The Little Giant ladder recall covers about 3.6 million ladders after reports that the ladders can suddenly retract while someone is standing on them. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall on November 5, 2026. The ladders involved have Rapid Locks, the parts that let you change the height of the ladder. If a Rapid Lock is not fully engaged, the ladder can collapse without warning. The company has received 25 reports of ladders retracting, including 19 reports of injuries, and three of those injuries involved the head.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Recall announced | November 5, 2026, by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
| Recall number | CPSC Recall No. 27-067 |
| Units involved | About 3,662,000 ladders with Rapid Locks |
| The hazard | Ladders can suddenly retract if the Rapid Locks are not fully engaged |
| Reports | 25 reports of ladders retracting, including 19 injuries |
| Head injuries | 3 reports, including traumatic brain injury, skull fracture and concussion |
| Where sold | Lowes, Costco, Amazon and other stores nationwide, December 2015 to October 2026 |
| Price range | About 100 dollars to 1,000 dollars |
| The fix | Free repair kit from Little Giant, with warning labels and instructions |
| Contact | 866-201-9069, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday through Friday |
Little Giant Ladder Recall: What Went Wrong With the Rapid Locks
Rapid Locks are the black or orange locks on each leg of the ladder. They slide into the rungs and hold the ladder at the height you choose. When they work, the ladder is solid. When a lock is not fully engaged, the leg can slip, and the ladder can retract suddenly under your weight.
That is what happened in the reports behind this recall. People were standing on ladders that gave way without warning. The CPSC says Little Giant received 25 reports of the ladders retracting. Of those, 19 involved injuries. Three reports involved head injuries, including traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, concussion, vision loss, hearing loss and cognitive impairment. The other 16 injury reports involved joint or bone fractures, cuts and bruising.
Little Giant told USA Today that it found a very small number of cases out of more than 3.6 million ladders sold since 2015 in which the locks had not been properly engaged before use. The company said it started the voluntary recall in coordination with the CPSC. A recall of this size is rare, and it covers ladders sold over nearly 11 years, so many of the affected ladders are already sitting in garages and sheds across the country.
Which Ladders Are Recalled
The recall covers Little Giant ladders with Rapid Locks in 11 model lines. The full list is Adjustable Fortress 2.0, Conquest 2.0, Dark Horse 2.0, Epic, King Kombo XT, Leveler, MegaLite, MegaLite Plus, Multi, Quantum and Vector. More than 130 individual models fall under those lines, so the model name alone is not enough to tell you if your ladder is affected.
There is one quick way to tell. Only ladders without an orange rectangular QC sticker on the rail above one of the Rapid Locks are included in the recall. If your ladder has that orange QC sticker, it is not part of this recall. If it does not have the sticker, treat it as affected until you check the official recall page.
The ladders were sold at Lowes, Costco and other stores nationwide, and online at Lowes.com, Amazon.com, Costco.com and LittleGiantLadders.com, from December 2015 through October 2026. Prices ranged from about 100 dollars to about 1,000 dollars. If you bought a Little Giant adjustable ladder in that window, it is worth the two minutes it takes to check.
How to Check Your Ladder in Three Steps
First, look at the legs of your ladder and find the Rapid Locks. They are the black or orange locking parts on each leg that let you adjust the height. If your ladder does not have Rapid Locks, it is not part of this recall.
Second, look for the orange rectangular QC sticker on the rail above one of the Rapid Locks. If the sticker is there, your ladder is not included. If there is no sticker, your ladder is covered by the recall.
Third, go to the official recall page at littlegiantladders.com/pages/recalls and match your model and part number against the full list. You can also call Little Giant at 866-201-9069 between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday through Friday. The company has also set up a dedicated consumer education site for this recall at rapidlockcustomereducation.expertinquiry.com.
Do not guess. The model lines cover more than 130 models, and two ladders that look the same can have different lock parts. The sticker check is fast, but the model check on the official page is the one that settles it.
What to Do If Your Ladder Is Affected
The CPSC says consumers should stop using the affected ladders immediately until they review the recall information. That is the most important step. Do not climb on a ladder that might retract under you, even for a quick job.
Contact Little Giant for a free repair kit. The kit includes warning labels and instructions, and it is free. You can request it through the recall page or by calling 866-201-9069. The company will tell you exactly what to do with your ladder and how to apply the kit.
