Lawn and Landscaping Equipment Financing, Including Options for Weaker Credit
The mower or trailer carries part of the decision, so this route reaches weaker credit than a term loan.
Soft credit pull only, no obligation
Rates, factor rates, fees and terms are set by the funding provider that makes your offer and are disclosed in that provider's agreement. Figures on this page are illustrative ranges from providers in our network, not offers.
- Same-day decisions
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- Subject to provider approval and document turnaround.
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This page answers one product for one trade: whether a machine can be financed when the credit file is not strong. The rest of what this industry funds sits on financing for landscaping companies, and the product across every industry on equipment financing.
Why the machine changes the credit question
An equipment deal is not a general loan with a mower attached to it.
Send the quote
Pick the machine and send the dealer quote with the serial number on it.
A provider decides
Against that quote and the machine on it, as well as against your file.
The dealer is paid
Not into your account. The provider records a lien on the machine.
You pay on schedule
The amount, frequency and term are set in the financing agreement you sign.
Three inputs instead of one
The lien gives the provider something to take back and sell. A term loan leans on credit and deposits; here the machine, statements and credit file share the decision. More often than a term loan, never as a certainty.
Loan or lease, and the guarantee
Some providers write it as an equipment loan, some as a lease; the agreement names which one you signed and who holds title at the end. A personal guarantee is commonly required, so read that clause before you sign.
What landscapers finance
Mowers
Zero-turns and stand-ons, the machines every crew runs.
Providers like it: a common zero-turn sells quickly.
Compact machines
Compact tractors and skid steers.
Common models resell easily; providers are wary of one-offs.
Tree and turf
Chippers, stump grinders and aerators.
Easiest with a common model and a second-hand market.
Trucks, trailers, plows
Pickups, dump trucks, dump trailers, plows and spreaders.
Plows help: snow brings deposits when mowing routes do not.
What a weaker credit profile actually changes
Your credit is still reviewed: the application uses a soft credit pull only that does not affect your score. What moves is the offer.
The amount
First deals run smaller. Some providers consider up to $500K on the application alone, depending on the funding provider.
After a clean payment history, the second deal is normally larger.
The deposit
A lever you control. Money down lowers the provider's risk, and it is a common reason a borderline file turns into an offer.
More on money down: do business loans require a down payment?
The schedule and the cost
A shorter schedule means a higher monthly payment and a higher cost of funds. The agreement discloses the rate and any fees.
A short schedule can bite in February: test it in the equipment financing calculator first.
What the machine has to do for you
Because the asset carries part of the decision, the machine you choose changes the answer as much as the deposit does.
A deep second-hand market
A common zero-turn, a compact tractor or a standard dump trailer can be sold quickly. A specialist one-off cannot, so providers are more cautious about it.
Below most minimums: blowers, trimmers, chainsaws and other hand equipment.
New or used
New machines carry the longest schedules. Used machines from a dealer are financed every day; hours, age and condition set the terms.
Private-party purchases narrow the field and usually add an inspection.
Trucks and trailers are titled
A pickup, a dump truck or an equipment trailer takes an extra step for titling and lien recording, and sometimes a separate fee for that step.
Any fee belongs in the written agreement rather than in a phone call.
Worked example
Illustrative example, not an offer.
A two-crew maintenance company with credit just above 525 needs a second mower and a way to haul it before spring. Both assets went on one deal, with money down, and both are ordinary models with an obvious resale market.
- A used commercial zero-turn from a dealerEquipment financing, with a deposit down$18,000
- A tandem-axle dump trailerAdded to the same deal, both assets on one lien$9,000
Amounts, rates, fees and schedules are set by the funding provider that makes the offer and are disclosed in that provider's agreement.
Decisions from some providers the same day, depending on the provider. Subject to provider approval and document turnaround.
What you need to apply
Some providers consider applications at these minimums.
- time in business
- 12 months
- monthly revenue
- $15K
- credit considered from
- 525
- bank statements
- 3 months
Meeting a minimum does not guarantee an offer.
Bring, on top of the statements
- The dealer quote, with the serial number on it
- How much you can put down
- One line on where you are in the season
- A government ID
- Complete months, every page: on a weaker file, clean statements do more than an explanation
Deposits have to be in a business bank account: route payments run through a personal account normally cannot be underwritten, because the provider has no pattern to read.
If the answer is no this month
A decline is usually on this machine, today
- Smaller machine, more down: often approvable
- Fix the statements: months with no negative days
- Too new: equipment financing for startups or startup financing
Not an equipment deal
- Mulch, seed, payroll: consumables, not collateral
- Blowers, trimmers, chainsaws: working capital or a supplier account
- Your home's lawn, patio, sprinklers: not covered
Frequently asked questions
In short
Lawn and landscaping equipment financing ties the deal to the machine, so the mower, trailer or skid steer carries part of the decision. That is why this structure reaches weaker credit profiles than a term loan does. Some providers consider credit from 525. Weaker credit means a different offer, not a certain one.
Can I finance lawn equipment with bad credit?
Sometimes, and more often than a term loan would allow, because the machine secures the deal. Some providers consider credit from 525 with 12 months in business and $15,000 in monthly revenue. Some providers consider applications at these minimums. Meeting a minimum does not guarantee an offer. Expect a smaller first amount, a larger deposit and a shorter schedule, and expect the provider to read your bank statements closely.
Can I finance a mower without a credit check?
Not through this network, and you should be wary of anyone who says otherwise. Every provider reviews credit. What is true is that the application uses a soft credit pull only that does not affect your score. Credit is one input here rather than the whole decision.
What gets a weaker file to an offer?
Four things, in order of how much they move a decision. A larger deposit. A smaller first machine. A machine with a deep resale market, because the provider has to be able to sell it. And clean business bank statements, meaning complete months, few negative days and deposits that show the season repeating. A co-signer helps with some providers.
Can a new lawn care business finance its first mower and trailer?
It is harder, and it is not impossible. Below the minimums most providers want, the realistic routes are equipment financing for startups and startup business financing, at a smaller amount and on a shorter schedule than an established route reaches. Personal credit and a deposit do most of the work on a first deal, and the machine still has to be one a provider can resell.
Does it matter which month I apply in?
Less than it does for working capital, and it still matters. An equipment decision leans on the machine, so a quiet winter hurts it less than it hurts a deposit-sized offer. But providers still read your statements, so a file sent in the trough is read against the trough. If you know which machine you need for spring, start before the season does.
Is financed equipment tax deductible?
Financed equipment may qualify for a depreciation deduction, including Section 179 or bonus depreciation, and the cost of funds may be treated differently again. What applies depends on your entity, your tax year and the asset. Nothing on this page is tax advice — consult your tax advisor.
Still have a question?
talk to a funding advisorCapital Gurus is not a lender. Rates, fees and terms are set by the funding provider and disclosed in your agreement. Capital Gurus · 1700 S Pavilion Center Dr, Ste 420, Las Vegas, NV 89135.
Nothing on this page is financial, legal or tax advice.
Line up the machine before the season: see which equipment offers fit your file.
about 5 minutes, soft credit pull only · talk to a funding advisor