Outside Broadcast Truck Finance

Spread the cost of an OB truck from £50,000 to £1,000,000+ with flexible finance options: HP, lease or refinance. Compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a outside broadcast truck?

Yes, outside broadcast trucks are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £50,000 to £1,000,000, and most deals are written over 48–84 months with a deposit of around 15–25%. Decisions typically take several working days. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

Typical Cost

£50k – £1000k

Approval Speed

Several working days

Faster with an itemised chassis/fit-out quote

Rates From

7.4% APR

What would a outside broadcast truck cost per month?

Outside Broadcast Truck price (ex VAT) £250,000

Deposit 10%

Agreement term 60 months

Annual interest rate 9%

Balloon payment £0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical outside broadcast truck price. Indicative only, not a quote.

Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate: From 8.0% APR
Term: 48–84 months
Deposit: 15–25%
Ownership: Yours at the end
Best for: A broadcaster or facilities house building a permanent OB fleet for long-running sport and events contracts

Finance Lease

Rate: From 7.4% APR
Term: 48–72 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for: Bundling the trailer, camera chain, vision mixer and technical build into one deductible payment over a long asset life

Operating Lease

Rate: From 8.6% APR
Term: 36–60 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return at end
Best for: Facilities houses refreshing 4K and IP production technology as broadcaster and streaming specifications evolve

Representative example

On a purchase price of £250,000: a 10% deposit of £25,000, then 48 monthly payments of £5,274 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £278,152, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification	Guide price	Type
OB6 8-Camera HD Non-Expanding Trailer	£50,000 – £75,000	Compact OB Trailer
OB4 20-Camera HD Single-Expanding Trailer	£550,000 – £650,000	Mid-Size OB Truck
OB1 24-Camera 4K/HD Triple-Expanding Trailer	£900,000 – £1,000,000	Flagship 4K OB Truck
Used 8-12 Camera OB Truck (5-8 years old)	£220,000 – £480,000	Refurbished OB Truck

Tax benefits

The trailer or vehicle body typically qualifies for capital allowances, while the camera chain, vision mixer, audio desk and other technical build inside it qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance as plant and machinery, so a purchase or HP agreement can usually be deducted from taxable profit, subject to the specific allowance rules current at the time of purchase. Lease payments are deductible in full as they're paid. Because an OB truck combines a vehicle and a large amount of installed technical equipment, ask your accountant to confirm how the invoice should be split before finalising the finance structure.

Market context

Outside broadcast trucks are bought by broadcasters, sports production companies and facilities houses that need a self-contained mobile production unit for live coverage away from a fixed studio. Because the vehicle is built around a substantial amount of installed camera, switching, audio and transmission technology, OB truck finance sits between vehicle finance and broadcast asset finance, and the specification, from a compact single-expanding trailer to a large triple-expanding 4K unit, drives most of the price difference. Facilities houses working across different broadcaster and streaming client specifications often prefer the flexibility of a lease over outright ownership, since camera, switching and IP transmission technology moves fast enough that a truck bought outright can fall behind current production standards before it's mechanically due for replacement. There is an active market in used OB trucks between production companies of different sizes as fleets are refreshed.

Frequently asked questions

Is an OB truck financed as a vehicle or as broadcast equipment?

Both. The trailer or vehicle chassis is generally treated under vehicle finance rules, while the camera chain, vision mixer, audio desk, lighting and transmission equipment built into it are treated as broadcast plant and machinery. Most lenders active in this space are used to financing the whole unit on one agreement, but will still want the chassis and the technical build itemised on the supplier quote so each part is treated correctly for tax purposes.

Can I finance just the technical fit-out of an existing OB trailer?

Yes, this is common when a production company already owns the trailer or vehicle and is refreshing the camera chain, switching or audio equipment inside it. Financing the fit-out separately, matched to the equipment's own useful life rather than the trailer's, is usually more straightforward than combining a vehicle purchase and an equipment refit onto a single agreement.

How does the size and camera count affect OB truck finance?

Significantly. A compact single-expanding trailer with a handful of camera channels for local sport or corporate events sits at the lower end of the price range, while a large triple-expanding 4K truck built for top-tier broadcast or streaming production sits much higher. Lenders assess these very differently, since the resale market, the specification, and the scale of contracted work supporting the purchase all vary a great deal across that range.

Can I finance a used or refurbished OB truck?

Yes, and it's a common route for smaller facilities houses and production companies entering OB work, since used trucks from established broadcasters or facilities houses come to market as those businesses refresh their own fleets. Expect the lender to want a clear inspection or condition report given the age and complexity of the equipment involved, alongside the usual dealer invoice.

How quickly can OB truck finance be approved?

Given the size and complexity of the purchase, expect this to take longer than smaller broadcast equipment finance, typically several working days to a few weeks depending on the value and whether it's new or used. The lender will want to review the full technical specification, the vehicle documentation, and the contracted work or client relationships supporting a purchase of this scale.