets the TMF per container. These examples show what applies:
| Example | TMF |
|---|---|
| 20-foot loaded container during peak hours | $40.63 |
| 40-foot, 45-foot, or other non-20-foot loaded container during peak hours | $81.26 |
| Loaded container during off-peak hours | $0 |
| Empty container or empty chassis at any time | $0 |
| Qualifying Alameda Corridor cargo subject to the ACTA fee, or transshipment cargo | $0 |
Peak hours are Monday through Friday, 3:00 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., excluding holidays. All other gate times are off-peak. The TMF is charged per container, not per TEU.
A refund request for an exempt container must be submitted within 30 days.
Payment goes to PierPass LLC by credit card, debit card, electronic check or approved credit agreement. The schedule prohibits ocean carriers from paying the TMF. Terminal operators may not waive, advance or absorb it.
Who Pays the PierPass Fee?
For a freight forwarder’s customer, the practical answer is usually yes. If your loaded container enters or leaves a participating Los Angeles or Long Beach terminal during peak hours, the TMF applies.
Your forwarder, drayage company or customs broker may pay PierPass first. The charge is normally passed to the cargo owner or importer, who is treated as the User responsible for the fee.
You should not pay when the move is off-peak or the container is exempt. Empty containers, empty chassis, qualifying Alameda Corridor cargo subject to the ACTA fee and transshipment cargo are exempt. Ask for a correction or refund within 30 days if the TMF was billed by mistake.
Check whether the TMF is already included in your all-in quote. If it is, do not accept a second PierPass charge for the same container.
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Get a Free QuoteData & sources: West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA) Marine Terminal Operator Schedule No. 1, revised August 1, 2026, and the PierPass OffPeak FAQ. WCMTOA schedule; PierPass FAQ; PierPass TMF. Rates, hours, exemptions, and payment rules are set by the schedule and may change. Confirm the current rule for the terminal and cargo before payment.