How do you finance a hydro excavation or vacuum truck?

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Can you finance a hydrovac truck?

Yes. A trailer-mounted vac is financed like any other piece of equipment. A truck-mounted hydrovac is a titled vehicle, so the chassis and the vacuum body go on one agreement. Our vacuum excavator and vac truck financing program also covers air excavation units, heated hydrovacs, combination sewer and jetter trucks, water trucks and slurry tankers.

Most of these deals are written as an equipment finance agreement, or EFA. You own the truck from day one, the funder holds a lien until it’s paid off, and terms run 24 to 84 months. A lease runs 24 to 60 months and ends with a $1, 10% or fair market value buyout.

Our usual minimum is about $15,000, deals run to $5M and up, and many programs start around a 600 FICO for established businesses. Clean application-only files can be approved in as little as 30 minutes, with funding in as little as 24 to 48 hours once the documents are signed.

How much does a hydrovac truck cost in 2026?

A new hydrovac truck runs about $350,000 to $600,000 on our utility equipment page, and many dealers don’t post a price. The two public records below came in higher. The used vac trucks we found listed ran about $130,000 to $250,000, and large trailer vacs about $55,000 to $65,000.

Listed asking prices we found, checked November 5, 2026, not appraisals or offers. The two new-truck rows are public purchase records, not listings.

The used trucks fit the $80,000 to $350,000 range on our utility equipment page. Read the two public records as higher examples: one is an expected spend on a utility board request, and the other is a jetting and vacuum truck, not a hydrovac. The used ads all come from one California dealer. Ask any seller for the full number, with delivery, sales tax, titling and registration.

What’s the monthly payment on a vacuum truck?

Over 60 months, those figures come to roughly $1,140 a month for a trailer vac and $14,280 for the higher new-truck example. Here are three of them, for an established business with nothing down:

Estimates for an established business (two or more years in business) on an equipment finance agreement, nothing down. These are examples, not quotes. Not every truck or trailer qualifies for every term, and your real payment will depend on credit, the equipment and the structure.

Going from 60 to 84 months on the $249,900 truck, if it qualifies for that term, saves about $1,167 a month and adds roughly $26,500 across the agreement. I’d set the term by how long you’ll keep the truck working. The Quote Builder runs your own numbers with no credit pull.

Buying near year end? A truck on an EFA or a $1 buyout lease may qualify for Section 179 if it’s in service by December 31. Try the Section 179 calculator, then ask your CPA.

What drives the value of a used vac truck?

You’re really buying a chassis and a digging machine, so two trucks of the same year can be far apart. Here’s what makers and dealers spell out:

• Debris body size. The used hydrovacs above run from 6 to 15 yards, and the Vactor HXX comes in 12 or 15. Vermeer says to match it to your usual jobs and haul distance.
• Water capacity. More water means a longer run between refills. The hydrovac ads above list 600 to 1,500 gallons.
• Blower or pump. Vermeer’s VXT400 to VXT600 trucks run from 4,131 to 6,400 cfm, and more airflow moves more material. Ask for the blower’s own hours.
• Heater. If you dig through the winter, look for a water heater and cold-weather protection. The 2016 Prodigy above lists a 400,000 BTU heater with 78 hours.
• Boom. Reach and rotation change where you can park. The HXX offers up to a 22-foot reach with 320 degrees of rotation.
• Chassis miles and body hours. Get both. The 2021 Peterbilt above shows 52,889 miles but 7,124 truck hours and 3,413 PTO hours, since a hydrovac does much of its work parked. Some ads also break out blower hours.
• Service records. Pump, blower and heater work should all show up.

We don’t set a maximum hour reading. Hours, condition and records decide how a deal gets structured, so send what you have.

Can you finance a used vac truck from another contractor?

Yes, and auctions work too. There is no age limit, though older equipment can be tougher to get done. With good credit, you usually don’t need a down payment, even on a private sale.

Here’s how a private deal runs. We do a lien search, larger units may get an inspection or appraisal, and the funds go straight to the seller. If the seller still owes on the truck, we pay off their lender at closing so the lien is released, and the rest goes to the seller. It moves at the same pace as a dealer purchase. Our private-party purchase guide covers what to verify before you pay, and your attorney should review the bill of sale.

Do you need financials to finance a hydrovac?

Not always. A qualifying file up to $500,000 can be decided on the application alone, with no tax returns or financial statements, and every used truck in the table is priced under that limit. Above it, expect a full financial package. A new hydrovac can land over the limit, as both public examples in the table do.

