What a low loader trailer costs in Australia

New low loaders are listed from $62,900 for a tri-axle tag trailer and $81,000 to $89,000 for a 45 ft tri-axle drop deck, rising to $155,000 to $194,000 for heavy quad-axle widening units. Used 1980s and 1990s tri-axles ask $48,500 to $66,000. Axles, ATM, widening and ramps drive the price.

A low loader can cost less than a ute or more than a house deposit, and the reason is spec. A tri-axle tag trailer behind a rigid truck is priced like a mid-range work trailer. A 45 ft drop deck with a widening deck and bi-fold ramps costs close to twice as much, and a 60 tonne ATM quad-axle widener costs more again. Dealers also quote ex GST, ex on-road costs or both, so two prices that look alike may not be. This guide sets out what 15 listings ask across Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, what changes the price, the permit costs that are published, and how a low loader is financed.

What low loader trailers sell for

A low loader is priced by what it carries, not by its length. A tag trailer behind a rigid truck moves a skid steer or small excavator. A 45 ft drop deck takes a 20 to 25 tonne machine. A quad-axle widener at 60 tonne ATM is built for heavy plant. If you are pricing the road-going side of the outfit, our semi trailer cost guide covers curtainsiders, tippers and flat tops, and the excavator prices guide covers what you are likely to put on the deck. The table below is a survey of dealer listings opened on 2 November 2026. Prices are the seller's, indicative market data and not Ventas offers. Many dealers quote ex GST and ex on-road costs, so the way each price is stated is shown as listed.

Four things stand out. First, tag trailers are the entry point: new tri-axle tags ask $62,900 to $72,000, about the price of a good used drop deck. Second, a new 45 ft tri-axle drop deck clusters tightly at $81,000 to $89,000 across one South Australian and two Victorian listings, so one dealer's price is a fair guide to the others. Third, price jumps once the trailer is a heavy widener: the three listings with a stated price run from $155,000 to $194,000 ex GST. Fourth, the oldest trailers are cheap but the ask is not far below a new tag trailer. Stripping GST from the 1982 Brentwood gives about $44,100 (our arithmetic), and a 1994 unit asks $66,000 plus GST, which is more than a new FWR tag at $62,900. Age, hydraulics and spring suspension are what a buyer is paying for, so inspect and weigh before comparing.

No listing from New South Wales or Tasmania was opened with a stated price. Two AAA dealer listings sit in Victoria and Western Australia but name a New South Wales address, and several heavy listings are price on application, which is itself a signal: the heaviest trailers are quoted to the order.

What moves the price

The same trailer can differ by tens of thousands of dollars on spec. These are the items that moved asking prices in the listings above.

Deck height matters for plant. Listed drop decks run 900 mm to 995 mm, and Viking and Equipment Trailers Australia both state deck heights near the top of that range. Taller machines need the lower deck, which is why drop and widener decks cost more than a flat tag. Winches, scales, paint, delivery and spare wheels are quoted as extras by several sellers. The Equipment Trailers Australia listing says Right Weigh Bluetooth scales, a company logo and delivery cost extra, and AAA lists a water tank, beacon and oversize signs as options.

Registration, permits and escorts

The purchase price is not the whole cost of getting a trailer on the road. Registration, stamp duty and compliance are state matters and were not published in the listings, so we have not put a figure on them. What is published is the permit side.

The SA notice is a trial that is open now and expires on 22 January 2027, so it may be reissued or changed. A load wider or heavier than the notice or the national dimension exemption allows needs a permit, and some councils charge a separate route assessment. On the NHVR figures an access permit application costs $94. Escorts, route assessments and delays are separate costs that repeat on each heavy or wide move. Ask the dealer for the ATM, GTM and tare in writing, because your permit and loads are limited by them.

Who buys a low loader

Three buyers use this guide. Earthmoving and civil contractors usually buy a tag trailer or a 45 ft drop deck to move their own machines between sites, and they care about deck height and ramp strength. Plant hire businesses buy for turnaround, so ramps, winches and widening deck matter. Heavy haulage operators buy quad-axle widening low loaders at 60 t ATM and above, where the trailer is only half of the outfit: the prime mover, a load-share dolly and the permits are separate costs. If you also need the prime mover, see truck finance. Weigh the machines you move today and the largest you expect to move in three years. A trailer that is too small caps the work, and one that is too big costs more to buy, register and tow.

Financing a low loader purchase

A low loader is an easier asset to finance than a business purchase. The trailer is a titled, serial-numbered asset with a resale market, and the lender takes it as security. That said, lender appetite is not equal across the range. Late-model trailers from known builders sit easily with most equipment lenders. Older trailers, like the 1982 and 1994 Brentwoods above, are harder: many lenders set age limits at the end of the term, and some will not fund a private sale without an inspection. Heavy wideners and price on application units are valued on resale, and the lender may value them below the invoice. Ventas is a finance broker, not a lender, so we do not quote rates here. They change with the lender, the asset and the borrower.

Illustrative only, subject to lender assessment. A realistic purchase at $89,000 ex GST:

And how it is typically funded:

Debt here is 75 per cent of the total. Equipment finance is usually structured as a chattel mortgage, where you own the trailer and the lender holds security over it. Whether GST is claimable, and whether any depreciation or write-off applies, is a tax question: ask your accountant. What makes a trailer deal fundable:

• The asset. New or recent trailer from a known builder, with the serial number, ATM and tare shown on the invoice.
• Your trading history. An ABN with trading history and the work to keep the trailer busy. Contractors with a prime mover already on finance sit well.
• Deposit. Cash or a trade-in. A larger deposit helps on older or heavy units.
• Paperwork. A supplier invoice or quote, and for private sales, an inspection.

To get a number from Ventas, send the make, model, year, axles and ATM, the price and whether it includes GST, whether it is new or used and from whom, and the truck or prime mover that will tow it. Start at trailer finance, read our answer on financing a trailer for your business, or see truck finance for the tow vehicle. Finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

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.