Automotive Lift Institute

What Automotive Lift Institute does

The Automotive Lift Institute (ALI), Inc. is a New York-incorporated trade association founded in 1945 and headquartered in Cortland, NY, that serves as the only ANSI-credentialed Nationally Recognized Standards Development Organization and Accredited Product Certification Program Provider for automotive lifts in North America. ALI develops and maintains the industry's three national safety standards (ANSI/ALI ALCTV for construction/testing, ALOIM for operation/inspection/maintenance, and ALIS for installation/service), runs the only third-party Lift Inspector Certification Program, operates the only multi-manufacturer LiftLab testing facility, and publishes the daily-updated Directory of Certified Lifts covering 1,500+ certified lift model variations. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors representing 20 member manufacturers and approximately 300 Associate Class inspection companies, with 560+ ALI Certified Lift Inspectors having conducted more than 1.3 million lift inspections over the past decade.

ALI's core technology stack is built around standards development, certification workflows, and a content library rather than software-platform architecture. The proprietary assets include the three ANSI/ALI standards, the annual Vehicle Lifting Points Guide (covering model years 2000-2026 with 250+ undercarriage illustrations), the Lifting It Right safety manual (4M+ copies sold), the Check360 Certified Lift Inspection program, and the LiftLab facility housing all major lift types from multiple manufacturers. Online training is delivered via the Litmos LMS and distributed through channel partners KPA (1M+ trained professionals), S/P2, and Cengage for school and dealer accounts.

The revenue model combines four streams: recurring membership dues (~20 manufacturers and ~300 Associate Class inspection companies), Lift Inspector Certification at $2,100 per inspector (one-time, non-refundable), product sales of safety manuals, standards documents, posters, and branded merchandise (typically $15-$265 per item, with a $65 Value Pack), and online training subscriptions at $20 per single user. ALI sells directly through its e-commerce storefront (autolift.org/shop) with free U.S. shipping and flat-rate Canada shipping, while training and certification content is distributed through KPA, S/P2, and Cengage partnerships. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, but the combination of membership dues, modest single-digit-priced publication sales, and a high-ticket certification program implies a low-to-mid single-digit million-dollar annual revenue band consistent with a small U.S. trade association.

Name

Automotive Lift Institute

Legal name

Automotive Lift Institute, Inc.

Website

https://autolift.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) is the ANSI-accredited North American trade association that develops automotive lift safety standards, certifies lift inspectors, and publishes safety training materials for manufacturers, inspection companies, and repair facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cortland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of safety training materials including Lifting It Right manual ($18-$27), ANSI/ALI safety standards ($15-$265), Vehicle Lifting Points Guide ($15-$26), safety posters ($22), safety tip cards ($20), and branded merchandise ($15-$150). Includes free shipping in US, flat rate to Canada.
2. Lift Inspector Certification Program: Certification program for vehicle lift inspectors at $2,100 per inspector, including training materials and orientation. Registration fee is non-refundable. The only third-party certification program in North America for car lift inspectors.
3. Online Training Subscriptions: Lifting It Right online training at $20 per single user (English or Spanish). Bulk subscriptions available for companies. Contact for annual subscription pricing and school accounts.
4. Membership Fees: 20 member manufacturers (pledging 75% certification rate) and approximately 300 Associate Class members (inspection companies with certified inspectors) pay membership dues for access to resources, training materials, discounts, and board representation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ALI is a North American trade association that develops the only Nationally Recognized Safety Standards for automotive lifts (ANSI/ALI ALCTV, ALOIM, ALIS), certifies vehicle lifts against those standards, runs the only third-party Lift Inspector Certification Program, and sells safety training materials (Lifting It Right online course, safety manual, posters, replacement labels) along with an annually updated Vehicle Lifting Points Guide. It also operates the LiftLab testing facility in Cortland, NY.

