Heavy Equipment Loans With No Money Down: Real 2026 Examples
Yes, no-money-down heavy equipment loans exist in 2026. See real examples — excavators, dump trucks, dozers — plus the credit profiles and lender programs that make $0 down possible.
Heavy equipment loans with no money down are one of the most-searched financing terms in North America — and one of the most misunderstood. The truth: zero-down deals on excavators, dozers, dump trucks, and skid steers absolutely exist in 2026, but only through specific lender programs and only for borrowers who fit a clear profile. This guide shows you exactly how those deals get done, with real numbers.
Who actually qualifies for $0 down?
- Time in business: 2+ years preferred (some programs accept 1+)
- Personal FICO: 680+ for the cleanest pricing; 640+ for niche lenders
- Equipment age: Most $0-down programs cap collateral at 8–10 years old
- Use case: Owner-operator with a signed contract or vendor invoice in hand wins
4 real no-money-down heavy equipment deals
Deal 1 — 2019 CAT 320 excavator, $148,000
- 4-year excavating LLC, 712 FICO, $890K revenue
- Structure: 60-month EFA, $0 down, first/last payment ($5,612)
- Rate: 9.4% — Payment $3,074/mo
- Broker commission: $7,400
Deal 2 — 2020 Kenworth T880 dump truck, $112,000
- 2-year trucking S-corp, 690 FICO
- Structure: 60-month, $0 down via transportation specialty lender
- Rate: 11.9% — Payment $2,485/mo
- Broker commission: $5,600
Deal 3 — 2021 John Deere 333G skid steer, $74,500
- 3-year landscaping LLC, 728 FICO
- Structure: 60-month $1-buyout lease, $0 down, app-only
- Rate: 8.9% — Payment $1,544/mo
- Broker commission: $3,725
Deal 4 — 2018 CAT D6T dozer, $215,000
- 6-year site-prep contractor, 745 FICO, signed 18-month subdivision contract
- Structure: 72-month TRAC lease, $0 down, contract-assigned
- Rate: 9.7% — Payment $3,930/mo
- Broker commission: $12,900
The 3 structures that unlock $0 down
- Equipment Finance Agreement (EFA) with first/last: Borrower pays first + last month at signing — technically not "down" because both are payments, not a down payment. Pricing matches a 10% down deal.
- $1 buyout lease (capital lease): Common on yellow iron under $250K. $0 down, full Section 179 eligibility.
- TRAC lease with contract assignment: The job contract gets assigned as additional collateral. This is how $200K+ deals get done with no cash out of pocket.
What kills no-money-down deals
- Equipment older than 10 years (private-party seller)
- FICO below 640 with under 2 years TIB
- Auction purchases without a clean bill of sale
- Recent UCC liens on similar collateral
The broker opportunity
Heavy equipment is where the biggest commissions live. The average yellow-iron deal pays a broker $5,000–$25,000 in points and origination — and contractors are notoriously loyal once you fund their first machine. Place 1 dozer or excavator a month and you're already at six figures.
The catch: Heavy equipment lenders don't publish their programs. You have to know which lender funds 9-year-old CATs at 640 FICO with $0 down — and which one auto-declines that same deal. That's the network the Academy teaches you to build.
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