How do you finance a boom truck or crane?
Boom truck financing and crane truck financing work a lot like financing any other construction equipment. The prices run higher, though, and the paperwork changes once a deal passes $500,000. Here’s what boom trucks and mobile cranes list for, new and used, and what the monthly payments look like.
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Who buys boom trucks, and what crane equipment can you finance?
You’ll find boom trucks at sign companies, HVAC contractors, roofers, tree services, utility crews and building supply dealers, and at crane rental and rigging companies. NCCCO built its boom truck operator certification with building supply, HVAC, sign and tree work in mind. Cities buy them too. In 2025, Des Moines approved a 22-ton boom truck for tree removal, and Savannah approved a 10-ton unit for lift-station maintenance.
Our crane equipment financing covers the whole range, new or used, titled or non-titled, from about $15,000 to $5 million and up:
- Boom trucks and crane trucks, from a small crane on a pickup or medium-duty truck up through 60-ton boom trucks, plus knuckle-boom trucks.
- Rough-terrain and all-terrain cranes.
- Crawler cranes, lattice boom and telescopic.
- Carry-deck cranes for plant and industrial work.
Program details are on our construction equipment financing page.
Two rules decide who can drive and run a boom truck. One rated at 26,001 pounds GVWR or more needs a driver with at least a Class B CDL. And OSHA’s construction crane rule, with its operator and inspection requirements, covers boom trucks used in construction, but not digger derricks for utility poles or knuckle-boom trucks that only set materials on the ground.
How much does a boom truck or crane truck cost?
A new boom truck in the 10- to 30-ton range lists for about $225,000 to $425,000, and one utility district put a new crane truck at about $173,000. Here’s what dealers are asking and what public buyers approved:
| Type | New | Used |
|---|---|---|
| Service crane truck (small crane on a medium-duty truck) | About $173,000 (a utility district’s April 2026 staff report: $172,997 for a new crane truck) | $35,999 for a 2011 Ford F-550 with a crane and 58,000 miles (recommended for purchase in the same report) |
| Boom truck, about 10 to 30 tons | $225,000 to $425,000 listed (Manitex, 19 to 30 tons). Cities approved $284,792 for a 10-ton unit (Savannah, 2025) and $348,461.62 for a 22-ton Manitex on a Kenworth (Des Moines, 2025) | $179,500 (a National 900H on a 2013 Western Star) to $377,500 (2022 National 13110A, 30-ton, 240 hours) |
| Boom truck, about 40 to 55 tons | Mostly “call for price” | $329,995 (2018 Manitex 40124SHL) to $588,750 (2023 Manitex 40124SHL) |
Listed asking prices seen October 9, 2026, in the listings we checked, plus public purchase records. Not appraisals or offers, and listings change daily. Sources are at the end of this post.
Adding a crane to a truck you already own is another route, but it isn’t always cheaper. In 2026, a California utility district found that retrofitting one of its trucks would cost more than $43,000. That was more than a low-mile used crane truck, so staff recommended buying the used truck.
How much do rough-terrain, all-terrain, crawler and carry-deck cranes cost?
Used mobile cranes list from about $25,000 for an older carry-deck to $2.5 million for a 500-ton all-terrain. New ones are generally quote-only, listed as call for price or factory order.
| Crane type | Used, listed asking prices | New |
|---|---|---|
| Rough-terrain | $37,000 (1992 Grove RT745) to $895,000 (2024 Grove GRT880). Priced late-model units list from about $335,000 (2020 Tadano GR350XL-3) to $895,000 | Quote only |
| All-terrain | $75,000 (1991 Krupp KMK3045) to $2.5 million (2018 Demag AC 500-8, 500-ton class). A 2020 Grove GMK4100L-1 lists at $1.2 million | Quote only |
| Crawler | $50,000 (1977 and 1981 American 9260 lattice) to $755,000 (2019 Tadano Mantis GTC-1200 telescopic) | Quote only |
| Carry-deck | $24,500 (Broderson IC80-2D) to $489,900 (2025 Franna AT24 pick-and-carry). A 2020 Broderson IC80-3L lists at $99,000 and a 2020 Grove GCD15 at $225,000 | Quote only |
Listed asking prices on Construction Equipment Guide and Crane Hot Line, October 9, 2026, in the listings we checked. Not appraisals or offers. Many listings, including most new units, show no price.
Cranes hold their value for decades. A 20-year-old Grove RT700E rough-terrain still asks $125,000, and that kind of resale market makes a stronger file.
