First van finance for a new business
Funding a first van when there are no filed accounts, no trading history and no limited company behind the application.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a first van finance for a new business?
Yes, including as a sole trader with no filed accounts and no previous finance history, which is the situation most first-van buyers are actually in. Lenders that fund new businesses look at what you are earning now and what the van is for rather than at three years of accounts you do not have. A deposit usually helps, and the first agreement is rarely the cheapest you will ever sign — its real value is the payment record it creates, which every later asset is priced against.
Used kit: Yes, to around ten years old
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a first van finance for a new business cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
This is the hardest profile in the market to place, and the reason is mechanical rather than moral. A lender running a single credit policy has nothing to score: no accounts, no history, no company. It declines, and the applicant concludes the van was unfundable when in fact that lender simply does not write new starts. Applying to several in turn makes it worse, because each leaves a footprint and each decline makes the next more likely. Lenders that do write new starts assess bank statements and work pipeline instead, and a van is good security with a deep used market behind it.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ford Transit Custom L1H1 | Short medium van, the trade default |
| Vauxhall Vivaro L2H1 | Well-priced medium van for new traders |
| Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 | Medium van with strong resale value |
| Ford Transit L3H2 | Large panel van for bigger loads |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 L2H2 | Durable large van for long mileage |
| Renault Trafic SL28 | Compact medium van for city work |
| Peugeot Partner Professional | Small van for tools and light loads |
| Citroen Berlingo Enterprise | Car-like small van with low running costs |
| Toyota Proace Medium | Medium van with long warranty cover |
| Maxus eDeliver 3 | Small electric van for urban start-ups |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Newly self-employed tradespeople — fitters, plumbers, electricians, groundworkers — who need a van before they can start earning. The van is not an upgrade; without it there is no business.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
We funded this
£52,500
A newly self-employed sole trader with no filed accounts, funded and paid out within 24 hours of first contact.
Read the case study →How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
First van finance for a new business questions
Can I get van finance with no trading history?
Yes. Some lenders assess bank statements and confirmed work rather than filed accounts. Being declined by a high-street lender usually means that lender does not write new starts, not that the van was unfundable.
Will applying damage my credit file?
Applying to several lenders in turn leaves a footprint each time and makes each subsequent decline more likely. Going to the right lender first is the point of using a broker.
Do I need a deposit as a new start?
Often, though not always. A deposit gives a lender with no trading history to look at something tangible to weigh against the risk, and it widens the number of funders willing to consider a first agreement. Nil-deposit is achievable in the right circumstances — tell us what you have available and we will tell you honestly what it changes.
How fast can a new start be funded?
Fast, when it goes to the right lender. The example below was paid out within 24 hours of first contact.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Also in van and light commercial finance
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- Tipper van finance
- Dropside van finance
- Crew cab van finance
- Refrigerated van finance
- Electric van finance
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- Recovery truck and tow truck finance
- Pickup truck finance
- Minibus finance
- Wheelchair accessible vehicle finance
- Mobile workshop van finance
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- Coffee van finance
- Ice cream van finance
- Catering van and food truck finance
- Mobile valeting van finance
- Curtainside van finance
- Van conversion finance
- Ex-lease van finance
- Van fleet finance
- Van refinance
- Long wheelbase van finance
See everything we fund in van and light commercial finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Van buying guides
We are a broker, not a dealer — we have no stake in which van you choose. These are written on that basis.
- Ford Transit vs Mercedes Sprinter: which is right for your business?
- Transit Custom vs Volkswagen Transporter: how to choose
- Vauxhall Vivaro vs Renault Trafic: what actually separates them
- Ford Transit Connect vs Volkswagen Caddy: the small van decision
- Best vans for electricians: how to choose
- Best vans for carpenters and joiners: how to choose
- Best vans for plumbers and heating engineers: how to choose
- Van payload explained: how to avoid buying a van that is illegal when loaded
- Low roof vs high roof vans: which do you actually need?
- What licence do you need to drive a van in the UK?
Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.