Semi Trailer Financing
Dry vans, flatbeds, step decks, lowboys and end dumps, new or used, for one trailer or a fleet, on their own or with the tractor.
Dry vans, flatbeds, step decks, lowboys and end dumps, new or used, for one trailer or a fleet, on their own or with the tractor.
Updated September 2026
Semi trailer financing is secured by the trailer’s title and usually runs 6–22% APR over 3–6 years with 0–20% down. A new 53-foot dry van or flatbed costs roughly $40K–$70K and a lowboy $90K–$200K. Used trailers cost far less, so many single used trailers fall under Bay Street’s $25K minimum; most deals are two or more trailers, or a trailer financed together with the tractor that pulls it. Trailers outlast tractors, so lenders will finance older trailers than they would trucks.
| Typical amount | $30K for one new trailer to $500K+ for a fleet |
|---|---|
| Rates | 6–22% APR |
| Terms | 36–72 months |
| Down payment | 0–20% |
| Credit | 600+ typical |
| Minimum | $25K per deal; pair used trailers or add the tractor |
| Federal excise tax | 12% on most new trailers over 26,000 lb; financeable |
| Speed | 1–3 business days for a clean file |
| Equipment | New | Used |
|---|---|---|
| 53-ft dry van | $45K–$65K | $15K–$40K |
| 48–53-ft flatbed | $40K–$70K | $15K–$45K |
| Step deck / drop deck | $50K–$80K | $20K–$50K |
| Lowboy / removable gooseneck (35–55 ton) | $90K–$200K | $40K–$120K |
| End dump trailer | $60K–$95K | $30K–$65K |
| 53-ft reefer with unit | $75K–$110K | $25K–$65K |
Typical 2026 pricing before federal excise tax where it applies. Aluminum versus steel construction, air-ride suspension, spread axles and tire spec all move the number.
Illustrative level monthly payments on the amount financed. Rates depend on credit, time in business, the trailers and the lender.
| Example | Financed | APR · term | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New 53-ft dry van | $55K | 10% · 60 mo | $1,170/mo |
| Two used flatbeds | $60K | 13% · 48 mo | $1,610/mo |
| New lowboy for heavy haul | $150K | 9.5% · 60 mo | $3,150/mo |
| Ten-trailer dry van fleet | $520K | 8.5% · 60 mo | $10,670/mo |
A trailer is simpler collateral than a tractor. There is no engine or transmission to fail, so value comes down to the frame, floor, axles, suspension, brakes and tires, and to how popular the trailer type is on the used market. Dry vans are the most liquid, followed by flatbeds and reefers; specialized heavy-haul trailers have a smaller pool of buyers but hold value well.
Trailers are titled, and like every commercial motor vehicle they need an annual inspection. Lenders ask for the title or the dealer’s certificate of origin, the VIN and, on used trailers, photos and the last inspection. Because a trailer can work for 15 years or more, lenders will finance older trailers than they would tractors.
Bay Street finances from $25,000 per deal. A new trailer clears that on its own, but a single used dry van or flatbed often does not. The usual ways to get there:
The trailer decides which freight you can haul and what it pays:
Most new semi trailers rated over 26,000 lb gross vehicle weight carry the 12% federal excise tax on their first retail sale. It appears on the dealer invoice and can be financed with the trailer. A used trailer does not pay it again. The annual heavy vehicle use tax on IRS Form 2290 is filed for the tractor, not the trailer. A financed trailer qualifies for Section 179 like a cash purchase, up to $2,560,000 for tax years beginning in 2026, when placed in service by December 31. Confirm with your CPA.
Large fleets sell trailers in batches when they refresh, which is when the best used vans and flatbeds come to market. Before you buy:
On a private sale the lender pays the seller, pays off any lien and records its own on the title.
Many carriers supply trailers to owner-operators leased onto them, but flatbed, heavy-haul and specialized carriers often expect you to bring your own, and a new authority needs its own trailer to haul most freight. Lenders treat a trailer for a new authority much like a first tractor: driving experience, personal credit and a larger down payment carry the file until the authority has 12–24 months of history. Trailers financed with the tractor on one deal are often simpler to approve than two separate applications.
A trailer earns only when it is loaded, and brokers typically pay in 30 days or more. Freight factoring turns delivered loads into cash in a day or two, and working capital covers repairs, permits and slow weeks based on your deposits. For fleet strategy, see trucking equipment financing, or apply once at equipment financing and we will compare offers across 100+ funding partners.
Yes. Used trailers finance routinely, and because trailers last longer than tractors, lenders will finance older trailers than they would trucks. Condition of the floor, frame, suspension and brakes drives the value.
Most new semi trailers rated over 26,000 lb gross vehicle weight carry the 12% federal excise tax on their first retail sale. It is on the dealer invoice and can be financed with the trailer. Used trailers do not pay it again.
Yes. A tractor and trailer can be financed on one deal, which is often simpler than two separate applications and helps a lower-priced used trailer reach the $25,000 minimum.
Financed over 60 months at 10% APR, $55,000 is about $1,170 a month. A $150,000 lowboy financed over 60 months at 9.5% APR is about $3,150 a month.
Bay Street’s minimum is $25,000 per deal. Combine two or more used trailers, or finance the trailer with the tractor that pulls it, to reach the minimum.
Yes, usually with 10 to 25 percent down and at least two years of CDL driving experience. Lenders lean on personal credit and experience until the authority has 12 to 24 months of history.
One application goes to 100+ funding partners, with no impact on your credit score. Send a quote or invoice and we will come back with real numbers.
