Tables finance well used. Technology does not age as gracefully.
A well-maintained hi-lo or flexion-distraction table is a decade-long asset with a real resale market, and lenders treat it accordingly. Decompression systems and Class IV lasers age on software, certification, and manufacturer support rather than on mechanism: a seven-year-old laser the manufacturer no longer supports is difficult to service and difficult to finance.
Five West finances new, used, refurbished, dealer, and private-party chiropractic equipment at 7% to 9% for A credit. That last category is the one most banks decline outright.
Five West programs at a glance
Private-party purchases from a closing practice are where the best chiropractic pricing lives, and where most banks stop. We finance them routinely, and we can run the lien search for you before you are committed.
- Rates
- Priced to your credit profile, term, and equipment; competitive with a bank on rate, not on speed
- Terms
- 24 to 72 months
- Amounts
- $20,000 to $5 million+
- Application only
- Up to $150,000 established, $50,000 under two years, with no tax returns or financial statements
- Credit
- Established businesses from 600+, startups from 700+
- Equipment
- New, used, refurbished, dealer, and private-party purchases
- Speed
- Same-day options on qualified files, with approvals in as little as a few hours
- Coverage
- Nationwide, U.S. territories, and cross-border
Send the make, model, and serial number and we will tell you what it finances at.
Free consultation, no obligation. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting; rates and terms depend on the complete business and credit profile.
Where the used market comes from
Chiropractic has an unusually active secondary market, for a simple reason: practices open and close, DCs retire, and equipment bought at a seminar with big plans sometimes never gets used. A decompression table that ran forty cases is worth buying. One that ran four is worth buying at a discount.
The three sources, in rough order of how easy they are to finance:
- Dealers and refurbishers come with standardized invoices, clear title, a warranty, and often a service contract. Easiest to fund.
- Manufacturer certified pre-owned where offered: highest confidence and best support path, at a premium.
- Private party, typically a closing or downsizing practice. Best pricing, most verification.
What holds value and what does not
The questions that decide financeability
Lenders underwrite remaining useful life against the loan term. For chiropractic that comes down to:
- Does the manufacturer still support it? The single most important question on decompression, laser, and imaging. No support means no service contract, no software updates, and collapsing resale.
- Can you get it serviced locally, and at what cost? Get that answer before you commit, not after.
- On laser, what is the diode hour count? Diodes are a wear item and replacement is a significant fraction of the machine's value.
- On decompression, does the certification or training transfer? Some programs tie certification to the original purchaser.
- On X-ray, will it pass a physicist survey and register in your state? Non-negotiable before it can image a patient.
- On tables, what is the upholstery and mechanism condition? Cheap to fix, but it should be priced in.
How lenders treat used equipment
Published market ranges as of August 2026. Individual terms depend on the equipment, the seller, and the borrower.
Buying from a closing practice
The best pricing in chiropractic comes from a retiring DC selling a fully equipped office. It is also where deals stall. Three things to do before you negotiate hard:
- Ask whether any lender has a lien on the equipment. Your lender will run a UCC search against the selling entity before funding. A perfected prior lien travels with the asset and stops everything until released. Sellers frequently do not know an old blanket lien still covers their equipment.
- Get serial numbers in writing immediately. That is how the lender perfects its lien and how the search starts.
- Agree who moves it. Tables are heavy and decompression systems need recalibration after a move. Put transport and setup responsibility in the bill of sale.
Funds in a private-party deal go to the seller after verification, not to you. Tell the seller that early, because someone expecting a personal wire on handshake day will be surprised by a verification window.
Does the math work?
Usually, and comfortably on tables. A $9,000 used hi-lo table against $18,000 new, financed at 9% over 60 months, is $187 a month versus $374. On a mechanically simple asset with a decade of life left, that is a straightforward win.
On technology it is closer than the sticker suggests. A $22,000 used decompression system against $45,000 new looks like a $23,000 saving until you add a controller replacement, a service contract at a legacy-equipment premium, and a shorter financeable term. Price those in before you decide.
Does used equipment still qualify for Section 179?
Yes. Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation both apply to used property provided the asset is new to your practice and not acquired from a related party. A used table or decompression system placed in service before December 31 is deductible on the same terms as new, subject to the 2026 cap of $2,560,000 and the taxable income limitation.
The bottom line
Buy tables used without hesitation, because they are mechanical, they last, and the saving is real. Buy technology used with your eyes open: confirm manufacturer support, get a service quote before you commit, and check that certification transfers.
Send us the make, model, and serial number before you negotiate and we will tell you what is financeable, at what advance rate, and over what term.
On rates: Any range on this page is illustrative rather than a quote. Your actual rate can come in higher or lower, and it depends on personal and business credit, time in business, the equipment itself, the term you choose, and the size of the transaction. Two files for the same machine can price differently. It is also worth checking the date on anything you read elsewhere. A good deal of the equipment-finance content still circulating was written when prime was 3.25%, and prime is 6.75% today, so if you happen to come across rates like 5% or 6%, it is worth confirming whether the page is current before you plan around it. The surest way to know your number is to let us price your file.
Related chiropractic financing guides
More on financing equipment for a chiropractic practice.
Questions about used chiropractic equipment
Can you finance used chiropractic equipment?
Yes. Five West finances new, used, refurbished, dealer, and private-party chiropractic equipment. Expect a rate roughly 1 to 3 points above new, a 10% to 15% down payment from a dealer or 15% to 25% on a private-party sale, financing capped at 80% to 90% of value, and a term limited by remaining useful life. That is often five years rather than seven.
Do used chiropractic tables hold their value?
Yes, unusually well. Adjusting, hi-lo, and flexion-distraction tables are mechanical, serviceable assets where upholstery is a consumable and the frame lasts. A well-maintained table is commonly financeable well past ten years old. Decompression systems, Class IV lasers, and digital X-ray age on software, certification, and manufacturer support rather than mechanism, and are riskier used.
What should I check before buying a used Class IV laser?
Whether the manufacturer still supports the model, which decides service availability and resale; the diode hour count, since diodes are a wear item whose replacement is a significant fraction of machine value; whether calibration is current; and whether any certification or training tied to the original purchaser transfers to you. Get a service quote before committing.
How much do you save buying used chiropractic equipment?
On tables, roughly half. A $9,000 used hi-lo table against $18,000 new finances at about $187 a month versus $374 over 60 months at 9%. On technology the gap narrows once you add a possible controller or diode replacement, a service contract at a legacy-equipment premium, and a shorter financeable term.
What happens if the seller still owes money on the equipment?
The lender's UCC search will find it and the deal stops until the prior lien is released. A perfected prior lien travels with the asset and outranks your new lender. Ask the seller directly before negotiating whether any lender has a lien, and request a payoff letter or UCC-3 termination. Undisclosed liens are the most common reason private-party equipment deals collapse.
Does used chiropractic equipment qualify for Section 179?
Yes. The asset must be new to your practice, not new to the world, and not acquired from a related party. A used table, decompression system, or laser placed in service before December 31 is deductible on the same terms as new equipment, subject to the 2026 cap of $2,560,000 and the taxable income limitation.
Looking at a used table or system?
Send the make, model, and serial number and we will tell you what is financeable before you negotiate.
This article is general information about commercial equipment financing and is not a commitment to finance. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting. Rates, terms, and approval depend on the complete business and credit profile. Figures shown are illustrative market ranges gathered from published sources as of August 2026 and are not an offer. Five West Financial is not a tax advisor or an accounting firm; confirm any tax treatment with your CPA before relying on it.