The best time to buy a forklift is a few months before your busiest period, so it is delivered, checked and in the hands of trained operators before the rush. If you want the tax deduction this financial year, the forklift must be first used or installed ready for use by 30 June. Order in April or May rather than late June. The same timing applies to loaders, excavators and other machinery.
EOFY and the 30 June deadline for a forklift
The end of the financial year matters because of when a deduction can be claimed. A business can claim depreciation, or an instant write-off, only from the year the forklift is first used or installed ready for use. If delivery slips past 30 June, the deduction moves to the next financial year.
The $20,000 instant asset write-off is permanent from 1 July 2026 for businesses with aggregated turnover under $10 million that use the simplified depreciation rules. It applies to each asset costing less than $20,000, new or second-hand, and GST-registered buyers test the limit on the price without GST.
Most new counterbalance forklifts cost more than $20,000, so the forklift itself usually goes into the small business pool. Assets in the pool are depreciated at 15% in the first year and 30% after that. Attachments and smaller items under the limit, such as a pallet jack or fork extensions, can still be written off straight away. Ask your accountant how this applies to you.
Order early: June is the busiest month for deliveries
Forklift deliveries bunch up before 30 June, because many businesses buy at the same time. Talk to your dealer in April or May if you want a forklift working before the deadline, and get the delivery date in writing.
Lead time depends on stock. A forklift with a standard mast may already be in the yard. One with a higher mast, a side shifter or a special attachment can take weeks longer to arrive by container. DJJ Equipment brings stock into its branches in NSW, QLD and WA. Its busiest month on record was April 2026, with more than 80 equipment orders as buyers planned ahead of 30 June.
Every forklift DJJ delivers is inspected, function-tested and cleaned first, so allow a day or two for that in your timeline.
Buy a forklift before your own peak
The season that matters most is your own. A warehouse or online retailer that peaks for Black Friday and Christmas needs extra forklifts working by October. A business that ships most of its stock before 30 June needs its forklifts in place by autumn. Buying in your quiet months gives you time to compare quotes, train operators and fix any teething problems.
If the extra demand lasts only a few weeks, hiring may suit better than buying. Short-term hire covers seasonal peaks and breakdowns, and hire usually beats buying when the need lasts only weeks or months.
There is no reliable Australian data showing that forklift prices fall in a particular month. Ask for quotes when you have time to compare them, rather than waiting for a season that may not bring a lower price.
How finance changes the tax timing
The way you pay changes how GST and depreciation work. With a chattel mortgage or hire purchase, you own the forklift from the start, so you can usually claim the full GST credit up front and depreciate it yourself. With a lease, the financier owns the forklift, GST is claimed payment by payment, and you claim the lease payments rather than depreciation or the instant write-off.
Diesel and LPG used in forklifts off public roads can also earn fuel tax credits, at rates the ATO updates through the year. Compare equipment finance options with your accountant before 30 June, not after.
Buying a used forklift
A used forklift can save money, but its condition matters more than the date you buy it. Before you pay:
- Search the serial number on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) for money owing; it costs $2 online
- Check the mast, chains and forks for wear and cracks, especially at the heel of each fork
- Check the tyres, brakes and steering, and the LPG system or battery health
- Compare the hour meter with the service records, and have a qualified mechanic inspect the truck
- Ask a business seller for known faults, which they must disclose for second-hand plant under WHS law
Auctions and online sales need extra care. Major auction houses charge buyers a fee, often around 8.5% of the winning bid plus GST, and GST applies to the hammer price only if the seller charges it. Be wary of sellers who won't let you inspect a machine or who ask for a deposit by bank transfer. The ACCC has warned that heavy machinery is a common target for scams.
Buying from an established dealer also brings the consumer guarantees, which cover products bought for business use that cost less than $100,000 including GST.
CeMAT and other shows in 2027
A trade show is a good time to compare forklifts side by side. CeMAT Australia, the main materials handling show, runs at Sydney Showground on 27-29 July 2027. Take quotes home and check delivery dates before you sign, because a forklift ordered at a show in July still has to arrive before your peak.
For earthmoving and farm machinery, look at these 2027 shows:
- National Diesel Dirt and Turf Expo, Eastern Creek NSW, 16-18 April 2027
- FarmFest, near Toowoomba QLD, 1-3 June 2027
- AgQuip, Gunnedah NSW, 17-19 August 2027
- Dowerin Field Days, WA Wheatbelt, 25-26 August 2027
Timing for loaders, excavators and farm machinery
For wheel loaders, excavators and other machinery, the same rules apply. Work back from when the machine must be working, and allow for the 30 June deadline if the deduction matters. Farms follow the crop. In much of southern Australia, winter crops are sown from autumn into June and harvested from about October into summer. Many farm businesses review machinery after harvest, once yields and prices are known.
In northern Australia, the wet season runs from about October or November to April, so plan deliveries and site work for the dry months. On a construction project, get the machine on site before the job starts rather than buying in a hurry once it has.
Planning your next forklift purchase
Work back from the date you need the forklift working, and allow for stock, delivery, inspection and operator training. Add the 30 June deadline if the tax deduction matters this year. DJJ sells Hangcha forklifts from Silverwater, Meadowbrook and Bayswater, with finance, hire and rent to own, as well as LGMA wheel loaders and Yuchai excavators and skid steers. Call 1800 355 388 with what you need and when.
