What a forklift costs in Australia in 2026

A new 2.5 tonne LPG or diesel counterbalance forklift costs about $18,000 to $40,000 in Australia in 2026 depending on brand, and a late-model used Toyota lists at $16,500 to $24,000. New lithium electric counterbalance runs $23,000 to $45,000, walkie stackers $6,500 to $24,000, ride-on reach trucks $9,000 used to $80,000 new, and rough terrain $25,000 to $65,000, ex GST.

Forklift dealers price on quote, so the same 2.5 tonne machine can be $17,900 or $39,900 and both are real listings. The spread comes from three things: brand tier (Toyota, Linde, Crown and Hyster against Chinese-built Heli, Hangcha, EP and BYD), power type (LPG, diesel, lead-acid or lithium electric) and hours on the meter. This page puts the September 2026 numbers side by side, new and used, for every common forklift type, then shows what a five-year-old machine holds and what each price looks like as a weekly repayment.

Forklift prices by type in 2026

These are indicative bands from Australian dealer and marketplace listings and published 2026 price guides surveyed in September 2026, ex GST and before attachments. Weekly figures assume a 5 year chattel mortgage at 10.5% p.a. with no deposit and no balloon, which works out near $4.96 a week per $1,000 borrowed; your rate depends on your profile and security, not the forklift.

Two things stand out. Used premium-brand rough terrain machines sell for more than new Chinese-built ones, because a Manitou or JCB on a farm or a building site is bought for its resale as much as its lift. And a ride-on reach truck is the one category where buying used saves the most, with clean 1.6 tonne BT and Toyota units listed at $12,000 against $40,000 plus new.

What forklifts are actually listed for

Real asking prices from Australian listings, all ex GST, captured 25 September 2026 unless noted. None of these are Ventas offers; they are the market.

The Grays result is the floor of the market: a 13-year-old Toyota with moderate hours cleared for about $8,500 all-in once the buyer's premium is added. The same model two generations newer lists at $20,000 from a dealer. That is the price of a warranty, a service history and not having to settle in seven days.

What moves the price

Brand tier roughly doubles it. At 2.5 tonne diesel, Toyota's new 62-8FD25 lists at $39,900 while Heli's H3 is $27,485, Forklift King $19,990 and Excalibur $17,900. Same capacity, same job. The gap comes back at trade-in: used Toyotas from 2018 to 2021 hold $16,500 to $23,888, while a 2018 Manitou MI25G LPG is asking $12,375. Lenders read this the same way and are more comfortable with a longer term on a Toyota, Linde, Crown or Hyster than on a budget import.

Power type. LPG is the cheapest way into a new counterbalance and the most common used machine in the country. Diesel costs a little more and suits yards and outdoor work. The April 2026 IndustrySearch 3 tonne guide puts new LPG at $32,000 to $52,000, diesel $35,000 to $55,000, lead-acid electric $30,000 to $45,000 and lithium $45,000 to $65,000 for mainstream brands. Chinese-built lithium machines undercut all of that: EP's 3 tonne EFXZ lists at $23,089 and BYD's 3 tonne EL30-PRO at $36,290, which is why lithium has gone from a premium option to the default in warehouse tenders.

Hours decide the used price. A 2021 Toyota at 3,306 hours asks $23,888; a 2013 Toyota at 5,987 hours asks $18,000. Published residual guides say the depreciation curve steepens sharply past 8,000 hours, and a documented service history from a recognised dealer adds a premium at any hour count. Ask for the meter reading and the service book before you ask for the price.

Mast, tyres and attachments. A container mast (three stage, free lift), side shift, fork positioner and solid tyres all add to the quote. On walkie reach stackers the effect is easy to see: a plain moving mast unit runs $12,000 to $16,000, adding power steering or side shift takes it to $16,000 to $20,000, a pantograph double-deep model is $22,000 to $35,000, and a lithium battery adds $2,000 to $5,000. If you are pricing a whole yard rather than one machine, the access equipment fleet cost guide covers the scissor lifts and telehandlers that usually sit beside the forklifts.

