The quickest ways to sell a used truck are to a truck buying company or dealer, through a commercial vehicle auction, or by listing it on a marketplace such as The Commercial Trader, where buyers contact you directly. For a whole fleet, ask fleet buyers and auctioneers to price the lot and each truck separately, compare what you’d net after fees, and remove each truck from your operator’s licence once it’s sold.
The right way to sell a truck depends on whether speed or price matters more to you. You can list your truck for sale on The Commercial Trader and set your own price. Before you do, look at the used trucks for sale on The Commercial Trader to see what similar trucks are advertised for.
Where can you sell a used truck quickly?
You can sell a used truck quickly to a truck buying company or commercial vehicle dealer, through a commercial vehicle auction, on an online marketplace such as The Commercial Trader, or by part-exchanging it. Each route trades speed against price, so the right one depends on whether you need the money this week or the best price you can get.
| Route | How quickly it sells | Who sets the price | What to allow for | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truck buying company or dealer | Can be within days of a valuation | The buyer, with an offer | A trade price, usually below what an end user would pay | Sellers who need a quick, certain sale |
| Commercial vehicle auction | On the next sale date | Bidders, above any reserve you set | The auction’s fees, and the chance the truck doesn’t reach its reserve | Trucks with wide trade appeal, and fleets |
| Online marketplace such as The Commercial Trader | Depends on the price and demand | You | A listing fee, and time spent answering enquiries and arranging viewings | Sellers who want to set the price and deal with buyers directly |
| Part-exchange | On the day you take the replacement | The dealer | A trade-in value set against the new vehicle’s price | Operators replacing one truck with another |
Truck buying companies usually advertise quick valuations, collection and payment by bank transfer, and some will buy non-runners or settle outstanding finance as part of the deal. Ask at least three for a written offer, and check whether collection is included, because the headline offer isn’t always what you’ll receive.
Knowing where buyers look for used HGVs helps you decide where to sell. Dealers, auctions and marketplaces each reach different buyers, from hauliers replacing trucks to small operators and exporters, so trying more than one route can widen your pool of buyers. Check an auction’s entry terms before you advertise a truck elsewhere too, and take other adverts down once you accept an offer.
What’s the fastest way to sell a truck?
A truck buyer or dealer is usually the fastest way to sell a truck, because they can value it, collect it and pay without waiting for a buyer to come along. Listing the truck yourself or putting it into an auction can bring a better price but takes longer.
If speed matters most, get offers from at least three truck buyers or dealers before you accept one. Whichever route you choose, five things speed up a truck sale:
- Have the V5C, the annual test history, the plating certificate and the service records ready before you advertise.
- If there’s finance on the truck, ask the lender for a settlement figure so buyers know where they stand.
- Clean the truck and photograph it properly: all four sides, the cab, the odometer, the tyres, the body and any damage.
- Price it against similar trucks for sale, matching the make, model, age, mileage and body as closely as you can.
- Have answers ready for the questions buyers ask, such as the Euro standard, the Direct Vision Standard star rating, when the annual test runs out and whether there’s a tail lift.
Buyers check the paperwork, the history and the truck itself before they pay, so a seller with the answers ready saves time on every enquiry. The Commercial Trader’s guide to what buyers check on a used HGV shows what they’ll look at.
How do you sell a whole fleet of HGVs?
You can sell a fleet of HGVs to one buyer for the whole lot, through an auction held on your site or online, by inviting several buyers to tender, or by listing each truck separately. Ask for a whole-fleet price and per-truck prices, then compare what you’d net after commission, transport and preparation, because the highest headline figure isn’t always the best result.
Each option suits a different kind of fleet sale:
- One buyer for the whole fleet. Selling to one buyer is the quickest and simplest route, with one collection and one payment, but a buyer taking every truck will price in the risk of the weaker ones.
- An auction. The auction house photographs and markets the trucks, runs the sale and manages collection, which suits mixed fleets and fixed deadlines, in return for its fees.
- A tender. Send the same fleet list to several dealers, fleet buyers and auctioneers with a deadline for offers, so you can compare like for like.
- Separate listings. Listing each truck usually brings more for the best ones but takes the most time, so some sellers list their best trucks individually and sell the rest as one lot.
Whichever route you use, send buyers a fleet list with one line per truck. Include the registration, make and model, year, mileage, Euro standard, body type, axle configuration, gross vehicle weight, annual test expiry, Direct Vision Standard star rating, condition notes and whether there’s finance to settle.
If your fleet includes trailers, list them in The Commercial Trader’s used trailers section too.
How do you work out what your truck is worth?
Your truck is worth what buyers will pay for it now, so compare it with similar trucks for sale and get offers rather than relying on one figure. Match the make, model, age, mileage, Euro standard and body as closely as you can, because each of those moves the price.
Start with the asking prices of similar trucks among the used trucks for sale on The Commercial Trader, such as used tractor units, used tipper trucks or used curtain-side trucks. Asking prices aren’t selling prices, so treat them as a guide and set them against the offers you get from dealers, truck buyers and auctions.
Several things make a used truck easier to sell, or worth more to the right buyer:
- Euro VI. In London’s Low Emission Zone, a lorry over 3.5 tonnes that doesn’t meet Euro VI pays £100 a day if it meets Euro IV for particulates, or £300 a day if it doesn’t, so Euro VI trucks appeal to buyers who work in London.
- A Direct Vision Standard permit. Lorries over 12 tonnes need a free HGV safety permit to drive in Greater London, and since 28 October 2024 that has meant a three-star rating or fitting the Progressive Safe System, a set of extra mirrors, cameras, sensors and warnings.
- Time left on the annual test. A buyer can put a truck with months of test remaining straight to work.
- Full service and inspection records. Records back up the mileage and condition you’re describing.
- Tyres, body and tail lift in good order. Buyers price in anything they’ll have to replace before the truck can work.
What paperwork do you need to sell a truck?
To sell a truck, you’ll need the V5C registration certificate, the annual test history, the plating certificate, the service and inspection records, and a finance settlement letter if there was money owing. The Commercial Trader’s guide to the paperwork you need to sell a used HGV explains what each document is for and how to hand it over.
Buyers can look up a truck’s annual test history themselves on GOV.UK’s MOT history service, which covers HGV and trailer tests since 2018. The plating certificate shows the truck’s gross, train and axle weights, its dimensions and its tyre details, so keep it with the truck.
What do you need to tell DVLA and the traffic commissioner?
When you sell a truck, you need to tell DVLA, remove the truck from your goods vehicle operator’s licence if it’s on one, and download its tachograph data. DVLA cancels the vehicle tax once it knows the truck has been sold, and refunds any full months left automatically.
How you tell DVLA depends on who’s buying the truck:
| Who’s buying | What you do |
|---|---|
| A person or a business | Give the buyer the green new keeper slip from the V5C, then tell DVLA online using the V5C’s 11-digit reference number, or post the V5C to DVLA. |
| A motor trader | Tell DVLA online and destroy the yellow section of the V5C, or have the trader fill in the yellow section, then post it to DVLA yourself. |
Vehicle tax doesn’t pass to the buyer of a truck. DVLA cancels it when you tell DVLA about the sale and sends you a refund for any full months left.
If the truck is on your goods vehicle operator’s licence, remove it in your Vehicle Operator Licensing (VOL) account, which is free, as GOV.UK’s operator licensing guide explains. In Great Britain, regulation 28 of the operator licensing regulations requires you to tell the traffic commissioner within 21 days of when you stop using the truck, and to return the licence and the truck’s disc. The buyer can’t add the truck to their own operator’s licence while it’s still on yours, under section 5 of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995.
If the truck has a digital or smart tachograph, GOV.UK’s rules for operators say you must download the vehicle unit data immediately before someone else takes control of it. Download it just before the buyer collects the truck. You can also lock out with your company card, the tachograph card issued to your business, which ends your company’s lock on the tachograph’s data.
How do you get paid safely when you sell a truck?
Get paid in full, in cleared funds, before you hand over the keys or the V5C new keeper slip. For a large sum, ask the buyer to pay by CHAPS, because a CHAPS payment arrives the same working day and can’t be reversed once it’s been sent.
Faster Payments, the system behind most online bank transfers, has a scheme limit of £1 million, but banks set their own limits, often far lower, so a buyer paying for a truck may need to use CHAPS instead.
A few simple checks protect you from payment scams when you sell a truck:
- Log in to your own banking app to check the money has arrived, rather than trusting a screenshot, email or text.
- Don’t accept a payment for more than the price with a request to send back the difference.
- Don’t let the truck go on a promise to pay later.
- Give the buyer a written invoice or bill of sale with the registration, VIN, mileage, price and date, and keep a copy.
Do you charge VAT when you sell a used truck?
Yes, if you’re VAT registered and you could reclaim some or all of the VAT when you bought the truck, you charge VAT on the full selling price, as VAT Notice 700/64 explains. The second-hand margin scheme only applies where no VAT was charged when the truck was bought, such as a truck bought from a private seller.
If you’re not VAT registered, there’s no VAT to add to the price. If you are, say clearly whether your asking price and any offer you accept include VAT, because a price that doesn’t mention VAT is treated as including it, so the VAT comes out of what you’re paid. Check with your accountant if you’re unsure which rule applies.
How do you sell a truck or a fleet on The Commercial Trader?
To sell a truck on The Commercial Trader, list your truck for sale in the category that fits it, such as Tractor Trucks, Tipper Trucks or Curtain Side Trucks, with the details and photos buyers look for. Buyers send enquiries through a form on the listing that goes straight to you, so you agree the price, viewing and collection with them directly.
A good truck listing on The Commercial Trader includes:
- The make, model, year and mileage
- The Euro standard, body type and axle configuration
- The gross vehicle weight, and the Direct Vision Standard star rating if it’s over 12 tonnes
- When the annual test runs out, and the service history
- The price, and where the truck can be viewed
- Clear photos of all four sides, the cab, the odometer, the tyres, the body and any damage
The Commercial Trader’s Help page explains how selling on The Commercial Trader works. Listings on The Commercial Trader carry no commission, and boosted listings appear at the top of results for more visibility.
If you’re selling a fleet, ask The Commercial Trader about a plan for multiple listings, and its team can help upload your stock. Fill in the advertise form on the homepage and the team will be in touch within 48 hours to arrange it.
Ready to sell? List your truck for sale on The Commercial Trader, or browse the used trucks for sale to see what similar trucks are advertised for.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can you sell a used truck?
A truck buying company or dealer can often value, collect and pay for a truck within days. An auction depends on its next sale date, and a listing depends on your price and how many buyers want that kind of truck. Having the V5C, test history and service records ready is the easiest way to speed up any truck sale.
Can you sell a truck with finance outstanding?
You can sell a truck with finance outstanding, but the finance has to be settled before or as part of the sale. On hire purchase, the finance company owns the truck until the last payment, and a leased truck isn’t yours to sell at all. Ask your lender for a settlement figure, tell buyers upfront, and expect them to run a finance check before they pay.
Do you need a current annual test to sell an HGV?
You can sell an HGV without a current annual test, but it’s easier to sell with time left on the test, because the buyer can put it to work straight away. The Commercial Trader’s guide to the paperwork you need to sell a used HGV covers the annual test and the other documents buyers expect.
What happens to the vehicle tax when you sell a truck?
DVLA cancels the vehicle tax as soon as you tell it you’ve sold the truck, and refunds any full months left automatically. The tax doesn’t pass to the buyer, so they’ll need to tax the truck before they drive it.
Do you have to take a sold truck off your operator’s licence?
Yes, in Great Britain a sold truck has to come off your goods vehicle operator’s licence. Remove it in your Vehicle Operator Licensing account, which is free, within 21 days of when you stop using it. The buyer can’t add the truck to their own operator’s licence until you’ve removed it from yours.
Is it better to sell a fleet in one go or truck by truck?
Whether to sell a fleet in one go or truck by truck depends on the mix of trucks and how quickly you need the sale done. Selling the whole fleet to one buyer is quickest, while selling each truck separately can bring more for the best ones. Get both prices and compare what you’d net after fees, transport and preparation.
Can you list a whole fleet on The Commercial Trader?
Yes, you can list a whole fleet of trucks on The Commercial Trader, with each truck in its own listing in the right category. Ask about a plan for multiple listings, and The Commercial Trader’s team can help upload your stock. Buyers’ enquiries come straight to you, so you deal with each buyer directly.
