A vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) is a lift that carries materials, carts or equipment between two or more levels on a platform that moves up and down, and it is not designed or permitted to carry people.
VRCs are also called material lifts or freight lifts. In the United States they are generally governed by the conveyor safety standard ASME B20.1 rather than the elevator code, ASME A17.1, because no one rides them. That difference in code treatment is a large part of why they cost less to buy, install and inspect than a freight elevator.
Common uses
- Mezzanines and storage levels. Moving inventory, carts and pallets between floors of a warehouse or store.
- Back-of-house service. Supplies, waste and equipment in buildings where a freight elevator is not justified.
- Vehicle lifts. On tight sites, lift platforms can move vehicles between levels where a ramp will not fit. Once a driver rides with the car, the device is treated differently, so the code path must be settled early.
What to confirm before specifying one
- Who or what rides. If people will ever ride, a VRC is the wrong device.
- Local requirements. Some jurisdictions add their own permitting and inspection rules on top of ASME B20.1.
- Gates and interlocks. Enclosures and gate interlocks at every level are what keep people off the platform.
The Parkonomics view
In parking, the VRC question usually arrives as a site problem: the lot is too small for a ramp. A lift can solve the geometry, but it turns every entry and exit into a cycle time. Before choosing a lift over a ramp, model the busiest hour, decide whether drivers ride along, and get the code path in writing.
Related terms: Automated Parking, Ramp Slope, Transfer Bay
Further reading: The Evolution of U.S. Parking Structures in 2026