Product overview

Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) is a trade association of North American-based lift manufacturers that promotes the safe design, construction, installation, service, inspection, and use of automotive lifts. Founded in 1945, ALI's offerings include third-party certification programs for vehicle lifts and lift inspectors, safety training programs (Lifting It Right Online Training and Safety Manual), technical safety standards (ANSI/ALI ALCTV, ALOIM, ALIS), and reference publications (Vehicle Lifting Points Guide). ALI also provides directories of certified lifts and certified inspectors, sells safety materials (posters, cards, replacement labels), and operates the LiftLab testing facility. Training content is accessible through multiple LMS platforms including KPA, S/P2, and Cengage. ALI's merchandise line includes Richard Petty-branded items that benefit the Petty Family Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lifting It Right Online Training Interactive online car lift safety training course covering safe lifting practices for any car lift, available in English or Spanish. Mobile-friendly course most people finish in under an hour, generates a certificate of completion stored online for compliance records.
• Lifting It Right Safety Manual World's best-selling car lift safety manual with more than 4 million copies sold. Second edition covers safe operation and basic maintenance of seven types of vehicle lifts (inground, two-post, multi-post runway, parallelogram, scissors, low-/mid-rise, and mobile columns). Available in print and digital.
• Check360 Certified Lift Inspection The only lift inspection backed by ALI to meet the national lift safety standard. Every automotive lift installed in the United States and Canada must be inspected at least annually by an ALI Certified Lift Inspector under this program.
• ALI Lift Inspector Certification Program The only program in North America that independently tests and certifies car lift inspectors as qualified to inspect any vehicle lift. Self-study course including more than $600 of training materials. Registration fee $2,100 per inspector candidate; ANAB-accredited.
• Vehicle Lifting Points Guide Quick-reference guide for finding OEM-recommended vehicle lifting points for frame-engaging lifts. Updated annually to reflect the latest vehicle specs. 2026 edition covers model years 2000 to 2026 with more than 250 undercarriage illustrations.
• Car Lift Safety Materials Value Pack Comprehensive bundle containing Lifting It Right safety manual, ANSI/ALI ALOIM standard, ANSI/ALI ALIS standard, Lifting Points Guide, and 2 Lift Safety Tips Posters. Value-priced at $65 versus $102 individually.
• Automotive Lift Safety Tips Poster Eye-catching 30 x 45-inch poster two-pack using bold graphics and pictographs to illustrate 13 tips for safe lifting, operation, maintenance, and inspection. Ideal for repair shops, vocational schools, car dealers, and fleet maintenance garages. Quantity discounts available.
• ALI Automotive Lift Safety Tips Card Features 13 key safety tips to follow whenever a vehicle lift is being used. Sold in packs of 10, designed for display in every service bay as a constant reminder to lift operators.
• Replacement Warning Label Kit Complete set of uniform warning and caution labels or placards for a single lift, including labels for specific lift types (2-post, 4-post, mobile column, inground, hinged frame engaging). Also includes ANSI/ALI ALOIM standard, Lifting It Right safety manual, Safety Tips Card, and Lifting Points Guide.
• ANSI/ALI ALCTV: 2025 Standard Safety Requirements for Construction, Testing, and Validation of Automotive Lifts. Covers design, construction, testing, and validation of manually-driven, power-driven, stationary and mobile automotive lifts, including parking lifts. 90 pages.
• ANSI/ALI ALCTV: 2017 Standard Safety Requirements for Construction, Testing and Validation of Automotive Lifts. The previously accepted lift safety and performance standard in North America. Covers design criteria, construction requirements, quality assurance systems, and testing procedures.
• ANSI/ALI ALOIM: 2020 Standard Safety Requirements for Operation, Inspection and Maintenance of Automotive Lifts. The safety standard governing automotive lift use, inspection and maintenance in North America.
• ANSI/ALI ALIS: 2022 Standard Safety Requirements for Installation and Service of Automotive Lifts. The American national safety standard governing lift installation and service throughout North America.
• Directory of Certified Lifts Searchable directory of ALI-certified vehicle lifts. Lifts certified to meet the ANSI/ALI ALCTV standard wear the ALI Gold Certification Label and are listed in this directory. Updated daily to reflect certification status.
• Find a Certified Inspector Directory Directory of ALI Certified Lift Inspection Providers that helps locate qualified lift inspectors who perform Check360 Certified Lift Inspections.
• Richard Petty Signed ALI/Petty's Garage Cap Limited edition, Richard Petty-autographed hat from the 2015 Annual Petty's Garage Car Show. 50% of proceeds donated to the Petty Family Foundation.
• Automotive Lift Institute/Petty's Garage Ball Cap Custom canvas baseball cap from ALI and Petty's Garage. 25% of proceeds donated to the Petty Family Foundation.
• Richard Petty Lionel Diecast Collectible Car (1:24 Scale) Limited edition 1:24 scale model of the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Ford Fusion driven by Aric Almirola in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, on which ALI was the primary partner. 2-pound model with 201 individual parts.
• Legacy by Petty Poster Limited edition 17x30-inch poster of the 'Legacy by Petty' custom Dodge Challenger convertible built by Petty's Garage to pay tribute to Richard Petty and promote car lift safety. 50% of proceeds donated to the Petty Family Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1.3 million lift inspections conducted by ALI Certified Lift Inspectors over 10 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• NOCTI (National Occupational Competency Testing Institute)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 April 2017NOCTI partnership adds Lifting It Right to NOCTI course offerings for vocational schools. Marketing agreement signed to expand reach into educational institutions and training programs.
• Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2014WSPS partnered with ALI to provide lift safety resources and training support, particularly for Ontario workplace compliance with Ministry of Labour requirements.
• KPAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 November 2013KPA is a dealer services provider that has trained more than 1 million automotive industry professionals. ALI partnered with KPA to produce and deliver the Lifting It Right online training program. KPA handles distribution and delivery while ALI provides content. KPA is the only entity authorized to offer refunds for KPA Online Training Subscriptions.
• Petty's Garage / Richard PettyflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerRichard Petty (NASCAR legend) hosts Lifting It Right DVD focusing on vehicle lift safety. Petty's Garage hosts car shows and events sponsored by ALI. ALI merchandise (hats, posters, diecast cars) sold with Petty branding. ALI donates portion of merchandise proceeds to Petty Family Foundation.
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerALI is credentialed by ANSI as a Nationally Recognized Standards Development Organization and Accredited Product Certification Program Provider. ANSI approves all ALI-sponsored standards (ALCTV, ALOIM, ALIS).
• Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAE J2184 Committee member representing automotive lift industry interests in standards development and technical specifications.
• Underwriters Laboratory (UL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUL Standards Technical Panel (UL 201) participant for lift safety standards development and product safety certification alignment.
• National Safety CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated organization for workplace safety promotion and alignment with national safety initiatives and best practices.
• International Code CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCode development organization that incorporates ALI standards into building codes, requiring certified lifts for installation in jurisdictions following International Building Code.
• S/P2coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorS/P2 automotive training platform integration for Lifting It Right School Edition. S/P2 customers can link with existing accounts for training access.
• CengagecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCengage educational platform integration for school accounts to access Lifting It Right training materials for automotive programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• KPA (KPA Online): Dealer services and training provider that has trained 1M+ automotive professionals and is ALI's distribution partner for Lifting It Right online training. Not a competitor but a channel partner; included because it is a critical go-to-market dependency that could shift ALI's reach if the relationship were to change.
• National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI): Vocational competency testing and curriculum organization that partnered with ALI to bring Lifting It Right into vocational school curricula. Not a competitor but an enabling ecosystem partner that extends ALI's training penetration into education channels that produce future automotive technicians.

