How much does a semi truck cost in 2026?
How much does a semi truck cost? A used one averaged $64,367 in August 2026, ACT Research says. New sleepers at one dealer group were listed above $200,000.
Here is what a truck costs you to buy this fall, and what it costs you after that. Prices come from reports and dealer listings read at the source.
Key takeaways
- $64,367 was the average retail price of a used semi truck in August 2026. (ACT Research, 2026)
- $208,500 and $216,210 were asked for 2 new raised roof sleepers at one dealer group. (Premier Truck Group, 2026)
- 12% federal excise tax applies to the first retail sale of a new tractor. (IRS, 2026)
- 10% to 30% is the down payment range, from good credit to bad. (Bankrate, 2025)
- $2,900 a month is the average truck payment among ATBS clients. (FreightWaves, 2026)
- 1.3% a month is the average retail depreciation on a used truck so far in 2026. (J.D. Power, 2026)
I bought my first truck used in 2019. The price on the windshield is only the first number you deal with.
This guide gives you the buying price for a used and a new truck. Then it gives you the tax, the down payment, the payment and the yearly costs.
Every figure comes from a named source, read on October 10, 2026. Truck prices move every month, so check the date on any number you use.
How much does a used semi truck cost?
A used semi truck sold for $64,367 on average in August 2026, ACT Research reports. That was up 2.2% from July and 11% from a year before.
That is the retail price you would see at a dealer for a used Class 8 truck. Class 8 is the class a full size semi tractor falls in.
Prices rose while sales fell 24% in the month. ACT vice president Steve Tam said the cause was tight inventory. Dealers told him used trucks were getting hard to find.
| Marker | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average retail price, August 2026 | $64,367 | ACT Research |
| Change from August 2025 | Up 11% | ACT Research |
| Range ATBS gave for a used truck | $45,000 to $100,000 | ATBS, 2024 |
| Average age of sleepers sold at retail | About 58 months | J.D. Power, May 2026 |
Sources: ACT Research, ATBS and J.D. Power. Read October 10, 2026.
The average sits inside the range ATBS gave 2 years ago. What you pay moves with your truck's age, its miles and its service records.
How much does a new semi truck cost?
New Freightliner Cascadias were listed from $167,763 to $216,210 at one dealer group on October 10, 2026. The 2 raised roof sleepers among them were listed at $208,500 and $216,210.
| Dealer location | Truck | Cab and engine | Asking price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, Texas | 2027 Cascadia | Cab type not confirmed | $167,763 |
| Chattanooga, Tennessee | 2027 Cascadia | Cab type not confirmed | $179,800 |
| La Crosse, Wisconsin | 2027 Cascadia | 72 inch raised roof sleeper, 455 horsepower | $208,500 |
| Salem, Oregon | 2026 Cascadia | 72 inch raised roof sleeper, 455 horsepower | $216,210 |
Dealer prices on Premier Truck Group listings, read October 10, 2026. Listings change, so these are examples, not averages.
Read that table for what it is. These are asking prices from one dealer group for one brand, on one day.
I found no public source that gives an average price for a new truck. ATBS put a new truck at $125,000 to $150,000 in 2024. This month's dealer prices were above that range.
Get 3 written quotes on the spec you want. The engine, the sleeper and the options you pick move your price by tens of thousands of dollars.
What is the 12% federal excise tax on a new truck?
It is a tax of 12% of the sales price on the first retail sale of a highway tractor. The seller is liable for it (IRS Publication 510).
For example, 12% of $208,500 is $25,020. You pay that on top of the truck, unless your quote already includes it.
The tax also applies to the first retail sale of a new trailer. You do not pay it again on a used truck, because that is not a first retail sale.
Ask the dealer one thing in writing: does this price include the federal excise tax?
How much do you need for a down payment?
Plan on 10% to 15% down with good credit and up to 30% with bad credit, Bankrate says.
| Truck price | 10% down | 15% down | 30% down |
|---|---|---|---|
| $64,367, the used average | $6,437 | $9,655 | $19,310 |
| $208,500, a new sleeper listing | $20,850 | $31,275 | $62,550 |
Down payment shares from Bankrate, April 2025. The dollar amounts are simple multiplication.
The down payment is not your whole startup bill. You still need insurance, plates and cash to run on.
Add it all up in the startup cost calculator.
The owner operator requirements checklist lists the rest of what you need.
What does the truck payment come to?
The average truck payment among ATBS clients is $2,900 a month, ATBS president Todd Amen told FreightWaves. That is $34,800 a year.
Over 95,000 miles, the ATBS average for 2025, that payment costs about 37 cents on every mile.
Amen also said 34% of ATBS clients have no truck payment at all. Once your truck is paid off, you need a much lower rate to make the same money.
