How Much Does It Cost to Run a Used Truck in the UK? Real Figures, Not Guesswork

Most used trucks in the UK cost between £10,000 and £75,000 a year to keep on the road before driver wages, finance or depreciation, depending mainly on weight, annual mileage, fuel economy and where you operate. For a typical used 18-tonne rigid doing 30,000 miles a year, realistic annual running costs are about £27,000 to £39,000; a used 7.5-tonner doing 15,000 miles is more likely £10,000 to £15,000, while a used 44-tonne artic can push past £60,000. Fuel is usually the largest single cost, often making up more than half of the annual total.

If you are still comparing trucks, it is worth reading our guide to buying a used truck in the UK before you start budgeting, because the purchase decision heavily influences every running cost that follows.

What Counts as a Truck Running Cost?

When UK operators talk about truck running costs, they usually mean the direct costs of keeping a vehicle legal, safe and moving. That includes:

• Diesel or alternative fuel
• HGV insurance
• Vehicle Excise Duty, usually called road tax or VED
• MOT/annual test fees
• Routine servicing and repairs
• Tyres and brakes
• Preventive maintenance inspections, known in the trade as PMIs
• AdBlue
• Tachograph checks and calibration
• Operator licence compliance costs
• Parking, washing and road user charges

It does not usually include the driver’s wage, the purchase price, finance interest, depreciation or office overheads. Those matter, but they sit outside basic running costs. If you are VAT-registered and the truck is used for business, you can normally reclaim VAT on fuel, servicing, tyres and certain other costs, which reduces the effective cash outflow on those items by roughly 20%.

How Much Does Fuel Cost for a Used Truck?

Fuel is the biggest line item for almost every used truck in the UK. Diesel prices move constantly, but using £1.50 per litre as a realistic working figure gives a clear picture.

The formula is simple:

Annual fuel cost = annual miles ÷ mpg × 4.546 × diesel price per litre

That is because 1 UK gallon is 4.546 litres, and trucks are still usually talked about in miles per gallon.

Realistic fuel consumption depends heavily on weight:

• A used 7.5-tonne rigid often does 12 to 15 mpg
• A used 18-tonne rigid typically does 8 to 11 mpg depending on load, routes and driving style
• A used 44-tonne artic at full gross weight may only do 6 to 8 mpg

A used 18-tonne rigid doing 30,000 miles a year at 10 mpg will use about 13,638 litres of diesel. At £1.50 per litre, that is roughly £20,500 a year. A 7.5-tonner doing 15,000 miles at 14 mpg uses about 4,870 litres, which is around £7,300. A 44-tonne artic doing 50,000 miles at 7 mpg can burn around £48,700 of diesel a year.

That is why fuel economy is not a minor detail. Even a small improvement in mpg can save thousands of pounds annually on a heavier truck.

How Much Are Truck Insurance and Tax in the UK?

Insurance and road tax are not the biggest costs, but they are fixed enough to matter from day one.

Truck insurance

Truck insurance is very different from car insurance. Underwriters look at the vehicle weight, the goods carried, the operating radius, the driver’s age and experience, the overnight parking location, security devices and the claims history.

For a used 18-tonne rigid operated by an experienced driver with a clean record, a realistic annual premium is often £2,500 to £5,000. A new venture or a younger driver can easily be quoted more. A used 44-tonne artic is more likely to cost £6,000 to £10,000 a year to insure. A smaller 7.5-tonner used locally may come in at £1,200 to £2,500.

These are not fixed quotes. Insurance prices vary sharply by postcode, so a truck parked overnight in Greater Manchester, Birmingham or parts of London may cost more than one kept in a secure yard in rural Lincolnshire or Scotland. You also need to decide whether the policy covers road risk only, or also includes goods in transit, public liability and accidental damage.

Truck road tax and VED

HGV road tax is not based on CO2 like car tax. It is based on the vehicle’s weight, axle configuration and Euro emissions standard. You pay VED to the DVLA, and the taxation class is shown on the V5C logbook.

A smaller 7.5-tonne rigid may fall into a lower band costing roughly £165 to £250 a year. An 18-tonne rigid is usually higher, often somewhere in the £350 to £650 range, while a 44-tonne artic can be £650 to £1,200 or more depending on its Euro class and axle layout. Always check the exact band on GOV.UK or through the DVLA before committing, because the wrong assumption can leave you short on a standing cost.

If the truck is older and not Euro VI, clean air zones can add daily charges in cities such as Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Bradford, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside. London has its own Low Emission Zone and Direct Vision Standard requirements for heavier trucks, so older vehicles working inside the M25 can face significant extra cost.

Maintenance, Servicing, Tyres and PMIs

Maintenance is where used truck costs often surprise buyers. A car service plan is not a useful reference point. HGVs are worked hard, and braking components, suspension, steering joints, tyres and exhaust after-treatment systems are all expensive.

For a used 18-tonner covering 30,000 miles a year, a realistic annual maintenance, servicing and tyre budget is £4,000 to £8,000. A 44-tonne artic can easily need £10,000 to £15,000 a year once tyres, brakes, scheduled servicing and unexpected repairs are included. A 7.5-tonner is cheaper, but still much more expensive than a car, typically £1,500 to £3,000 a year.

Truck tyres are a major cost. A common 295/80R22.5 tyre can cost £250 to £350 fitted, and a six-tyre rigid can therefore need £1,500 to £2,100 for a full set. Drive-axle tyres wear faster than steer tyres, especially on urban delivery work with constant stop-start driving and tight manoeuvring.

