Load carrier mountable to the rear of a vehicle, said load carrier comprising a supporting arrangement for supporting a load to be transported, a lifting mechanism which is adapted to move said supporting arrangement between a raised position and a lowered position, and a locking mechanism which is adapted to releasably lock said supporting arrangement in said raised position, wherein said lifting mechanism comprises a stationary portion fixedly mountable to said vehicle and a movable portion movable relative to said stationary portion , wherein said supporting arrangement is coupled to said movable portion , wherein said locking mechanism comprises an engaging assembly which is configured to releasably establish a positive locking between said movable portion and said stationary portion of said lifting mechanism for at least limiting a movement of said movable portion relative to said stationary portion , wherein said engaging assembly is provided on said movable portion so as to be integrally movable with said supporting arrangement or wherein said engaging assembly is provided on said stationary portion , characterized in that said engaging assembly comprises an engaging portion and said stationary portion comprises a receiving portion or vice versa, wherein said engaging portion is movable between an engaging position in which said engaging portion is engaged with said receiving portion and a release position in which said engaging portion is not engaged with said receiving portion , wherein said engaging assembly comprises an urging member which prebiases said engaging portion towards said engaging position, and wherein said locking mechanism is configured to automatically establish locking when said supporting arrangement reaches said raised position. a supporting arrangement for supporting a load to be transported, a lifting mechanism which is adapted to move said supporting arrangement between a raised position and a lowered position, and a locking mechanism which is adapted to releasably lock said supporting arrangement in said raised position, wherein said lifting mechanism comprises a stationary portion fixedly mountable to said vehicle and a movable portion movable relative to said stationary portion , wherein said supporting arrangement is coupled to said movable portion , wherein said locking mechanism comprises an engaging assembly which is configured to releasably establish a positive locking between said movable portion and said stationary portion of said lifting mechanism for at least limiting a movement of said movable portion relative to said stationary portion , wherein said engaging assembly is provided on said movable portion so as to be integrally movable with said supporting arrangement or wherein said engaging assembly is provided on said stationary portion , characterized in that said engaging assembly comprises an engaging portion and said stationary portion comprises a receiving portion or vice versa, wherein said engaging portion is movable between an engaging position in which said engaging portion is engaged with said receiving portion and a release position in which said engaging portion is not engaged with said receiving portion , wherein said engaging assembly comprises an urging member which prebiases said engaging portion towards said engaging position, and wherein said locking mechanism is configured to automatically establish locking when said supporting arrangement reaches said raised position. <EOS>