Finance question
Can I get finance if I've traded under 12 months?
Yes. A short trading history is workable on low-doc equipment finance, because the asset secures the loan rather than years of accounts. Businesses trading under 12 months, and even brand new ones, can be funded with the right lender, subject to lender assessment.
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The short answer
Short history, not no options
Many lenders like to see 12 or 24 months of trading before they fund. That timeline can be a wall if you have only been going a few months. Equipment finance gets around it, because the loan is secured by the asset you are buying, so a lender is not depending on a long run of accounts you cannot yet produce.
Low-doc and no-doc structures are built for exactly this. Where a young business has thin financials, many equipment deals are assessed on the asset, an active ABN and a straightforward view of your trade, rather than two years of tax returns. That is how a business trading under 12 months can still get a genuine yes.
Across our panel of 40+ lenders, appetite for short trading history varies a lot. Some will not touch it, others price for it comfortably. A broker's job is to send your application to the lenders who work with newer businesses, so the deal is judged on the asset and where you are heading, not just months on the clock.
Do you qualify?
What makes a young business fundable.
An active ABN
Even a recently registered ABN can qualify.
A specific asset
The vehicle or machine that secures the finance.
A deposit can help
It can widen your options with a short history.
Work in hand
Jobs or contracts lined up strengthen the case.
Why time in business is not the whole story
The asset secures it
Security in the equipment offsets a short trading run.
Low-doc paths
Many deals settle without two years of accounts.
Lenders differ
Some fund newer businesses happily. A broker finds them.
A real example
A courier business trading eight months needs a $35,000 van. No full-year financials exist. Placed with a lender comfortable with short history, secured on the van, approved on low-doc with a modest deposit and the delivery contracts in hand. Illustrative only.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How little trading history can I have?
Even a few months can work, and some lenders fund brand new businesses, because the asset secures the loan rather than long accounts.
Do I need financials with a short history?
Often no. Many deals are assessed on low-doc or no-doc, using the asset and an active ABN.
Will a deposit help?
It can. A deposit lowers the lender's risk and can widen which lenders will approve a younger business.
Does work in hand matter?
It helps. Contracts or a steady flow of jobs give a lender more reason to say yes.