Forklift Finance Australia

Forklifts in Australia are financed by major banks, equipment dealers' in-house finance, and specialist commercial lenders accessed through a finance broker. Equifund is a licensed finance specialist, Australian Credit Licence 389328, and arranges forklift finance across a panel of specialist lenders rather than lending directly. Specialist lenders assess the machine's condition and hours, your ABN and BAS, and active contract income, which is how forklifts outside a major bank's age policy still get funded.

We finance every forklift class: new and used machines from major brands (CAT, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo, John Deere, Case, Kubota and more), including utility-size, mid-size and heavy-duty units. Dealer, ex-fleet, demonstrator, private sale or auction purchases are all financeable.

Pre-approval typically comes back inside a business day when your application is complete. Settlement happens once you have signed contracts and any final lender conditions are met. Specialist asset lenders move faster than major banks on equipment finance because they assess the asset and contract income directly rather than waiting on property valuations.

No, you do not need to own property to qualify. Equifund's specialist lender panel includes options that assess on the forklift asset, your contract income and trading history rather than requiring property as security. This matters most for owner-operators, civil subbies and family businesses that don't want to lock the property folio.

$0 deposit is available for prime applications, especially established operators with active contracts or head-contractor agreements. New ABNs typically need some contribution, but $0 deposit on the right deal is common for ongoing operators with verifiable revenue.

Yes, a used forklift or ex-fleet machine can be financed. Used forklifts (including ex-fleet, ex-mining and end-of-life-cycle units), private sale, dealer auction and demonstrator purchases are all financeable through the specialist asset lenders we work with. Major banks typically have age cut-offs; specialist lenders look at machine condition, hours and service history rather than calendar age alone.

Yes, an existing forklift loan can be refinanced. Refinance is common when an existing deal was settled at high rates, has an unfavourable structure (balloons, restrictive covenants), or is consolidating multiple machines into one master facility. We compare your current setup against the specialist panel and present options.

A wide panel of Australian lenders spanning major banks, specialist asset financiers and non-bank lenders that specifically understand contract income, head-contractor agreements and the residual value of construction equipment.

Yes, multiple machines can be financed under one facility. Multi-machine deals (excavator + loader + dozer package, fleet rotations, or staged purchases across a 12-month pipeline) are common. The lender panel includes options that fund packages under a master facility against the head-contractor PO or contract portfolio.

Chattel mortgage: you own the forklift, claim depreciation and GST, and the lender holds security over the asset. Finance lease: the lender owns the forklift and you make rental payments; GST is claimed on each payment. Most owner-operators run chattel mortgage for the depreciation benefit. Both available across the specialist panel.

Contract income recognition is how a specialist lender reads income from head-contractor purchase orders, ongoing civil contracts and project agreements rather than treating only PAYG salary as income. It matters for owner-operators and contractors whose income comes from civil contracts, not a fortnightly pay slip.

Low-doc forklift finance is asset finance approved on a reduced document set, typically BAS, bank statements and the contract or quote, rather than full financials and tax returns. Best suited to established operators with an active ABN, contract income and trading history who don't have current-year financials prepared.

Tax treatment depends on the structure you choose and current ATO rules. For FY26, the small business instant asset write-off threshold is $20,000 per asset for businesses under $10M turnover. Larger forklift purchases generally fall under standard depreciation. For specific advice on your situation, consult your accountant.

Pre-approval is a conditional credit decision from a specialist lender before you commit to a specific machine. It gives you a confirmed budget, repayment estimate and a contract window to find the right asset. Pre-approval is a credit decision, not a guarantee. Final approval is subject to the chosen machine meeting the lender's asset criteria.

An Australian Credit Licence (ACL) is the ASIC authorisation required to engage in regulated credit activities in Australia. Equifund operates under ACL 389328. This means we are bound by responsible lending obligations and the National Consumer Credit Protection Act when arranging finance.