My article on owner operator salary after expenses shows that math.
To see what a load has to pay to cover it, read how to calculate rate per mile.
What does a semi truck cost to own after you buy it?
After the payment, maintenance and insurance are your 2 big lines. Together they ran about $25,334 a year at the published averages.
| Cost | Per year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | $14,222 | ATBS average for 2025 (Overdrive) |
| Insurance | $11,112 | Progressive Commercial average of $926 a month in 2025, for hire transport trucks |
| IRP plates | About $1,700 | ATBS average, 2024 |
| Form 2290, the heavy highway use tax | $550 | IRS example for a full year at 80,000 pounds |
| UCR, 1 or 2 trucks | $55 | Federal Register, registration year 2027 |
Sources read October 10, 2026. Insurance and plates depend on your authority, your state and your record.
A used truck also loses value while you own it. J.D. Power put average retail depreciation at 1.3% a month so far in 2026.
For example, 1.3% of $64,367 is about $837 in a month. Count that when you plan to trade the truck later.
Then turn your own numbers into a rate in the cost per mile calculator.
For the premium side, read semi truck insurance cost.
Should you buy a new or a used semi truck?
A used truck costs you far less to buy and more to keep running. A new truck flips that trade.
| Line | Used truck | New truck |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64,367 on average, August 2026 | $167,763 to $216,210 asked at one dealer group |
| 12% federal excise tax | No | Yes, on the first retail sale |
| Maintenance per mile | About 14 to 20 cents | As low as 5 cents under warranty |
| Maintenance over 95,000 miles | $13,300 to $19,000 | $4,750 |
Maintenance figures from ATBS, as reported by FreightWaves and Overdrive. The yearly amounts are simple multiplication.
I would buy used, with full service records and a clean engine inspection. The records matter more to me than the miles.
Walk away from a truck with no service history. You are buying the last owner's maintenance habits.
From the cab. My first truck was used: a 2009 Freightliner Columbia with a Detroit engine. I bought it in 2019.
The Buying a Truck guide covers what to inspect and how to finance it.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a used semi truck?
$64,367 on average in August 2026, ACT Research reports. That was up 11% from a year before. (ACT Research)
How much is a new semi truck?
One dealer group listed new Freightliner Cascadias from $167,763 to $216,210 on October 10, 2026. Those are asking prices. (Premier Truck Group)
How much is a down payment on a semi truck?
Plan on 10% to 15% with good credit and up to 30% with bad credit, Bankrate says. (Bankrate)
What is the average semi truck payment?
$2,900 a month among ATBS clients. About 34% of them have no payment. (FreightWaves)
Is there a tax on a new semi truck?
Yes. A 12% federal excise tax applies to the first retail sale of a highway tractor. State taxes are separate. (IRS)
How old is the average used semi truck that sells?
About 58 months for sleepers sold at retail, J.D. Power reported in May 2026. (J.D. Power)
Are used semi truck prices going up?
Yes. ACT Research put the August 2026 average 11% above August 2025 and tied it to tight inventory. (ACT Research)
How this was checked
The used truck figures come from ACT Research and J.D. Power. The tax rule is from IRS Publication 510. I opened 4 new truck listings at Premier Truck Group on October 10, 2026.
The new truck prices are asking prices from one dealer group and one brand. Two listings showed a sleeper spec, and two showed only the price. Listings change, so the linked page may differ now.
The dollar amounts for the down payment, excise tax, depreciation and maintenance are arithmetic on the sourced rates. The ATBS, Bankrate and Progressive figures carry their own dates.
This is not financial or tax advice. Get written quotes, and ask a tax pro how the excise tax and your state taxes apply to your purchase.
Evidence label: researched, with a first hand note on my own first truck. Update schedule: every quarter, because truck prices move.
Sources
- Used Truck Sales Fall in August as Prices Continue to Climb, September 29, 2026. ACT Research. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Commercial Truck Guidelines, May 2026 Market Update. J.D. Power. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- New Freightliner Cascadia inventory, read October 10, 2026. Premier Truck Group. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Publication 510 (12/2025), Excise Taxes: Retail Tax on Heavy Trucks, Trailers, and Tractors. IRS. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- How much does it cost to start a trucking company, April 2024. ATBS. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Semi Truck Financing Requirements, April 15, 2025. Bankrate. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- ATBS: average truck driver earnings in 2025 held mostly stable from 2024, April 15, 2026. FreightWaves. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Owner operator income up, with capacity driven trucking recovery ongoing, March 26, 2026. Overdrive. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Commercial truck insurance cost. Progressive Commercial. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Instructions for Form 2290 (07/2026). IRS. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Fees for the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement, September 1, 2026. Federal Register. Accessed October 10, 2026.