Startup equipment financing — what actually gets approved.

The short version

• Trucks, yellow iron, and farm equipment hold their value, so a new business can be financed on them even with a lower credit score. The down payment follows your personal credit: strong credit starts around 20 to 25%, weak credit means up to 40%.
• A first commercial truck needs 25% or more down. Strong credit and CDL time can pull that toward 20%. A first truck with 10% down is not a deal we can place.
• Gym, kitchen, laundry, shop, and office equipment are weak collateral. A new business needs 700+ personal credit to finance them, and 635 is the floor for anyone.
• "No money down" for a brand-new company is not real. Zero-down exists for established businesses with strong credit and prior commercial financing paid as agreed.
• Dealer, distributor, or fleet-sale purchases only. We do not finance private-party purchases for any customer.

These are reference points. We review every file individually; once we've seen yours we'll tell you exactly what the down payment is.

Why the equipment type matters more than you'd think

A lender financing a new business has no business history to underwrite, so it underwrites two things instead: the owner, and what the equipment would sell for if the loan went bad. A two-year-old Freightliner, a Cat excavator, or a John Deere tractor sells quickly at a predictable price, which is why those programs will take a new business with a bigger down payment and a lower score. A set of commercial washers bolted into a leased building, a gym full of racks, or a kitchen line is worth a fraction of its invoice the day it's installed, which is why those programs want a 700+ owner behind a new business.

What a startup file needs

• A specific piece of equipment picked out at a dealer, with a quote or listing.
• The down payment in the bank and visible on a statement, not promised.
• Trade experience. Two or more years driving CDL for a first truck; time in the trade for a contractor; management experience for a facility.
• Personal credit we can underwrite. 700+ opens most doors. Between 635 and 700, the high-resale programs still work with a larger down payment. Below 635, only trucks and yellow iron with a large down payment are realistic.
• A signed lease if the equipment is going into a building.

Where to go from here

• First truck: owner-operator truck financing and commercial truck financing.
• First machine: construction equipment, skid steers, excavators.
• First tractor: farm equipment financing.
• Facility build-outs: gym equipment, laundromat equipment, auto repair shop equipment.
• Everything else: all equipment programs.

What we don't finance

• Auction purchases
• Private-seller purchases
• Glider trucks
• Repairs to existing equipment
• Refinances of current loans (cash-out refi on free-and-clear equipment only — call for details)

Frequently asked

Can a startup get equipment financing? Yes, with the right equipment and a real down payment. New trucking companies are welcome with 25% or more down; high-resale equipment can be financed for a new business even with a lower score; weak-collateral equipment needs 700+ personal credit.

Is no-money-down real for a startup? No. Zero-down is for established businesses with strong credit and prior commercial financing.

What credit score does a startup need? 700+ for weak-collateral equipment. For trucks, yellow iron, and farm equipment, lower scores can work with a larger down payment, up to 40%.

Can I buy from a private seller? No. Dealers, distributors, and fleet sales only, for every customer.

How fast? Approvals in 24 to 48 hours on a complete application; funding in 3 to 5 business days.