Lab equipment financing for clinical and diagnostic labs.

Chemistry, immunoassay, hematology, coagulation, urinalysis and blood gas analyzers; PCR, qPCR and digital PCR systems, extraction systems and sequencers; LC-MS/MS and GC-MS systems; microbiology identification and blood culture systems; tissue processors, microtomes, cryostats, stainers and digital pathology slide scanners; lab automation and liquid handlers; and the biosafety cabinets, centrifuges, ultra-low freezers and lab information systems around them. New, refurbished or used, from CLIA-waived analyzers to high-complexity platforms, from a $15,000 usual minimum to $5 million and above.

Yes. A refurbished instrument from the maker or an established refurbisher is financed the same way as a new one, with the term matched to its remaining service life and warranty. A purchase that comes in under $500,000 can stay application-only on a qualifying file.

Used equipment bought from another lab or at auction can be financed too. A private-party purchase adds a lien search, an inspection or appraisal on larger instruments, and funds paid directly to the seller, with 15% to 25% down typical.

Yes, on qualifying transactions. Installation and the service contract can go on the same agreement as the instrument, so the purchase carries one payment. The same goes for the automation and supporting equipment bought with it.

It depends on how long you’ll keep it. A fair market value lease keeps the payment lower over 24 to 60 months and lets you move to a newer platform at the end, which suits fast-changing systems like sequencers and other molecular platforms. An equipment finance agreement works like a lab equipment loan over 24 to 84 months; it or a $1 buyout lease means you own the instrument, and it can qualify for Section 179 the same as a cash purchase. On a fair market value lease the funder owns the equipment, so you deduct the payments as rent instead.

Yes, as a startup. A business under one year old is underwritten as a startup, which typically means 700+ personal credit, relevant industry experience, and working capital left after the purchase. Experience running or directing a lab, and test volume or client agreements already lined up, make a stronger file. Our guide to startup equipment financing covers the rest.

Many established-business programs start around 600 FICO, and two or more years in business opens the broadest set of programs and the best pricing. Between one and two years narrows the field but stays workable; under one year, the file is underwritten as a startup.

The score alone rarely decides it: cash flow, the equipment, and money down all move the answer. Full detail is in the qualification guidelines and the credit score guide.

Most applications get a first response within 1 to 2 business hours, with same-day options on qualified files and approvals in as little as 30 minutes on clean application-only files. Funding follows in as little as 24 to 48 hours once documents are signed.

Application-only decisions, with no tax returns or financial statements, are available up to $500,000 on qualifying files; above that, expect a full financial package. The application starts with a soft credit inquiry, which does not affect your score. A quote for the instrument, with the model and any installation or service contract, is usually all a first response needs.

It depends on throughput, automation, and whether it’s new or refurbished. A benchtop qPCR system and a high-throughput LC-MS/MS line are very different purchases, and the installation, the service contract and the automation around an instrument can add a lot to the quote. Put the quoted price into the Quote Builder to see an estimated payment on your own numbers, with no credit pull.

Yes. An equipment leaseback turns paid-off analyzers and other instruments with a resale market into working capital while they stay in service: you pledge equipment your business owns free and clear as collateral, a lien is filed against it, and the lien is released once the balance is paid. Terms run up to 60 months with no early payoff penalty on most approvals, and leasebacks need 600+ FICO and two or more years in business.

Outside SBA programs, that’s the only working capital we offer: no merchant cash advances and no non-SBA lines of credit. SBA lines that lend against receivables are covered in our SBA guide for diagnostic labs.

Yes. SBA 7(a) loans with Five West run from $150,000 to $5 million and can fund equipment, working capital, a lab purchase or a partner buyout, and SBA 504 covers buildings and long-lived equipment. SBA sets no minimum credit score, but the lenders that underwrite SBA loans usually want 650 or higher. A complete file typically takes 45 to 90 days, and it can take longer depending on the file. Our SBA guide for diagnostic labs covers the requirements.

Usually, yes. For 2026 the Section 179 limit is $2,560,000 of qualifying equipment, phasing out above $4,090,000 of purchases, and bonus depreciation is 100%. New and used equipment both qualify, and financing does not change the deduction: equipment bought on an equipment finance agreement or a $1 buyout lease is deducted the same as a cash purchase, as long as it is placed in service by December 31.

On a fair market value lease the funder owns the equipment, so you deduct the payments as rent instead. Run the estimate in the Section 179 calculator and confirm the treatment with your tax advisor.

Run the numbers first in the Quote Builder: set the equipment cost, term, down payment, and structure and see an estimated payment in a few taps, with no credit pull. When it fits, one short application and a soft credit inquiry get you matched with a dedicated funding professional who manages the deal from application to funding.