Finance Assets arranges hire purchase and leasing for UK businesses buying office printers and copiers, wide-format printers, desktop publishing systems, photographic mini labs and photography studio equipment.
Print and imaging equipment finance spreads the cost over 3 to 5 years, so you can upgrade an office print fleet, add a wide-format printer or refit a photo lab without a large cash outlay. We are a broker, not a lender, so we compare quotes from our lender panel rather than offering one bank’s product.
Written by Marcus Wright, founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, in financial services since 2008 and a commercial finance broker since 2019. Last reviewed October 2026.
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The short version
- Print and imaging equipment finance usually runs over 3 to 5 years.
- Office printers are usually leased, with a separate service contract covering toner and repairs.
- Wide-format printers, mini labs and studio equipment are often bought on hire purchase so the business owns them.
- Software, installation and training can usually be included alongside the equipment, up to a limit.
- Finance Assets arranges this finance for limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Equipment covered | Office printers and multifunction devices, wide-format printers and plotters, desktop publishing systems, photographic mini labs and studio equipment |
| Terms | Usually 3 to 5 years |
| Paid upfront | Leases: usually 1 to 3 rentals in advance. Hire purchase: often a 10% deposit plus VAT |
| New or used | Mostly new. Used wide-format printers, mini labs and camera equipment from established dealers can be funded |
| Extra costs | RIP and design software, installation, colour calibration and training can often be included |
| Who we help | Limited companies and LLPs, plus sole traders and partnerships on business agreements over £25,000 |
Print and imaging equipment we finance
Each main type of equipment is covered in its own section below. Commercial printers buying presses and finishing equipment should see our printing press finance guide instead.
| Equipment | Typical buyers | Usual finance |
|---|---|---|
| Office printers and copiers | Offices, schools, practices and print rooms | Finance lease or operating lease, with a separate service contract |
| Wide-format printers and plotters | Sign makers, architects, engineers and reprographics | Hire purchase or finance lease |
| Desktop publishing systems | Design studios, publishers, marketing teams and printers’ prepress | Finance lease or hire purchase |
| Photographic mini labs | Photo retailers, school and event photographers, and pharmacies | Hire purchase or finance lease |
| Photography studio equipment | Commercial, product and portrait photographers | Hire purchase |
Office printer and copier finance
Office printers and multifunction devices, which print, copy and scan, are among the most commonly leased equipment in the UK. Most are supplied by a dealer on a lease, with a separate service contract.
- Lease and service are separate. The lease pays for the machine. The service contract, usually charged per page printed, covers toner, parts and engineer visits. Check both before you sign.
- Typical terms. Office print leases commonly run for 3 to 5 years. A longer term lowers the payment but ties you in for longer.
- Upgrades during the term. Dealers often offer an upgrade before a lease ends by settling the old lease into a new one. That can be useful, but check how much of the old balance is being added to the new agreement.
- Whole fleets. Several devices across different sites, plus print management software, can be funded on one agreement.
- Production print rooms. Higher-volume colour devices for in-house print rooms and reprographics can also be funded this way.
We regularly see devices from Canon, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Xerox, Kyocera, Sharp and HP.
Wide-format printer and plotter finance
Wide-format printers produce plans, posters, banners, signs, vehicle graphics and canvas prints. For sign makers and print shops, they are the main earning equipment.
- Technical plotters. CAD and GIS plotters for architects, engineers and surveyors, often with an integrated scanner.
- Graphics and signage printers. Eco-solvent, latex, UV and dye-sublimation printers for signs, displays, textiles and wraps.
- Print and cut. The printer, vinyl cutter, flatbed cutter, laminator and RIP software can go on one agreement as a complete set-up.
- Used equipment. Used printers from established dealers can be funded, usually on shorter terms.
We regularly see wide-format equipment from HP, Canon, Epson, Roland and Mimaki.
Desktop publishing system finance
Desktop publishing systems are the computers, screens and software used to design and lay out printed and digital work, from brochures to books.
- What is covered. Design workstations, colour-accurate monitors, calibration tools, proofing printers and prepress servers.
- Software. Perpetual licences and workflow or RIP software bought with the hardware can usually be included. Monthly subscriptions, such as design software plans, are normally paid separately.
- Prepress for printers. Printers upgrading prepress alongside a press can fund both together. See our printing press finance guide.
For general office computers, servers and networking, see our IT equipment finance guide.
Photographic mini lab finance
Photographic mini labs print photos on site. Most are now dry labs using inkjet or dye-sublimation, which are smaller and cleaner than the older chemical labs.
- What is covered. Dry mini labs, order kiosks, dye-sublimation printers, photo book makers, cutters and the software that links them.
- Who buys them. Photo retailers, pharmacies, school and nursery photographers, event and sports photographers, and visitor attractions selling souvenir photos.
- Consumables. Paper and ink are an ongoing cost, so compare the cost per print alongside the finance payment.
- Seasonal trade. School and event photographers have busy seasons. Some lenders can match payments to those peaks.
We regularly see mini labs and printers from Fujifilm, Noritsu, Epson, DNP and Mitsubishi.
Photography studio equipment finance
Commercial, product and portrait studios can finance the cameras, lenses and lighting they earn from.
- What is covered. Professional camera bodies, lenses, studio flash and LED lighting, product photography tables, backgrounds and editing workstations.
- Resale value. Professional lenses and lighting hold their value well, which helps lenders, including on used equipment from established dealers.
- Video kit. Studios moving into video can fund cameras and lighting together. Production companies buying cinema cameras, recording and editing equipment should see our audio-visual and broadcast equipment finance guide.