Direct peers

• National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE): Leading third-party certification body for automotive technicians in North America with 300,000+ certified professionals across multiple credentials. Highly comparable to ALI's standards-and-certification model for lift inspectors, with similar industry recognition, ANSI accreditation, and recurring revenue from training, certification, and credential renewal.
• Automotive Service Association (ASA): Trade association representing independent automotive service providers with member dues, training programs, and industry advocacy. ALI is similarly structured as a member-funded association serving the automotive service industry, with comparable governance (Board, Associate Class) and revenue mix of dues plus paid services.
• National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF): Industry organization coordinating automotive service professionals, OEMs, and equipment makers around service information, training, and best practices. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder standards/training/coordination body serving the automotive aftermarket with similar member and partnership dynamics to ALI.
• Equipment & Tool Institute (ETI): Trade association of automotive service equipment manufacturers and innovators, focused on collaborative industry development. Most directly comparable to ALI's lift-manufacturer membership model; both bring competing manufacturers to a common table for standards alignment and product development.

Broad incumbents

• National Safety Council (NSC): National advocacy organization promoting workplace and roadway safety, certified training programs, and safety-related standards. Comparable in mission alignment around safety training and standards, though at vastly broader scope than ALI's automotive-lift specialty.
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI): National coordinating body for standards development that itself accredits ALI as a standards developer. Operates as an industry-level umbrella across all sectors, so not a direct competitor, but the parent-of-the-parent organization whose accreditation framework enables ALI's existence.
• UL Standards & Engagement: Global safety certification and standards organization with automotive lift certification (UL 201) competing alongside ANSI/ALI ALCTV. UL operates at vastly greater scale and broader portfolio, making it a benchmark for what a vertically integrated safety certifier at scale looks like versus ALI's specialist focus.
• SAE International: Globally recognized standards development organization for automotive, aerospace, and commercial-vehicle engineering. ALI participates in SAE J2184 committees but SAE operates at vastly greater scale across many vehicle categories, offering a reference point for what a mature, broader standards organization looks like at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LiftInstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/LiftInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/automotive-lift-institute
• Xx.com/LiftInstitute

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Automotive Lift Institute