Frequently Asked Questions

We offer a storage unit size guide right here on our website, which shows how the storage units we offer compare, and about how much will fit inside. Need some more help? Give us a call at 800-800-3456! A Life Storage Customer Care Representative will be happy to talk through the items you need to store, and recommend the best space.

Reservations may be made 3-30 days in advance, depending on how many similar storage units we have left at the store. If you can't reserve a space for the day you need it, you can use our Rent Now online rental service.  Rent Now allows you to complete your rental here on our website, and go right to your space on your moving day. No need to make a reservation and come to our office to complete your rental - you can rent your space at any time here.

When considering the various storage units we offer at Life Storage, the most important factors are what you are storing and for how long. Here are some resources that can help you with your decision:

• Drive-up Accessible Storage vs. Indoor Accessible Storage
• Climate Control vs. Traditional Storage (and other Storage Environments)
• Car, Motorcycle, and other Vehicle Storage

Your personal access code will open the facility gates and building doors during our posted "Access Hours". Access hours vary by location - you may find the hours for each of our locations here on our website. For your convenience, most Life Storage locations offer access hours which are much longer than our office hours (for example, 6am - 10pm). Some locations offer 24 hour access.

Your storage unit is secured with a lock, for which you have the only key. Our store offices do not keep a key to your lock. If you wish Life Storage to accept deliveries into your space, you may grant us access privileges and a second key (available at select locations).

Please note, past-due accounts will have access codes disabled and storage units "over locked" (a second lock securing the storage unit). If a past-due payment is made on our website, access may not be restored until the next day.

Yes, you will need a lock for your storage unit at Life Storage. You can purchase a new lock at any Life Storage location. Some locks are specially made for our doors for added security. We have a great selection of locks that we know offer the highest level of security.

Life Storage rental payments are due monthly on a specific payment date that varies based on your Life Storage location and rental date. If you occupy your space after your monthly payment due date, a full month's payment is due. Payments received after the due date be subject to a late payment fee.

At Life Storage, you can make your payments with the following methods:

• Cash
• Checks - Returned checks are subject to a returned check fee. We cannot accept checks for truck rental deposits or payments on accounts overdue by one month or more.
• Electronic Check (ACH) 
• Visa
• MasterCard
• American Express
• Discover

You may make rental payments with your credit card on our customer website, www.lifestorage.com/login. 

Much like your belongings in a rented apartment or condo, your belongings in storage are not covered by Life Storage. We require that you insure your belongings for your own protection. If your renters, homeowners or other insurance policy does not cover your belongings in a storage facility, please ask us about an easy solution that is payable with your monthly rent. If you do have existing coverage, please bring a copy of your policy declaration page which shows that your belongings are covered in a storage facility.

For the safety of our customers and the facility, some items are not permitted in a storage unit. If you are unsure if we permit an item that you are considering for storage, please contact us to check!

• Flammable substances
• Hazardous or toxic materials
• Stolen property
• Controlled substances
• Weapons
• Food or any container that previously contained food
• Live or dead organisms

Life Storage does not send bills, invoices or payment reminders by U.S. Mail. Much like renting an apartment or commercial space, your rental payment is due a specific payment due date, and it is each customer's responsibility to make a payment at that time.

If you would like to receive a payment reminder closer to your rental payment due date, our Customer Website offers this option. Select our Payment Reminder option, and choose the day of the month that you would like to receive your payment reminder email.

If you are a business customer that needs an invoice for accounting purposes, you may sign up to receive an invoice by email on our Customer Website. If you need an invoice sent by U.S. Mail, please contact your Life Storage store office.

Life Storage Rental Agreements are month-to-month, with no long-term commitment or minimum stay. The rental term begins on your payment due date, which varies based on Life Storage location and your rental date.  If you vacate your space on or before your payment due date and notify our office of your departure, no further payments will be due and your rental agreement will end.

Auctions are a legal means to vacate a storage unit when a customer has not made their contractual rental payments. Auctions are conducted according to local and state laws, and the proceeds from the auction are applied to the customer's past due balance. If the proceeds from the auction exceed the customer's amount due, the customer will receive a check from Life Storage for the balance. Should the auction proceeds not cover the amount due, the customer's account will be sent to collections.

Auctions are a last resort and something Life Storage would rather not do. It is in the best interest of Life Storage and the delinquent customer to come to a settlement and avoid the heartache and expense of conducting an auction of the items in the space. If you find that you are severely past-due, please stay in contact with us so we can resolve the matter quickly and avoid this process.

Life Storage follows all state laws governing fees for late payments and liens on severely delinquent accounts. In most states, a late fee is assessed 5 days after the payment due date and unit access will be restricted. In some states, an additional late fee may be applied 20 days after the payment due date if no payment has been received. Should payment be more than one month late, the account enters a "lien" status in which additional fees are posted to cover associated legal expenses. Once an account is in "lien" status all payments must be made at the store office with cash, money order, or certified check.

As outlined in our Terms of Use, if you are not able to access your online account (website availability, difficulty logging into or registering your account, etc.), your normal payment due date still applies. Please contact your Life Storage store to make other payment arrangements.

The health and safety of our employees, customers and guests is of utmost importance to us at Life Storage. We have implemented several precautionary measures and practices related to COVID-19 and closely monitor updates from the Centers for Disease Control as well a local and state authorities.  Please read more about our COVID-19 precautions and safety measures.

Our truck may be rented for one of two times each day - day (typically 10:00am until 4:00pm) or night (typically 5:00pm until 9:30am). These hours may vary on Sundays or holidays. 

If you need our truck for longer than a single day or night rental, you may reserve the truck for more than one time slot. An additional rental fee will apply for additional time slots.

Since other customers may have reserved our truck, we ask that you promptly return the vehicle. A late return fee may apply for rentals which exceed the reserved time slot.

Truck and van rental prices vary by location. Please contact us for specific costs. Typically, our rental fees have these parts:

• Vehicle Rental Fee ($29.95, $19.95 for new storage customers)
• Mileage Fee ($0.89 per mile)
• Refundable Deposit (typically $100)
• Collision Damage Waiver ($19.95, waived if your automobile policy covers rental vehicles)
• Fuel costs (you will need to fill the fuel tank before returning the vehicle - there is a refueling fee if the tank is not filled)

To rent our moving vehicles, the driver will need to provide the following:

• A current driver's license
• A valid insurance card in your name. If you don't have insurance, or cannot produce an insurance card, you'll need to take our Collision Damage Coverage at a nominal additional cost.

Life Storage does not offer one way truck rental. When renting our truck or van, it must be returned to the location from which it was rented.