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Driving schools · Ireland
Driving school
business loans.
A driving school's biggest cost is its cars: dual-control vehicles that wear out fast and need replacing, plus insurance, fuel and instructor wages every week. Growing means another instructor and another car — paid for before the first lesson is booked. We help Irish driving schools compare vehicle finance, merchant cash advances and term loans through specialist lenders.
Vehicle and equipment finance
Spread the cost of the cars the school runs on — dual controls included — instead of paying for them in one go.
- Hire purchase or leasing for suitable new or used vehicles
- Dual-control cars, and finance on suitable vehicles from €10,000
- Leasing with no deposit on smaller items like simulators, signage and office kit
- A dealer or supplier quote helps us compare the options
- In some cases, loans secured on vehicles you already own can work — assessed case by case
Merchant cash advance and flexible repayment loans
If pupils pay by card or you take regular deposits, finance can work from much earlier in the business's life.
- Merchant cash advance from around 90 days trading
- Card takings of about €5,000 a month or more
- Repayments flex with your card sales — quieter weeks cost less
- Flexible repayment loans from around 9 months trading with steady deposits (about 8 a month)
- A faster option when a traditional loan isn't available yet
Term loans for growth
Fund another instructor and car, a premises or classroom for theory lessons, or a marketing push and repay on a fixed schedule.
- Unsecured term loans from €5,000 to €500,000
- From 12 months trading with one year’s accounts
- Annual turnover of €100,000 or more and a net profit
- No recent missed payments on bank statements
- Suits schools adding instructors, expanding into new areas or adding truck and bus lessons
Finance is subject to lender assessment. Unsecured term loans are not registered against property or business assets, but some lenders ask directors for a personal guarantee. Vehicle-secured loans are assessed case by case.
Why driving schools come to us
Growth means another car before another pupil
Demand for lessons is strong, but a driving school can only grow as fast as it can put cars on the road. Each instructor needs a dual-control car, insurance and fuel before the diary fills, and the cars themselves clock up hard miles and need replacing on a cycle. Many schools are sole traders or small companies, so the finance has to fit how the business actually runs.
Vehicle finance spreads the cost of dual-control cars over their working life, a merchant cash advance repays as a share of card takings, and a term loan funds an extra instructor, a classroom for theory lessons or a move into truck and bus training on a fixed schedule.
Coming from a different angle? Our asset finance page explains how vehicle and equipment funding works, the merchant cash advance page covers card-based advances, and the unsecured business loans page covers term-loan criteria in detail.
Guides for your industry
16 October 2026
How to Secure Equipment Finance in Ireland: A Guide
Table of Contents How to Secure Equipment Finance in Ireland: Step-by-Step What You'll Need Before You Apply Types of Equipment Finance Available Equipment Finance Application Requirements Documents Lenders Typically Ask
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3 November 2026
Is a Merchant Cash Advance Right for Your Irish Business?
How merchant cash advances work in Ireland: card-sales repayments, costs, eligibility from 90 days trading and the alternatives to compare before applying.
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3 November 2025
Turning Challenges into Wins: How Sole Traders Can Secure Business Term Loans
Running a small business on your own takes courage. Most sole traders I speak to are doing everything themselves, from chasing invoices to dealing with suppliers and managing tax returns. It’s no small job. When it comes
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8 November 2026
How Quickly Can SMEs Borrow Money in Ireland?
A supplier deadline, a replacement vehicle or cash tied up in invoices: find out what speeds up Irish SME finance, what to prepare and how to choose funding that fits.
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Common questions
Can I finance a dual-control car?
Yes. Vehicle finance spreads the cost of suitable new or used cars — dual controls included — over their working life, with hire purchase or leasing options on suitable vehicles from €10,000. A dealer quote helps us compare the options.
Can I borrow to add another instructor?
Yes. A term loan can cover the car, insurance and the wages gap while a new instructor's diary fills up, repaid on a fixed schedule. Vehicle finance can cover the car itself, so the two often work together.
How soon can a newer driving school get finance?
A merchant cash advance can work from around 90 days trading with card takings of about €5,000 a month or more. Flexible repayment loans can work from around 9 months with steady deposits, and unsecured term loans typically need 12 months trading with one year's accounts.
What do lenders look for?
For unsecured term loans, lenders typically want at least 12 months trading with one year's accounts, turnover of €100,000 or more, a net profit and clean recent bank statements. Limited company, Sole trader, Partnership accounts can all work.
Free to you. Lenders pay us a commission when your loan completes. How we get paid