Yes, you can lease a van for your trade with DriveOn. We own our fleet and lease work vans to tradespeople on fixed 6 to 24 month terms, with all credit considered — a good fit if you are self-employed or a sole trader whose credit file does not tell the whole story. Pick your van and term, pay a fixed monthly amount, and we can deliver it to you nationwide.
DriveOn owns the vans and runs the lease ourselves. You deal with us directly, not a broker passing your details around, and you lease on fixed 6–24 month terms. Whether you are an electrician on domestic call-outs, a plumber, a builder running between sites, a chippy or a landscaper, this page covers how a trade van lease works and what to think about.
Can I lease a van for my trade?
Yes. Trade work is exactly what our vans get leased for. Because you are leasing rather than buying, there is no large upfront outlay tying up cash you would rather have in the business, and no finance agreement hanging over you — you pay a fixed monthly amount for your agreed term and hand the van back at the end. That makes it easy to budget when the work itself comes in fits and starts. Have a look through the vans we have in stock and note the ones that suit your kit and your working day.
A short fixed term also suits trades that grow. If you take on a contract, an apprentice or a second van for a busy spell, a 6 to 24 month lease lets you scale up without committing for years. Newer to it? Our new business leasing page covers getting a van when the business is only a few months old.
What vans suit tradespeople?
It depends on the trade. As a rough guide across the general van market:
- Electricians and gas/plumbing engineers tend to want a small or medium van with good internal racking so tools, fittings and spares each have a place and nothing rolls about between jobs.
- Plumbers and heating engineers often need a medium van with the payload to carry a boiler, cylinder or a run of copper without being over-weight.
- Builders and groundworkers usually go for a long-wheelbase panel van, a crew cab to get the gang to site, or a tipper for muck-away and aggregates.
- Carpenters and joiners value load length so sheet materials and lengths of timber sit flat inside.
- Landscapers and gardeners lean towards a tipper or a caged van for cuttings, soil and machinery.
Rather than promise a specific model we may not have in today, tell us your trade, the heaviest thing you carry and how often you are on site, and we will match a van to it. Browse the current van stock to see the range. If your work is more drops than trade, our courier van leasing page is the better fit.
Can I lease a work van as a sole trader or with bad credit?
In most cases, yes. Tradespeople are often self-employed sole traders with an income that swings with the seasons and a credit file that has taken a few knocks — and that is exactly who we are set up for. We consider all credit and lease to sole traders and small firms; what we look at is whether the monthly payment is genuinely affordable for you, not one number on a report. "All credit considered" is honest, though: it means we will look at your application properly, not that approval is guaranteed. If you want to know more about hiring while self-employed, our self-employed car and van hire page goes into it.
Can I add racking, ply-lining or sign-writing?
Sometimes — but it has to be agreed with us first.
The van stays ours and comes back to us at the end of the term, so we cannot allow permanent alterations without agreement. Removable racking, a ply-line-out or magnetic door signage can usually be sorted, provided it is agreed up front, does not damage the van, and can be taken out cleanly so the van is returned in its original condition.
Drilled-in fixtures, sprayed livery or vinyl wraps are a different matter — talk to us before you commit to anything, and we will tell you what is on and what is not. The simplest thing is to raise it when you enquire so there are no surprises later.
How much does it cost and how does delivery work?
The monthly cost depends on the van and the length of your term, so the honest answer is to tell us what you need and we will give you a real figure — no vague "from" prices. You will need a £500 deposit, and unlike a fee it is credited straight to your first payment. We are based in Shrewsbury and deliver across the UK at £1.50 per mile exc VAT from Shrewsbury, with home delivery available, or you are welcome to collect. If you want to understand the arrangement first, our guide on how leasing works walks through it step by step.