How do moving companies finance trucks?
Most moving truck financing is an equipment finance agreement on a box truck: the truck secures the deal, your company owns it from day one, and the payment stays the same every month. Here’s what 16 and 24 ft trucks with liftgates were listed for on November 8, 2026, what they come to monthly, and how to time your next truck before summer.
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How does moving truck financing work?
Pick the truck and send us the listing or the dealer’s quote. The application opens with a soft credit pull, and a first response typically comes within 1 to 2 business hours. Once you sign, Five West pays the seller, and funding can come in as little as 24 to 48 hours.
With an equipment finance agreement, or EFA, your company holds the title, the funder keeps a security interest until the final payment, and the truck itself backs the deal. Our commercial truck financing page puts it plainly: box and straight trucks “are the trucks behind a lot of delivery, moving and junk removal work,” and “when the box and liftgate come with the truck, they’re part of the amount you finance.”
Delivery or an extended warranty can usually ride inside the same payment. The total soft costs that can go on are usually around 20% of the equipment amount, depending on credit and collateral. Approvals can come in as little as 30 minutes on a clean file.
What trucks do moving companies use?
Mostly box trucks between 16 and 26 feet. A 16 footer suits apartments and is easy to park on a city street. A 20 to 24 ft truck handles a lot of house moves, and the 26 footer is the workhorse for bigger homes and offices.
What goes on the back matters as much as the box. A tuck-away liftgate saves your crew’s backs on appliances and safes. A pull-out ramp is quicker when you’re rolling furniture in and out. Some movers want both.
Long-distance carriers pulling a moving trailer behind a day cab tractor go through our tractor and trailer programs, so ask us about that setup.
How much does a box truck for a moving company cost?
The four trucks with liftgates below, all at one California dealer, were listed from $26,900 for a 2017 16 footer to $115,899 for a 2025 24 footer with a rail gate. A new 2026 Hino L6 cab and chassis alone, before any box, was listed at $103,978. When the dealer sells the truck complete, “when the box and liftgate come with the truck, they’re part of the amount you finance.” If you’re looking at a bare chassis with a separate body build, ask us first.
| Truck | Box and liftgate | Miles | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Fuso FE-series, used | 16 ft aluminum van, Maxon 2,000 lb liftgate | 89,465 | $26,900 |
| 2023 Isuzu NRR diesel, used | 24 ft aluminum van, Palfinger 2,500 lb liftgate | 83,085 | $47,995 |
| 2024 Isuzu NPR-HD gas, new | 16 ft aluminum van, Maxon 2,500 lb tuck-away liftgate | 424 | $74,290 |
| 2025 Hino L6, used | 24 ft FRP van, Maxon 4,400 lb rail liftgate | 14,529 | $115,899 |
Listed asking prices we found, checked November 8, 2026, not appraisals or offers. They all come from one California truck dealer, linked in Sources, so treat them as examples, not a national average. Tax, title, fees and delivery may be extra.
Model year, miles and the gate move these numbers a lot. Both 24 footers above are listed far apart: the 2025 Hino with 14,529 miles and a 4,400 lb rail gate is more than twice the 2023 Isuzu with 83,085 miles. For what to look at before you buy any of these, our used box truck checklist walks through the liftgate, the box, the engine and ex-rental trucks.
What’s the monthly payment on a moving truck?
Over 60 months, the trucks above run from about $560 to $2,400 a month. Here are all four, for an established moving company putting no money down:
| Truck | Listed price | 48 months | 60 months | 84 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Hino L6, 24 ft, rail gate | $115,899 | About $2,884 | About $2,406 | About $1,865 |
| 2024 Isuzu NPR-HD, 16 ft, new | $74,290 | About $1,849 | About $1,542 | About $1,195 |
| 2023 Isuzu NRR, 24 ft | $47,995 | About $1,194 | About $996 | About $772 |
| 2017 Fuso FE-series, 16 ft | $26,900 | About $669 | About $558 | Depends on the truck |
Estimated examples for an established mover with no money down on an EFA, not counting tax, title, fees or soft costs. “Depends on the truck” means we’d look at its records and condition first. There is no age limit, though older equipment can be tougher to get done, and older equipment typically gets a shorter term. Real payments vary with credit, the truck and the term, and none of these is a quote.
Growing by more than one truck? Financing several at once works the same way as financing one, only with more units, and each truck goes on an equipment finance agreement. Say a mover adds the new 16 ft Isuzu for apartment jobs and the 2023 24 ft Isuzu for houses. Together that’s $122,285 financed, or about $2,538 a month over 60 months. The usual $15,000 minimum counts on the whole bundle.