At the small end, an older carry-deck can list in the $20,000s, not far above our usual $15,000 minimum. If one machine comes in under it, the programs we place these deals with currently let several smaller machines go on one contract to reach the usual minimum of about $15,000.
What’s the monthly payment on a boom truck or crane?
At an assumed 9%, every $100,000 financed over 60 months comes to about $2,076 a month for an established business. Here’s how that works out across the prices above:
| Example | Amount financed | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| Used boom truck or older crane | $150,000 | About $4,770 over 36 months, or $3,733 over 48 |
| New 10- to 22-ton boom truck | $300,000 | About $6,228 over 60 months, or $4,827 over 84 |
| New 30-ton boom truck (one listed at $385,159) | $385,000 | About $7,992 over 60 months, or $6,194 over 84 |
| Near-new 40-ton boom truck or late-model rough-terrain | $500,000 | About $10,379 over 60 months, or $8,045 over 84 |
| Late-model rough-terrain (a 2024 Grove GRT880 listed at $895,000) | $900,000 | About $18,683 over 60 months, or $14,480 over 84 |
| 100-ton class all-terrain | $1,200,000 | About $24,910 over 60 months |
Example payments for established businesses, at an assumed 9%, with no money down and payments in arrears. 84-month examples assume new or near-new equipment. Illustrative, not an offer.
If the crane is for a contract you’ve already won, say so on the application. Those are among the strongest files we see.
When does a crane deal need full financials instead of just an application?
When it’s over $500,000. Up to that amount, qualifying deals can be decided on a short application, with no tax returns or financial statements. Above it, expect to send a full financial package.
That line comes up a lot with cranes. Many larger late-model rough-terrain, all-terrain and crawler cranes list above $500,000. So do near-new 40- to 55-ton boom trucks, like a 2023 National NTC45142-2 listed at $577,000. Boom trucks in the 10- to 30-ton range and most older cranes stay under it.
A full package usually means tax returns and financial statements, plus recent bank statements. I’d send them with the application on any crane over $500,000. It saves a round of back and forth. The sending financials post covers the format.
Either way, the application starts with a soft credit inquiry, and the first response typically comes within 1 to 2 business hours. Clean application-only files can be approved in as little as 30 minutes.
Can you finance a used crane or boom truck, and how old can it be?
Yes. Used crane financing works much like financing a new machine, and the age that counts is how old the machine will be when the last payment is made. For construction equipment, the practical ceiling is around ten years old at payoff. So a 60-month term wants a machine about five years old or newer, and older machines go on shorter terms. Hours and documented service history matter as much as the model year.
Well-kept cranes can get a little more room than most construction iron, because they hold value and they last. The boom truck Des Moines replaced in 2025 was a 1989 International with a National crane. By then the boom was damaged beyond repair, and the truck went to auction.
You can buy from a dealer, at auction or from a private seller, including Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. A private-party purchase adds a lien search, an inspection or appraisal on larger machines, and payment straight to the seller, with 15% to 25% down typical. Our guide to buying a crane from a private party walks through each check.
What paperwork and inspection records do lenders ask for on a crane?
To start, usually just the dealer quote, listing or auction lot number with the serial number and hours. On a used crane, records that prove ownership and condition help the most. Have these ready:
- Title or ownership papers. A boom truck, or any crane on a carrier registered with the DMV, is titled, and the lien goes on the title. Rough-terrain cranes, crawlers and carry-decks are generally untitled, so the financing is recorded with a UCC-1.
- Inspection records. OSHA requires a competent person to inspect a construction crane each shift and each month, and a qualified person to do a full inspection every 12 months. Monthly records are kept 3 months and annual ones 12. The latest annual report is the easiest proof of condition you can hand over.
- Service records and hours, including any boom, hoist or engine work.
- The seller’s legal name on a private-party deal, for the lien search.
Already own a crane free and clear and need cash? A crane leaseback turns it into a lump sum on terms up to 60 months, and you keep running the machine.
Should you lease or finance a boom truck?
I’d usually finance a boom truck and own it, because it keeps working long after the last payment. A boom truck lease fits when the truck is tied to a contract that may not renew, or when you want the lowest payment and the option to hand it back.
- Equipment finance agreement (24 to 84 months): you own it from day one and the lender holds a lien.
- $1 buyout lease (24 to 60 months): works like a purchase, and title passes to you for $1 at the end.
- Fair market value lease (24 to 60 months): the lowest payment. At the end you buy it at market value, return it or renew.
