Who generally pays the appraisal fee?

The party requesting the appraisal is the one who pays the fee, whether that's the equipment owner, a borrower, an attorney, or another party who needs the report.

In most cases this means the business or individual who needs the valuation, whether for an internal purpose like insurance or estate planning, or an external requirement like a loan or legal proceeding, arranges and pays for it directly. A few common patterns:

• Equipment financing and SBA loans: the borrower usually pays the appraisal fee, often before the report is finalized, since the lender requires it as a condition of the loan but doesn't commission it themselves.
• Estate and gift tax matters: the estate or executor typically covers the cost as part of settling the estate.
• Divorce and litigation: whichever party's attorney requests the report generally pays, though courts occasionally order costs to be split.
• Insurance claims: the policyholder or claimant usually pays, unless the insurer specifically requires and orders its own valuation.

Because fees are quoted as a fixed amount based on the scope of the assignment (the number and complexity of assets, the depth of research required, and the intended use of the report) rather than an hourly rate, whoever is arranging New York equipment appraisers work with our team knows the cost up front before any inspection begins. That's worth settling early with whoever else has a stake in the appraisal (a lender, opposing counsel, an insurance adjuster) so there's no confusion about reimbursement later. If you're curious how that scope translates into a valuation figure, our answer on how we determine the value of used equipment walks through the methodology.