Van finance for New Zealand delivery, courier, and mobile trades .

A new NZ delivery van commonly runs $42,000 to $80,000 ex-GST depending on model, body length, height, and dealer. Toyota Hiace LWB and Ford Transit Custom and Transit Long sit around $48,000 to $72,000. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Vito sit higher, with Sprinter LWB commonly $72,000 to $95,000. Renault Master sits around $58,000 to $78,000. LDV Deliver 9 covers the value tier from around $42,000. EV variants (LDV eDeliver 7, Ford E-Transit) commonly sit at $70,000 to $95,000.

A used 3 to 7 year old NZ delivery van commonly runs $18,000 to $50,000 ex-GST depending on model, body length, kilometres, and condition. Toyota Hiace LWB and Ford Transit Long sit at the upper end of the courier secondary market, commonly $20,000 to $42,000 because of strong courier and last-mile demand for the format. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter sits higher again, commonly $28,000 to $50,000 used. LDV Deliver 9 used stock has expanded as the model ages into the secondary market and sits commonly $18,000 to $35,000.

Yes. NZ chattel mortgage finance commonly bundles plywood lining, modular shelving and racking, drawer systems, vinyl wrap and signage, dashcams, reverse cameras, and telematics into the loan at settlement, alongside the bare vehicle. The bundled package is funded under the same chattel mortgage rather than a separate small-ticket facility, which simplifies documentation and allows the GST on the fitout components to be claimed alongside the vehicle GST in the next GST return, subject to the accountant's confirmation.

A GST-registered NZ courier, delivery, or mobile-trades operator can typically claim the full GST component on a van acquired under chattel mortgage as input tax in the next GST return after settlement, subject to the accountant's confirmation. The GST component is calculated on the GST-inclusive purchase price as funded by the lender, including bundled fitout. Where the van is acquired under finance lease or operating lease, GST is typically claimed across the rental payments rather than upfront. The structure choice affects cash-flow timing more than total cost over the life of the loan.

IRD publishes motor vehicle depreciation rates under the Determination DEP1 schedule, with light commercial vehicle categories sitting at commonly 30% diminishing-value or 21% straight-line on the GST-exclusive cost base, subject to the accountant's confirmation. Internal fitout components (shelving, racking, drawer system) commonly depreciate at the same rate as the van when bundled at settlement. Refrigerated body upgrades commonly carry a separate depreciation class from the cab/chassis. The accountant is the right person to confirm asset class and election on the specific business setup.

Diesel delivery vans pay Road User Charges (RUC) under the Road User Charges Act 2012, administered by NZTA. RUC is paid in advance per 1,000 km block at a rate set by vehicle weight category. Petrol delivery vans do not pay RUC because petrol road-use cost is collected through fuel excise duty. Hybrid vans pay RUC based on the powertrain configuration; pure-electric light commercials (LDV eDeliver 7, Ford E-Transit) currently sit within the EV RUC framework following recent NZTA changes. NZTA publishes the current RUC rates and exemptions in full.

A standard Class 1 driver licence covers vans and light commercial vehicles up to 6,000 kg gross laden weight in NZ, per NZTA driver licence classes under the Land Transport Act 1998. Most NZ delivery vans (Hiace, Transit, Sprinter MWB, Vito, Master, LDV Deliver 9) sit well below this threshold, between 2,800 and 3,500 kg gross laden weight. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter LWB heavy-duty variant and the larger Renault Master Pro can approach the threshold once loaded; Class 2 only kicks in above 6,000 kg.

Indicative rates on NZ van finance commonly sit in the 8% to 14% per annum band depending on structure, security, and operator profile. Chattel-mortgage finance secured by a new or near-new van for an established mobile-trades or last-mile delivery business sits at the lower end (commonly 8-10%). Used van finance and applications from new owner-drivers sit in the middle (commonly 10-12%). Higher-tolerance lenders covering thinner trading history sit at the upper end (commonly 12-14%). Final rate is set by the lender after assessment.

NZ van finance commonly accepts deposits in the 0 to 20% range. 0% deposit chattel mortgage on near-new dealer-stock vans is widely available for established mobile-trades businesses and last-mile fleets with clean trading data. Used vans and applications from new owner-drivers commonly attract 10 to 20% deposit requirements to reduce the loan-to-value ratio at settlement. Trade-in credit on an existing van can substitute for a cash deposit. Final deposit position is set by the lender after assessment.

Yes. Refrigerated vans (commonly used for chilled grocery, pharmacy, and food distribution contracts) are financeable through the same chattel-mortgage and asset-finance pool as standard delivery vans. The refrigerated body adds materially to the vehicle cost (commonly $25,000 to $50,000 above the equivalent dry-body van), and lenders sometimes split the finance into a chattel mortgage on the cab/chassis and asset finance on the refrigerated body. Operators contracting on chilled freight runs commonly present the contract alongside the application to support the finance proposal.

Where the van is financed under chattel mortgage and the delivery business closes before the loan is repaid, the lender typically has a security interest registered on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) and can take possession of the vehicle to recover the outstanding balance. Any shortfall between resale value and balance owing typically falls to the borrower and any personal guarantor. NZ delivery vans typically retain 45-65% of value at the 3 to 5 year point depending on model, kilometres, and condition; high-kilometre courier vans can sit at the lower end of this band.

NZ courier and delivery van lenders commonly ask for the contractor agreement and 6 to 12 months of contractor statements as part of the application pack for owner-drivers. The contractor agreement sets the run scope, payment cycle (commonly weekly), and any vehicle age, signage, or uniform requirements. Lenders use the contractor statements to confirm income flow and to assess whether the proposed loan repayment fits within the operator's after-cost contractor income. New owner-drivers in their first weeks face a tighter application because contractor statement history is limited; specialist lenders such as Avanti Finance or Bizcap commonly fund this tier where mainstream lenders defer.

Yes. Electric vans (LDV eDeliver 7, Ford E-Transit, Renault Kangoo E-Tech) are financeable through the same chattel-mortgage pool as diesel and petrol vans, on 4 to 5 year terms. The higher purchase price (commonly $70,000 to $95,000 new) is partly offset by lower running cost, particularly on metro routes with overnight depot or home charging. EV-specific considerations include charging infrastructure at the depot or home, range fit to the route pattern, and the EV RUC framework following recent NZTA changes. The accountant is the right person to confirm depreciation and FBT treatment on the specific business setup.

Yes. Established delivery and mobile-trades operators with 18 to 36 months of clean trading data commonly refinance from alternative-lender pricing (12-14%) into bank-tier or specialist asset-finance pricing (8-10%) once trading history is built. Refinancing is also commonly used at end of the original chattel mortgage term to roll into a newer used van, or to consolidate across 3+ vans when scaling fleet. Early-repayment fees on the existing loans and the resale value position on the existing vehicles are the main considerations. The refinance application typically requires 12 months of bank statements, financial statements where available, and current driver licence and (for couriers) contractor statements.