If you were hurt in a fall from one of these ladders, get medical care and talk to your own doctor, even if the injury seemed minor at the time. Head injuries can show symptoms later, and the reports behind this recall include brain injuries that were serious. Keep any records of the fall and the ladder, including the model name and photos, in case you need them later.
If you bought the ladder as a gift or passed it on to someone else, tell them about the recall. Ladders change hands often, and the person using it now may not know it was recalled. A quick message could prevent a bad fall.
Why the Timing Matters Before the Holidays
The recall landed at the worst possible time of year for ladder owners. November is when millions of Americans pull out their ladders to hang holiday lights, clean gutters and put up decorations. Many of the affected ladders have been sitting in garages for years and are about to come out for seasonal jobs.
That is exactly the danger. A ladder that has been in storage for months gets grabbed in a hurry, set up in the cold, and climbed in the dark while someone strings lights along a roofline. If you are putting up holiday decorations for the Christmas season, check the ladder before you climb it. If a Rapid Lock is not fully engaged, the ladder can retract at the worst moment, when the person on it is at full height and holding a string of lights.
November is also the month to get your house ready before the first snow, and that work often means a ladder. Check the ladder before you check the gutters. The two minutes it takes to look for the orange QC sticker is the cheapest safety step of the season.
The same warning applies to anyone who uses a ladder for work. Contractors, painters and handymen who bought Little Giant ladders over the last decade should check every ladder on the truck, not just the one they use most. A crew ladder that gets shared between jobs is easy to overlook, and it is the one most likely to be grabbed in a hurry. Ladder work often goes with bigger exterior jobs, and professional siding installation can help prevent long-term home damage when the outside of the house needs real attention.
What Little Giant and the CPSC Said
The CPSC recall notice is short and direct. It says the ladders can suddenly retract if the Rapid Locks are not fully engaged, posing a fall hazard to consumers. The notice lists the models, the sales window, the injury reports and the remedy. It does not say whether more models could be added later.
Little Giant published its own recall notice with the same warning and the same list of models. The company said it identified a very small number of cases in which the locks had not been properly engaged, and it started the voluntary recall with the CPSC. The company has not announced a refund or a replacement ladder. The first step is the free kit of warning labels and instructions.
The CPSC notice does not say how many ladders have already received repair kits, or how long the repair program will run. Owners should act now rather than wait. The recall page and the phone line are the official channels, and both are free to use.
This is the largest ladder recall in recent memory by unit count. The 3.66 million figure covers a decade of sales, and the 19 injuries are a small number against that total. But the injuries that did happen were serious, and three of them involved the head. That is why the recall exists, and why the CPSC used the strongest language it has for a fall hazard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Little Giant ladder recalled?
Check for an orange rectangular QC sticker on the rail above one of the Rapid Locks. If your ladder has the sticker, it is not included. If it does not have the sticker, and it is one of the 11 model lines sold between December 2015 and October 2026, it is covered. Confirm the model and part number on the official recall page at littlegiantladders.com/pages/recalls.
Which Little Giant models are recalled?
The recall covers the Adjustable Fortress 2.0, Conquest 2.0, Dark Horse 2.0, Epic, King Kombo XT, Leveler, MegaLite, MegaLite Plus, Multi, Quantum and Vector lines. More than 130 individual models are included, so check your exact model and part number.
What should I do with a recalled ladder?
Stop using it right away. Then contact Little Giant for a free repair kit through the recall page or by calling 866-201-9069, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mountain Time. Do not keep using the ladder while you wait for the kit.
How many people were hurt?
Little Giant received 25 reports of the ladders retracting, including 19 reports of injuries. Three reports involved head injuries such as traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, concussion, vision loss, hearing loss and cognitive impairment. The other 16 involved fractures, cuts and bruising.
Sources
Final Thoughts
A ladder is one of those tools you trust without thinking about it, and that is exactly why this recall matters. The ladders in this recall look normal and feel solid right up until a lock slips. Check yours before the holiday season starts, and check the ladders of anyone in your family who might be climbing one to hang lights. The check takes two minutes, the repair kit is free, and the alternative is a fall from height that nobody needs. If your ladder is affected, stop using it today and get the kit.
