Panel van finance
The everyday workhorse of British trade, funded properly — new or used, in your business name, with the paperwork handled for you.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a panel van?
Yes. A panel van is the most routinely funded asset in light commercial finance, and almost every lender we deal with writes them. It is normally placed on hire purchase or a lease, with the van itself standing as the security, so a business with a short trading history can often still get a decision. Used stock is very fundable. The thing that catches people out is the seller: lenders want a VAT-registered dealer or trader with a proper invoice, and a private sale off a marketplace listing is where most applications quietly stall.
Used kit: Yes — used panel vans are funded all day long, and lenders are comfortable with vehicles that are several years old provided the mileage is sensible and the van will still hold value at the end of the agreement.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a panel van 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 will 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
Panel vans are the easiest thing we place because the resale market underneath them is enormous — a funder can move a repossessed Transit or Vivaro in days, so the credit decision leans harder on the asset than on the balance sheet. Limited companies with filed accounts get the widest choice; sole traders are perfectly fundable but a homeowner declaration widens the panel considerably. New-start businesses are doable with a deposit and a clean personal profile. What gets declined: private sales the funder cannot verify, auction purchases where there is no recourse, and applicants who cannot evidence any trading income at all. Age matters less than condition and mileage.
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 L2H1 | Medium panel van, the trade default |
| Vauxhall Vivaro L2H1 | Value medium panel van |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 L3H2 | Long high-roof panel van |
| Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 LWB | Long wheelbase medium panel van |
| Renault Trafic LL30 | Long medium van with roof racking options |
| Peugeot Boxer L3H2 | Large panel van for bulky loads |
| Citroen Relay L4H3 | Extra long high-roof panel van |
| Volkswagen Crafter CR35 L3H3 | High-roof large van for stand-up loading |
| Toyota Proace Long | Medium panel van with good payload |
| Nissan Primastar L2H1 | Medium panel van for mixed trade use |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Electricians, plumbers, joiners and delivery subcontractors replacing a van that has started costing more in repairs than it earns. Typically a sole trader or a two-van limited company who has found the stock already, often on a dealer website, and needs a decision before someone else buys it. The trigger is usually an MOT advisory list, a failed clutch or a new contract that needs a second vehicle on the road next week.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in vans and fleet.
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.
Panel van finance questions
Can I get a panel van on finance as a sole trader?
Yes. Sole traders make up a large share of van agreements. Lenders will look at your trading history, bank conduct and affordability rather than company accounts, and being a homeowner opens up more of the panel. Bring proof of trading and recent statements and the process is straightforward.
Does the van have to come from a dealer?
Most lenders strongly prefer a VAT-registered dealer or motor trader because they can pay a business account and rely on the invoice. Private sales are possible with a small number of funders but need extra checks on ownership and condition, and they take longer to arrange.
Can I put a van through the business for tax?
A van is generally treated as plant and machinery rather than a car, which usually means it qualifies for the annual investment allowance where a car would not. That is one of the main reasons trades buy commercially. Your accountant should confirm how it applies to you.
Will I own the panel van at the end?
On hire purchase you own it once every payment and the option to purchase fee are made. On a lease you do not own it — you hand it back or the agreement is settled another way. We will explain which structure suits how long you intend to keep the van.
How quickly can van finance be arranged?
For a straightforward panel van with a dealer invoice, decisions often come back the same working day and payout can follow quickly once documents are signed and the usual checks clear. Complications like a private seller or a very new business add time.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Also in van and light commercial finance
- First van finance for a new business
- Small van finance
- Medium van finance
- Large van finance
- Luton van finance
- Box van finance
- Tipper van finance
- Dropside van finance
- Crew cab van finance
- Refrigerated van finance
- Electric van finance
- Welfare van finance
- Recovery truck and tow truck finance
- Pickup truck finance
- Minibus finance
- Wheelchair accessible vehicle finance
- Mobile workshop van finance
- Dog grooming van finance
- 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.