Still renting a truck by the day on busy weekends? Divide the monthly payment by what one rental day costs you. Rent more days than that in a month, and the payment usually comes out ahead, though you carry the insurance and upkeep on a truck you own. Our rent-vs-finance guide runs that test in detail, and the Quote Builder lets you try a payment with no credit pull.
Do movers need a CDL or a USDOT number?
For the license, it comes down to the weight rating. Under federal CDL rules, a single truck rated at 26,001 pounds GVWR or more is a Group B vehicle, which takes a Class B CDL. The 2025 Hino above is rated 25,950 pounds, just under it, while heavier trucks can land over. Our used box truck checklist covers reading the door label, and your state licensing office has the final word. I’d keep most of a local fleet non-CDL, since it means more of your crew can drive.
For moving across state lines, federal law requires a for-hire motor carrier to have a USDOT number and register with FMCSA, and household goods carriers have extra steps, such as joining an arbitration program and publishing a tariff. Moves inside one state follow that state’s rules. FMCSA, or an attorney who works with movers, can tell you exactly what applies to your routes.
When should a moving company add trucks?
Before the rush, not during it. Industry figures from the American Trucking Associations, reported in 2022, put more than half of all household goods moves between May 1 and September 30. A truck that shows up in June has already missed weeks of the busiest season.
So I’d shop in winter and early spring. You get time to inspect a used truck or wait on a new one that still needs a box built.
Buying before the end of the year has a tax side too. Equipment generally has to be placed in service by December 31 to count for that tax year. Our Section 179 guide for work trucks and vans covers which trucks and vans qualify and how weight and use matter. Ask your CPA how it applies to you.
Should a mover finance or lease its trucks?
Most movers finance, since a box truck stays on the road for years and an EFA leaves it fully yours at the end.
Leases are there if they fit better. Our equipment lease terms are 24 to 60 months, and the buyout at the end can be $1, 10% or fair market value. For a fleet that turns trucks over on a schedule, the commercial truck page describes a TRAC lease, which can lower the payment by setting the residual up front. If you finance one truck and lease another, that takes two agreements. Since the structure changes the tax treatment, talk it over with your CPA before you pick.
Can you buy a truck from another moving company?
Yes. Private-party purchases are welcome, including a truck from another mover. We run a lien search, larger units may get an inspection or appraisal, and the money goes 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.
Because the lien search and inspection are built into the file, buying from another mover moves at the same pace as buying from a dealer. With good credit, you usually don’t need a down payment, even on a private-party sale. Your attorney should read the bill of sale before you sign it.
What credit score does a moving company need?
Many programs for established movers start around a 600 FICO. Two or more years in business gives you the most options, and a company with one to two years behind it can still get many deals done. Steady bank deposits through the slow months help a lot, and on bigger fleet deals, bank statements often matter more than the credit score. See our qualification guidelines for the rest.
Can a new moving company finance its first truck?
Sometimes. If the company is less than a year old, we underwrite it as a startup. That typically means 700+ personal credit, real time in the moving business, and cash left over after the truck is bought. Startups and first-time owners usually put some money down. Years spent running crews or driving for another mover count as industry experience.
Frequently asked questions
Can you finance a used box truck for a moving company?
Yes. Five West finances new and used box trucks from dealers, auctions and private sellers, including other moving companies. There is no age limit, though older equipment can be tougher to get done, and older trucks typically get a shorter term.
How much does a box truck for a moving company cost?
At one California dealer on November 8, 2026, box trucks with liftgates were listed from $26,900 for a used 2017 16 ft Fuso to $115,899 for a used 2025 24 ft Hino L6. A new 2026 Hino L6 cab and chassis alone was listed at $103,978 before a box. These are listed asking prices, not appraisals or offers.
What is the monthly payment on a box truck?
As an estimate for an established business with nothing down, a used 24 ft truck listed at $47,995 comes to about $996 a month over 60 months, and a new 16 ft truck listed at $74,290 comes to about $1,542 a month over 60 months. Your payment depends on credit, the truck and the term.
Do you need a down payment for a moving truck?
Good credit, new or used, dealer or private party: usually no down payment. Startups and first-time owners usually put some money down.
Do you need a CDL to drive a 26 ft moving truck?
Under federal rules, a single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more needs a Class B CDL. Many 26 ft box trucks are rated just under that. Check the door-frame label and your state’s licensing rules.
Can I finance several moving trucks at once?
Yes. Financing several trucks works the same way as financing one, only with more units, and each truck goes on an equipment finance agreement. The usual $15,000 minimum counts on the whole bundle. A financed truck and a leased truck need two separate agreements.
Ready to add a truck?
Send the listing, the VIN and the mileage with one short application. A soft credit inquiry gets it started, and one funding professional stays with your deal from application to funding.
This article is general information about financing box trucks and other trucks for moving companies, not tax, legal or accounting advice or a commitment to finance. Prices shown are listed asking prices 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.