Most operators running vehicles over 3.5 tonnes also carry out preventive maintenance inspections every 6 to 12 weeks. A PMI might cost £50 to £150 per inspection, plus any rectification work. Skipping PMIs to save money is a false economy because defects found at the roadside can lead to prohibitions, fines and reputational damage with the Traffic Commissioner.

If you are buying, ask to see the service records before you sign anything. Our guide on how to check a used truck’s service history before buying explains what to look for.

MOT, Operator Licence and Other Legal Costs

Goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes need an annual test rather than a standard car MOT. This is often called the HGV annual test, and the test fee is usually around £150 to £250 depending on vehicle type and testing station. That does not include preparation, repairs or the cost of taking the vehicle off the road if it fails.

If you use trucks over 3.5 tonnes for hire or reward, you also need a goods vehicle operator licence. The application fee is around £260, with a continuation fee every five years. You must also prove financial standing. At the time of writing, the standard national licence requires around £8,000 for the first vehicle and about £4,500 for each additional vehicle, though this figure changes. The financial standing is not a running cost in the same way as diesel, but it ties up money that cannot be spent elsewhere.

Tachographs are another UK-specific cost. Digital tachographs need calibration checks every two years, which usually costs around £50 to £100 at an approved centre. Driver cards, downloading equipment and software may add a little more.

Before you buy any used truck, run an HPI check and make sure the number plate, VIN and chassis details match the V5C logbook. The cost of a history check is small compared with uncovering a stolen vehicle, outstanding finance or a hidden write-off after purchase.

Other Running Costs People Forget

Beyond fuel, insurance, tax and maintenance, there are several smaller costs that add up quickly.

• AdBlue: An 18-tonner may use AdBlue at around 3% to 5% of diesel consumption, often £300 to £500 a year at 30,000 miles.
• Clean air zone and London charges: Older non-Euro VI trucks entering London, Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Bradford, Portsmouth, Sheffield or Tyneside may pay daily charges. In London, the Direct Vision Standard may also require a safety permit for trucks over 12 tonnes.
• Parking: Secure HGV parking in urban areas can cost £200 to £500 a month. Rural yards are cheaper, but you still need somewhere legal to park a large vehicle overnight.
• Breakdown cover: HGV roadside assistance is more expensive than car cover, often £300 to £800 a year depending on the level of cover and recovery radius.
• Telematics and compliance software: If you use telematics for fuel monitoring or tachograph compliance, expect around £15 to £30 per vehicle per month.
• Washing and presentation: A commercial truck used for deliveries or contract work needs regular washing, especially in winter when salt and road grime build up.

None of these are dramatic on their own, but together they can add £1,500 to £4,000 a year on a working truck.

What’s the Total Cost of Running a Used Truck in the UK?

The table below gives realistic worked examples. They are not quotes, but they are close enough for budgeting. The figures assume diesel at £1.50 per litre, no finance, no driver wages, no major breakdowns and no significant depreciation.

Cost area	7.5t rigid, 15,000 miles	18t rigid, 30,000 miles	44t artic, 50,000 miles
Diesel	£7,000 – £8,500	£19,000 – £22,000	£42,000 – £48,000
Insurance	£1,200 – £2,500	£3,000 – £7,000	£6,000 – £10,000
VED road tax	£165 – £250	£350 – £650	£650 – £1,200
Maintenance, tyres and brakes	£1,500 – £3,000	£4,000 – £8,000	£10,000 – £15,000
MOT, PMI, operator licence, tacho	£500 – £1,000	£1,200 – £2,500	£2,000 – £3,500
Annual total estimate	£10,500 – £15,000	£27,500 – £39,000	£61,000 – £77,000

A used 7.5-tonne rigid is usually the cheapest truck to run, but a 44-tonne artic can easily cost three to five times as much per year. If you operate in London or chargeable clean air zones, add those charges on top. If you employ a driver rather than driving yourself, add £30,000 to £45,000 a year for wages, National Insurance and pension contributions depending on location and shift pattern.

How to Keep Used Truck Running Costs Down

There is no magic trick, but the right decisions before and after buying can make a real difference.

1. Buy on condition and service history, not just price. A cheaper truck with missed maintenance can cost far more in the first year than a dearer one with full records.
2. Run an HPI check before buying. It protects you from hidden finance, theft and write-off risks.
3. Choose Euro VI where possible. Euro VI trucks avoid many clean air zone charges and usually hold their value better.
4. Compare specialist HGV insurance. Do not rely on car insurers; use brokers who understand truck operations, overnight parking and fleet use.
5. Use telematics to monitor fuel economy. Hard acceleration, idling and poor route planning all push diesel costs up.
6. Do not skip PMIs or annual test preparation. Preventative work is cheaper than roadside prohibitions and emergency repairs.
7. Check the vehicle weight and licence requirements before buying. If you need a different HGV category, that affects who can legally drive it and the insurance cost. See our guide to truck licence categories in the UK.

Is a Used Truck Worth the Running Costs?

For many UK businesses, yes, but only if the work genuinely needs the vehicle. The mistake is comparing a used truck to a used car and assuming running costs will be similar. They are not.

Before buying, work out your expected annual mileage, get realistic insurance quotes, check the VED band and Euro class, and assume maintenance will cost more than you first expect. If the numbers still work after that, a good used truck with a verified history can earn its keep.

For more practical truck advice, browse the TopSellUKCars blog or start with our guide to buying a used truck in the UK.