Renting is the other comparison. On Maine DOT’s 2026 on-call crane contract, bidders priced 30- to 45-ton boom trucks with an operator at $200 to $275 an hour. At those rates, the 84-month payment on a new $385,000 boom truck equals about 23 to 31 rented hours a month. Owning adds your own operator, insurance and upkeep, so the real break-even sits higher. Still, if you’re paying for rented crane time most weeks, I’d price owning one.
Taxes often favor owning. The IRS puts construction equipment in a 5-year recovery class, far shorter than a crane’s working life. For 2026, Section 179 covers up to $2,560,000, phasing out above $4,090,000 of purchases, and bonus depreciation is 100%. An equipment finance agreement or $1 buyout lease is deducted like a cash purchase if the crane is in service by December 31. On a fair market value lease, you deduct the payments as rent. Confirm the treatment with your tax advisor.
Can a newer business finance a boom truck or crane?
Yes. A business under a year old is underwritten as a startup, and one to two years in business narrows the programs but stays workable. With little history to go on, these make a file stronger:
- Personal credit of 700 or better.
- Provable crane or rigging experience. OSHA requires crane operators in construction to be trained, certified or licensed, and evaluated, with certification by equipment type, or type and capacity, good for up to five years. A current certification is solid proof, and so are years on a crane crew.
- A down payment, which puts your own money in the deal.
- Cash left over after the purchase for insurance, fuel and a slow first month.
- A machine with resale value, like a recognized brand with dealer support.
Starting with one machine, such as a used boom truck, and paying it on time makes the next purchase easier. If you’re just starting out, the startup equipment financing guide covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a boom truck cost?
New boom trucks in the 10- to 30-ton range list for about $225,000 to $425,000, and two cities approved purchases at $284,792 for a 10-ton unit and $348,461.62 for a 22-ton unit in 2025. Used listings in the 10- to 30-ton range run from about $179,500 for a National 900H on a 2013 Western Star to $377,500 for a lightly used 2022 30-ton unit, and used 40- to 55-ton units list from about $330,000 to $589,000. These are listed asking prices and public purchase records, not appraisals or offers.
How much does a rough-terrain crane cost?
Used rough-terrain cranes list from about $37,000 for a 1992 Grove RT745 to $895,000 for a 2024 Grove GRT880, and priced late-model units list from about $335,000 to $895,000, depending on size. New units are generally quote-only. These are listed asking prices, not appraisals or offers.
What is the monthly payment on a boom truck?
For an established business at an assumed 9%, $300,000 financed comes to about $6,228 a month over 60 months, or $4,827 over 84. A $385,000 boom truck runs about $7,992 over 60 months, or $6,194 over 84. Every $100,000 financed over 60 months is about $2,076 a month.
Do you need financial statements to finance a crane?
Not on qualifying deals up to $500,000, which can be decided on the application alone. Above $500,000, expect a full financial package with tax returns and financial statements. Many larger late-model rough-terrain, all-terrain and crawler cranes, and near-new 40- to 55-ton boom trucks, are above that line.
How old can a used crane be to get financing?
Age is judged at the end of the term. For construction equipment, the practical ceiling is around ten years old at payoff, so a five-year term wants a machine about five years old or newer, and older machines go on shorter terms. Hours and documented service history matter as much as the model year, and well-kept cranes can get a little more room because they hold their value.
Can you lease a boom truck?
Yes. Leases run 24 to 60 months, with a $1 buyout or a fair market value option at the end. An equipment finance agreement runs 24 to 84 months, and you own the truck from day one. Financing to own usually makes more sense, because boom trucks keep working for decades.
Does Section 179 apply to a financed crane?
Usually, yes. For 2026 the limit is $2,560,000, phasing out above $4,090,000 of purchases, and bonus depreciation is 100%. New and used both qualify, and a crane financed with an equipment finance agreement or a $1 buyout lease is deducted like a cash purchase if it’s placed in service by December 31. On a fair market value lease you deduct the payments as rent instead. Confirm with your tax advisor.
Can a new business finance a boom truck or crane?
Yes, through startup programs. A business under a year old is underwritten as a startup. Personal credit of 700 or better, provable crane or rigging experience such as an operator certification, a down payment, cash left after the purchase and a machine with resale value all make the file stronger.
Price your boom truck or crane.
Put the dealer quote or listing price, term, down payment and structure into the Quote Builder and get an estimated payment, with no credit pull. When the numbers work, one short application matches you with a dedicated funding professional who handles the deal through funding.
This article is general information about financing boom trucks, crane trucks and mobile cranes. It is not tax, legal, or accounting advice, or a commitment to finance. Prices shown are listed asking prices and public purchase records, not appraisals or offers. Tax and accounting treatment depends on your contract and your business; confirm with your CPA. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting.