What happens to trucks that are still financed?

Finance is either discharged at settlement from the proceeds or assumed by the buyer where the financier agrees. Either way the payout figures need to be on the table early, because they determine what you actually walk away with.

Are owner-drivers a problem in a sale?

Only where the arrangements do not hold up. Buyers examine whether contractors are genuinely independent, because misclassification carries liability that transfers to them. Properly documented arrangements are common and cause no difficulty.

Do my customers have to agree to the sale?

It depends on each contract. Many major customer agreements include change of control provisions requiring consent or allowing termination, so knowing where you stand before going to market is important.

Selling a Transport or Logistics Business in Australia

Transport and logistics businesses sell for 2.5× to 3.5× EBITDA, most often between $300,000 and $2 million, and take around 90 to 180 days. Two things decide where you land: the quality of your customer contracts and the state of your compliance record.

If you own a transport, freight or logistics business, this page covers what yours is likely worth, how compliance history affects the price, and what buyers examine before committing.

Typical multiple: 2.5× - 3.5×
Typical sale price: $300k–$2m
Time to sell: 90–180 days
Buyer demand: Moderate

What transport and logistics businesses sell for

The headline range is 2.5× - 3.5× EBITDA, but where you land inside it depends heavily on the size of the business. Larger businesses attract higher multiples, because buyers see less risk and more management depth.

Annual EBITDA	Typical multiple
Under $100k	0.8× – 1.8×
$100k – $250k	1.2× – 2.4×
$250k – $500k	1.6× – 3×
$500k – $1M	2.2× – 4×
$1M – $2.5M	3× – 5×
$2.5M – $5M	3.8× – 6.5×
$5M – $10M	5× – 8×
$10M+	6× – 10×

The multiple range here is narrower than most sectors, and that is telling. Buyers treat transport as a margin business with real regulatory exposure, so they are less willing to pay up for growth and more focused on whether the earnings are defensible and the compliance history is clean.

How long it takes to sell

Ninety to one hundred and eighty days. The time typically goes on two areas: confirming that major customer contracts will survive the change of ownership, and working through compliance and fleet condition. Where accreditation or a customer approval process is involved, that sits outside the control of either party and should be started early.

The five things buyers pay for

Long-term client contracts

Contracted work for government, national retailers or FMCG clients is the difference between the top and the bottom of the range. Buyers examine term, rate review mechanisms, volume commitments and change of control provisions. Spot work at good margins is worth considerably less than contracted work at similar margins, because it has to be won again continuously.

Fleet condition & age

Fleet age, service history and remaining useful life are assessed directly, and most fleets carry finance. Buyers want the asset register alongside the payout figures, because what looks like a substantial asset base can be heavily encumbered. Consistent maintenance records also stand as evidence of your compliance culture, which matters beyond the vehicles themselves.

Driver licences & compliance

Driver licences are held by individuals, and experienced heavy vehicle drivers are genuinely scarce. Buyers will want to know who is staying and how drivers are engaged, because the distinction between employees and owner-drivers carries real consequences for the acquirer if it has been drawn incorrectly.

Geographic routes & territories

A defined route network or territory with established backloading is worth more than the same revenue run inefficiently. Buyers assess empty running, route density and whether additional volume could be absorbed without proportionally more vehicles and drivers.

Fuel costs & efficiency

Fuel is one of your largest variable costs, so buyers look at whether rates include a fuel adjustment mechanism. Contracts with no ability to pass on fuel movements expose the buyer to margin compression they cannot control, and they are priced accordingly.

Compliance, accreditation and fleet

Heavy vehicle compliance is the first thing a serious acquirer examines, and for good reason. Chain of Responsibility obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law extend to directors and executives personally, so a buyer is taking on exposure for how the operation is run. Breach history, fatigue and work diary records, mass and dimension compliance and load restraint practices are all reviewed.

Accreditation does not simply follow the business. Where you operate under a scheme covering maintenance, mass or fatigue management, the incoming operator generally needs accreditation in their own right, and customer-specific approvals often have to be re-established. Both take time and should be sequenced into the deal rather than left to settlement.

Insurance history matters more than owners expect. Your claims record follows the operation and directly affects what the buyer will pay in premiums, which feeds straight into the earnings they are acquiring. A poor claims history reduces the price whether or not anything else about the business has changed.

What buyers will ask for

Compliance and breach history. Infringements, fatigue and work diary records, mass and load restraint practices, and any regulator correspondence.
Fleet register and finance owing. Age, condition and service history of each vehicle, with payout figures on any chattel mortgages or leases.
Customer contracts and change of control. Term, rates, volume commitments, fuel adjustment mechanisms, and whether contracts survive a sale.
Driver retention and engagement. Who is staying, licence classes held, and whether owner-drivers are correctly classified as contractors.
Insurance claims history. Claims over recent years and current premiums, since both transfer into the buyer cost base.

Common questions

Does my accreditation transfer with the business?: Generally not. The incoming operator usually needs accreditation in their own name, and customer-specific approvals often have to be re-established. It is one of the main reasons to start the regulatory side of a transport deal early.
What happens to trucks that are still financed?: Finance is either discharged at settlement from the proceeds or assumed by the buyer where the financier agrees. Either way the payout figures need to be on the table early, because they determine what you actually walk away with.
Are owner-drivers a problem in a sale?: Only where the arrangements do not hold up. Buyers examine whether contractors are genuinely independent, because misclassification carries liability that transfers to them. Properly documented arrangements are common and cause no difficulty.
Do my customers have to agree to the sale?: It depends on each contract. Many major customer agreements include change of control provisions requiring consent or allowing termination, so knowing where you stand before going to market is important.

Find out what your business is worthFree valuation tool. Five questions, indicative range.Talk to a broker confidentiallyA 30-minute strategy call. No obligation.

Other industry guides

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Before you sell

Is My Business Ready to Sell?The ten things buyers check before they make an offer, and what a strong answer looks like.
How Long Does It Take to Sell a Business?Time to sell by industry, the preparation timeline before listing, and what causes delays.
How to Sell a Business ConfidentiallyWhat actually leaks, how a confidential sale is controlled, and when to tell your team.

Last updated September 2026