What a five-year-old forklift holds

Two ways to answer this, and they agree. From the listings: a 2021 Toyota 2.5t LPG at $23,888 is about 60% of the $39,900 a new Toyota 2.5t lists for, and a 2020 32-8FG25 at $20,000 is about 50%. From the published residual guides: a premium-brand electric forklift retains roughly 35% to 45% of its new price at five years, a diesel 25% to 35%, and LPG a few points behind electric. Dealer asking prices sit above those guide figures because a dealer is selling a serviced, warranted machine; a private or auction sale lands closer to the guide, and the Grays 2011 Toyota at $7,300 hammer shows where an older machine ends up.

• Under 4 years and under 5,000 hours is the trade-in sweet spot.
• Past 8,000 hours the price falls faster than the age suggests.
• Lead-acid electric machines swing several thousand dollars on battery condition alone; a walkie stacker battery is $1,200 to $4,000 to replace every 3 to 5 years.
• Budget brands are cheap to buy and hard to sell. Plan to run one to the end of its life rather than trade it.

For tax, the ATO effective life for a forklift is 11 years, which gives a diminishing value rate of 18.18% or prime cost of 9.09% a year. Your accountant will tell you whether an instant write-off applies to your purchase in the year you buy.

What it costs to run

The purchase price is only 35% to 50% of what a forklift costs over five years. The 2026 IndustrySearch 3 tonne guide puts annual running costs for an electric machine at $5,600 to $10,100 (energy $1,500 to $3,000, scheduled maintenance $2,500 to $4,000, tyres $800 to $1,500, wear parts and compliance the rest) and for an LPG or diesel machine at $14,700 to $28,400, most of it fuel at $8,000 to $16,000 a year on a single shift. Over five years that lands at $75,000 to $95,000 all-in for a lead-acid electric, $80,000 to $100,000 for lithium, $100,000 to $130,000 for LPG and $105,000 to $135,000 for diesel.

That is why a warehouse running two shifts often pays more for lithium up front and less overall, while a yard that uses a forklift a few hours a day is better off with a used LPG machine at $15,000 to $20,000 and accepting the fuel bill. Short-term hire runs $400 to $650 a week for a 3 tonne machine and hire-to-own from about $1,400 a month, against roughly $149 a week ($645 a month) to finance a $30,000 machine over five years at 10.5% and own it at the end. A walkie stacker is cheaper again: $1,500 to $4,000 a year to run, $110 to $250 a week on hire, or $22 to $120 a week to finance outright.

Financing a forklift purchase

Forklifts are written as chattel mortgages over two to seven years: you own the machine from settlement, the lender registers its interest on the PPSR and releases it when the loan is paid out, and the GST comes back on your next BAS. As a working rule, property-backed borrowers price around 6% to 9% p.a. and non-property-backed deals around 9% to 13%, subject to lender assessment. A new Toyota 2.5t at $39,900 is about $198 a week over five years with no balloon; a used $20,000 machine about $99 a week. Approvals on established ABNs commonly come back in 24 to 48 hours.

Lenders fund new, used, dealer, private and auction purchases. Private sales add an inspection and a few days. Auction purchases need a pre-approval in place before you bid, because the buyer's premium (16.5% at Grays in the $5,001 to $15,000 band) and GST are added to the hammer price and settlement is due within days. Machines over about ten years old, and budget brands with thin resale, usually mean a shorter term or a deposit. Attachments roll into the same repayment.

To get a number, tell Ventas the machine (brand, year, capacity, hours), the price, the seller, your ABN age and whether you own property. Read more on the forklift finance page, run your own figures on the forklift finance calculator, or see how the structures compare under equipment finance.

This is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Figures are indicative market data from the sources listed, not Ventas offers, and move with the market. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a professional. All finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.