Heavy vehicles are the backbone of a lot of Australian businesses — but they’re also some of the most expensive assets a business ever buys. Whether it’s a prime mover, a tipper, a bus, or a piece of heavy plant, heavy vehicle finance lets you put the asset to work now and pay for it out of the income it helps you earn, instead of tying up your working capital.
At Tradie Finance we arrange finance for heavy vehicles across Australia. We’re built for tradies and operators — but we finance businesses of every kind, including newer ABNs and self-employed buyers who don’t always fit the banks’ boxes.
What counts as a “heavy vehicle”?
As a rule of thumb, heavy vehicle finance covers assets over 4.5 tonnes GVM and the larger plant that goes with them, including:
- Prime movers, rigid trucks and tippers
- Buses and coaches
- Trailers, dog trailers and semi-trailers
- Heavy plant and earthmoving (excavators, loaders, dozers, graders)
- Concrete agitators, cranes and specialised commercial vehicles
If you’re financing a lighter work vehicle — a ute or van — see our ute and van finance options instead. For a single truck, the dedicated truck finance page goes deeper.
How heavy vehicle finance is structured
Most heavy vehicles are financed as commercial asset finance, and the right structure depends on how your business is set up and how you treat the asset for tax.
| Structure | How it works | Often suits |
|---|---|---|
| Chattel mortgage | You own the asset from day one; the lender takes a mortgage over it. | GST-registered businesses wanting ownership |
| Commercial hire purchase (CHP) | The lender owns it while you pay it off, then title transfers to you. | Businesses wanting fixed payments and eventual ownership |
| Finance lease / rental | You use the asset for a fixed term and hand it back, refinance or pay a residual. | Operators who cycle equipment or want lower monthly cost |
Talk to your accountant about which treatment suits you — the notes here are general information, not tax advice. Learn more about the ownership route on our chattel mortgage page.
Deposit, balloon and term
Heavy vehicle finance is flexible. Terms typically run 1–7 years, and depending on the asset and your profile you may be able to finance with no deposit or use a balloon/residual at the end to keep repayments lower. A balloon lowers your monthly payment but leaves a lump sum owing at the end — useful for cash flow, but plan for it.
Worked example (illustration only)
A $180,000 prime mover, financed over 5 years, no deposit, with a 20% balloon:
| Amount financed | $180,000 |
| Term | 60 months |
| Balloon/residual | $36,000 (20%) |
| Indicative monthly repayment | ~$3,000–$3,400 |
| Balloon due at end | $36,000 (refinance, pay out, or sell) |
Figures are an illustration to show how the structure works — not a quote. Your rate and repayments depend on the asset, term, deposit, balloon and your business profile.
Who can get heavy vehicle finance?
We work with a wide lender panel, which means options for:
- Established businesses with strong financials (full-doc, sharpest rates)
- Newer ABNs and growing operators
- Low-doc applicants who can’t supply full financials — see low-doc loans
- ABN holders financing their first heavy asset — see ABN car & vehicle finance
Related: our equipment finance and business finance pages, plus the commercial vehicle finance guide. Run the numbers with the truck finance calculator or chattel mortgage calculator.
Why finance a heavy vehicle rather than pay cash?
Financing keeps your cash in the business for wages, fuel, maintenance and the next job, spreads the cost over the asset’s working life, and gives you predictable repayments to budget against. For many operators the potential tax treatment of a chattel mortgage is part of the decision too (again — check with your accountant).
Ready to move?
Tell us the asset and we’ll match it to the right lender and structure. Apply now or speak to a broker about your heavy vehicle finance options.
Heavy vehicle finance FAQs
What is heavy vehicle finance?
Heavy vehicle finance is commercial asset finance for vehicles and plant over about 4.5 tonnes — trucks, prime movers, buses, trailers and heavy earthmoving equipment. It lets a business acquire the asset and repay it over its working life using structures like a chattel mortgage, hire purchase or lease.
Can I finance a heavy vehicle with no deposit?
Often, yes. Depending on the asset and your business profile, no-deposit heavy vehicle finance is available, and a balloon/residual can be used to lower monthly repayments.
Can I get heavy vehicle finance with a new ABN or low-doc?
Yes — our lender panel includes options for newer ABNs and low-doc applicants who can’t supply full financials. Terms and rates vary with your profile.
What’s the best structure — chattel mortgage, hire purchase or lease?
It depends on how your business treats the asset for tax and cash flow. A chattel mortgage gives ownership from day one; hire purchase transfers title at the end; a lease keeps monthly cost lower with a residual.
How long can the loan term be?
Heavy vehicle finance terms typically run from 1 to 7 years, often aligned to the expected working life of the asset.
This article is general information only and does not constitute credit, financial or tax advice. Tradie Finance operates under Australian Credit Licence 506065 (Five Tees Pty Ltd). Lending is subject to approval, lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees. Any figures shown are illustrations only and are not a quote or an offer of finance.
Also see: crane finance.