If you’ve already won the work, say so. A contractor adding equipment for an awarded bid or a master service agreement is among the strongest files we see. On qualifying deals, delivery, training and warranties can usually go on the agreement too, so put them on the quote and ask.

Can payments slow down when the ground freezes?

On many of the programs we place these deals with, yes. Seasonal or deferred schedules are there for crews that slow down in the cold, and the details vary by program and file.

Can several trucks go on one agreement?

Yes. Several trucks can go on one agreement or an expansion, and we finance one machine or a full crew package, titled or not. Take the two older hydrovacs from the table: $299,800 together comes to an estimated $6,223 a month over 60 months for an established business, nothing down.

One catch: a financed piece and a leased piece need two agreements. If the crew also needs dump or utility trucks, see our commercial truck financing.

Two new trucks at that $688,000 figure would top $1.3 million. Our standard range still reaches $5M and up, and a company with $10 million or more in annual revenue can also look at large-ticket equipment financing, from $1M to $10M and up. If you bid bonded work, read our business credit guide for utility contractors first, since equipment debt affects bonding capacity.

Can you get working capital from a paid-off hydrovac?

Yes, through our equipment leaseback, if your company owns the truck free and clear. You pledge it as collateral for a lump sum against its value, and it stays on the job. A lien is filed against the truck, and it’s released when the balance is paid.

Terms run up to 60 months. It takes a 600+ FICO and two or more years in business, and funds usually go out 2 to 5 business days after signing. Our HDD rig and hydrovac leaseback guide covers how utility equipment gets valued, and what your CPA should look at first.

Can a startup hydro excavation company get financing?

Yes, selectively. Lots of hydro excavation shops begin with one operator going out alone, and under a year in business the file is underwritten as a startup.

The programs we place these deals with typically want 700+ personal credit, real experience on this kind of work, working capital left after the purchase, and usually some money down. Signed work helps a lot if you have it, and so does a make with a real resale market. Our startup equipment financing guide walks through the rest.

What should you send with a vac truck application?

A quote, listing or auction lot number with the serial and hours is usually enough for a first response from us. To move faster, add:

• Chassis miles plus truck, PTO and blower hours on anything used, with service records if you have them.
• The body make, model and size.
• The seller’s name on a private sale, so the lien search can start.
• Your slow months, if you want a seasonal or deferred schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Can you finance a vacuum excavator?

Yes. A trailer-mounted vacuum excavator is financed like any other equipment, new or used, and it can go on an equipment finance agreement or a lease. The usual minimum is about $15,000, and qualifying files up to $500,000 can be decided on the application alone.

How much does a hydrovac truck cost?

Five West’s utility equipment page puts a new hydrovac truck at about $350,000 to $600,000. In the listings we checked on November 5, 2026, used vac trucks ran about $130,000 to $250,000 and large trailer vacs about $55,000 to $65,000. Two public purchase records came in higher, at $662,395.74 for a jetting and vacuum truck and an expected $688,000 for a hydro excavator. Those are asking prices and public figures, not appraisals or offers.

Is there an age limit on a used hydrovac?

There is no age limit, though older equipment can be tougher to get done. Five West doesn’t set a maximum hour reading either. Hours, condition and records decide how the deal is structured.

Do I need a down payment on a vac truck?

With good credit, you usually don’t need a down payment, even on a used truck or a private-party sale. Startups usually put some money down.

Can I finance a combination sewer or jetter truck?

Yes. Five West finances combination sewer and jetter trucks along with hydrovacs, water trucks and slurry tankers, new or used. Like a hydrovac, the chassis and the body usually go on one agreement.

Can a new hydro excavation business get financing?

Yes, selectively. Programs typically look for 700+ personal credit, relevant experience, working capital left after the purchase, and usually some money down. Signed work makes the file stronger.

Keep reading

More for utility, pipeline and excavation contractors.

HDD rigs & hydrovacsUtility equipment leasebackWorking capital on paid-off equipment. Bonding & creditBusiness credit for utility contractorsCredit files and bonding capacity. Used equipmentHow many hours is too many?What the hour meter does and doesn’t tell you. Private salesChecking used equipment for liensWhat to verify before you pay. ExcavatorsExcavator financingMini and full-size prices and terms.

On the siteUnderground utility financingCommercial truck financingEquipment financeEquipment leaseEquipment leasebackQuote BuilderQualification guidelines

This article is general information about financing hydro excavation trucks, vacuum trucks and vacuum excavators, not tax, legal or accounting advice or a commitment to finance. Prices shown are listed asking prices and public purchase records from public pages on the date checked, not appraisals or offers. Example payments are estimates for an established business with no money down; actual terms and payments depend on credit approval, the equipment and the structure. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting.