Short answer: for established ABN holders with a clean credit file, many of our accredited lenders will write truck finance with no cash deposit at all — the truck itself secures the deal. For newer businesses, mixed credit profiles, or higher-risk asset categories, 10–20% is the common landing zone. Here is the longer answer with the variables that move the needle.
Australian asset-finance lenders structure heavy-vehicle deals around the security of the asset, not just the applicant. Trucks hold resale value, run on a known depreciation curve, and the lender can recover the asset if a contract goes south. That asset-backed thinking is why truck finance in Victoria looks different to an unsecured business loan — deposit thresholds are lower, terms run longer (up to 84 months on most asset classes), and the price you pay reflects the lender's view of risk on the asset as much as on you.
For an established business with two-plus years trading, a current ABN, GST registration, and a credit file with no recent defaults, the realistic starting position with most accredited lenders is 0% deposit on the asset value. The asset is your skin in the game.
Deposit asks usually trace back to three things: business age, credit profile, or asset profile.
New ABN holders — businesses under 12-24 months old typically face a 10–20% deposit ask, because the lender hasn't seen enough trading history to size the credit comfortably. Some lenders specialise in new-ABN deals and will write at lower deposit; that is exactly the kind of placement decision a broker is for.
Imperfect credit profiles — paid defaults, recent enquiries, or a thin credit file shift you up the risk band. Lenders compensate either by lifting the rate, asking for a deposit, or both.
Older, high-kilometre, or specialised assets — a brand-new prime mover from a major dealer looks different on a lender's asset register than a 12-year-old high-kilometre rigid bought privately. The latter often attracts a deposit ask because the residual security is lower.
A trade-in counts as equity. If you are upgrading and your current truck is paid down, lenders typically credit the trade-in value against the new asset, which can replace a cash deposit in full or in part. We see plenty of Victorian operators effectively running zero-cash deals year after year by rolling equity from the previous truck into the next one.
The accounting flip side: a higher deposit (or larger trade-in equity) reduces the financed amount, which lowers your monthly payment and total interest paid over the life of the contract. The right level depends on your cashflow plan, not just what the lender requires.
In Victoria, most chattel mortgage truck deals run with a balloon (residual) payment at the end of the term — typically 20–30% of the financed amount, balanced against the asset's expected resale value at end-of-term. Balloons lower the monthly payment but leave a larger sum to refinance or pay out at the end.
Lenders trade deposit against balloon. A larger deposit reduces the financed amount and the balloon. A smaller deposit pushes more weight onto the balloon. The right mix depends on whether your priority is monthly cashflow today or total cost over the contract.
Truck deals under chattel mortgage are GST-claimable in the BAS quarter the truck is acquired, which means a registered-for-GST operator effectively gets the GST back as a cashflow injection within 90 days of settlement. Many of our Victorian operators use that BAS refund as the "deposit" — effectively timing the cash so the refund arrives within months of taking delivery.
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Yes — for established ABN holders with a clean credit file, most accredited lenders write truck finance with no cash deposit. The truck itself secures the loan. Newer businesses or non-standard profiles typically face a 10–20% deposit ask.
Yes. Trade-in equity is treated as a deposit by lenders. Many Victorian operators run effectively zero-cash deals year after year by rolling equity from one truck into the next.
It can be. A larger deposit reduces the financed amount, which lowers your monthly payment and total interest paid. The trade-off is the cash you tie up at settlement. The right level depends on your cashflow plan.
5-minute enquiry — we will refer your details to an accredited lender from our panel for review.