Leasing and hire purchase compared
Leasing is the usual choice for office printers. Hire purchase suits equipment you will keep and earn from, such as a wide-format printer or mini lab. Our types of asset finance guide covers each option in more depth.
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | You pay a deposit and fixed monthly payments, and own the equipment after the final payment and any option fee | Wide-format printers, mini labs and studio equipment |
| Finance lease | You rent the equipment for most of its working life. At the end you extend at a low rent, or sell it for the lender and keep most of the proceeds | Office print fleets and desktop publishing systems |
| Operating lease | You rent the equipment for part of its life, then hand it back or upgrade | Office printers replaced on a regular cycle |
Hire purchase for print and imaging equipment
You pay a deposit, usually 10% plus the VAT, then fixed monthly payments, and ownership passes to you after the final payment and a small option-to-purchase fee. As the owner for tax purposes, the business may be able to claim capital allowances on the equipment.
Finance lease for print and imaging equipment
A finance lease keeps the upfront cost to a few rentals, and VAT is spread across the rentals rather than paid at the start. The lender owns the equipment throughout. At the end of the main term you can keep using it for a low secondary rent, or sell it on the lender’s behalf and receive most of the sale proceeds.
Operating lease for print and imaging equipment
An operating lease sets the rentals against what the equipment is expected to be worth at the end of the term, so the lender carries the resale risk. It suits office devices you plan to replace on a set cycle. At the end you hand them back, extend the lease or upgrade.
Print equipment finance costs: a worked example
A £55,000 sign shop set-up, with a wide-format printer, a cutter, a laminator and RIP software, costs about £1,574 a month on a 3-year hire purchase, or about £1,232 a month over 4 years.
| Item | 3 years | 4 years |
|---|---|---|
| Price (excl. VAT) | £55,000 | £55,000 |
| Deposit (10%) | £5,500 | £5,500 |
| VAT paid upfront | £11,000 | £11,000 |
| Monthly payment | £1,574.09 | £1,231.81 |
| Total interest | £7,167 | £9,627 |
The longer term lowers the monthly payment by about £342 but adds around £2,460 of interest. Compare the payment with the jobs the new equipment lets you bring in house or take on.
Illustration calculated in October 2026, assuming an interest rate of 9% a year. It is not a quote. Your rate depends on your trading history, credit profile and the equipment.
VAT and tax on print and imaging equipment finance
| Option | VAT | Usual tax treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | Paid on the full price at the start, reclaimable if you are VAT registered | You may be able to claim capital allowances, such as the Annual Investment Allowance, and the interest is deductible |
| Finance lease | Added to each rental | Rentals are usually deductible |
| Operating lease | Added to each rental | Rentals are usually deductible |
Schools, charities and practices that cannot reclaim all their VAT often prefer a lease so the VAT is spread across the rentals. Check the treatment with your accountant.
What lenders ask for
Most print and imaging equipment finance applications need the following.
- Your last 2 years of filed accounts, or management accounts and a forecast if you are newer
- Your last 3 to 6 months of business bank statements
- A quote from the supplier showing the equipment, software, installation and any service contract separately
- Photo ID and address history for each director, member or partner
- Details of any existing finance agreements, including any print lease you want to settle
Related guides
- Asset finance for photography studios
- Printing press finance, for commercial printers and print finishing
- Audio-visual and broadcast equipment finance, for video cameras, recording and editing
- IT equipment finance, including document scanners
- Office furniture and fit-out finance
- All sectors we finance
- Types of asset finance
Who we can help
We arrange print and imaging equipment finance for UK limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000 that are for business purposes. We are not authorised by the FCA, so we cannot arrange agreements of £25,000 or less for sole traders or partnerships of two or three partners, or finance for personal use.
Print and imaging equipment finance FAQs
Is it better to lease or buy an office printer?
Most businesses lease office printers, because a lease keeps the upfront cost low and makes it easy to upgrade. Buying on hire purchase suits a business that wants to keep the machine for its full life. Either way, compare the service contract separately from the finance.
Can I get out of an existing copier lease early?
Usually, by paying a settlement figure to the lender. Dealers often roll that settlement into a new lease when you upgrade. Ask for the settlement figure in writing so you can see how much is being added to the new agreement.
How much does it cost to finance a wide-format printer?
It depends on the equipment, the term and your business. As an illustration, a £55,000 set-up with a printer, cutter, laminator and software costs about £1,574 a month over 3 years on hire purchase at 9%, after a 10% deposit and the VAT paid upfront, or about £1,232 a month over 4 years.
Can software be included?
Usually, yes, up to a limit. RIP software, workflow software and perpetual licences bought with the hardware can normally be included. Monthly software subscriptions are usually paid separately.
Can I finance a photo mini lab?
Yes. Dry mini labs, kiosks, dye-sublimation printers and photo book equipment can be funded together, new or used. Photographers with seasonal trade can sometimes match payments to their busy periods.
Can I finance camera and studio equipment?
Yes. Professional cameras, lenses and studio lighting are funded on hire purchase or leasing, and used equipment from established dealers can be included.
Get a print and imaging finance quote
Tell us what you want to finance
Send us the equipment, the price and a few details about your business. We will come back with the options that are realistic and what they are likely to cost.
About the author
Marcus Wright is the owner and founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, which trades as Finance Assets. He has worked in financial services since 2008, beginning his career at Santander, and has been a commercial finance broker since March 2019.
He founded Bolton Business Finance in 2020 to give businesses access to the whole lending market rather than one bank’s own product range. The firm is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and works with a panel of 135+ lenders. Call 0161 546 9128.
Finance Assets is a trading name of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, an independent commercial finance brokerage, not a lender. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. All lending is for business purposes only. Registered address: Westgate House, 1 Westgate Avenue, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 4RF. Company number 12495909.