Dealer floor plan financing helps a dealership purchase vehicles for resale while keeping more cash available for the rest of the business. The useful comparison is the total cost of stocking a vehicle, how long you expect to hold it, and when each payment becomes due.
Use the calculator below to test an inventory purchase, then compare the published rates, fees and restrictions of ten floor plan providers. Ask Excel which inventory programs are currently available for your established dealership. The lender’s written offer determines approval, pricing and final terms.
Planning for payroll, reconditioning, equipment or a broader cash need? Our car dealership business loans and funding guide explains term loans, merchant cash advances, unsecured loans and how inventory financing fits alongside them.
How dealer floor plan financing works
A floor plan is a revolving inventory line. A lender advances money against vehicles stocked for resale. When a vehicle sells, its advance is repaid under the agreement, making credit available for another purchase. Kinetic’s floorplanning overview explains this inventory-financing model.
- Purchase inventory: confirm that the vehicle and purchase source qualify, then record the advance and applicable fees.
- Hold and prepare the vehicle: allow for reconditioning and operating costs alongside financing charges. Scheduled principal reductions may become due before a sale.
- Sell and settle the advance: check the agreement’s payoff timing and the amount due, including accrued interest and fees.
- Plan the next purchase: consider both the credit available to reuse and the cash the dealership needs to keep operating.
A curtailment is a required principal reduction. It takes cash out of the business and reduces the remaining balance. A separately charged curtailment or extension fee is a financing charge. Ask a provider to identify each amount clearly.
Floor plan financing calculator
Change the amount financed, interest rate, holding period and fees to see your costs. Add sale proceeds and other vehicle costs to see the effect on cash flow.
Change the numbers to update the example.
Illustration only. The advance covers the full inventory purchase price; fees and other costs are paid upfront; principal and all interest are paid at sale. Uses a 365-day year with no compounding, curtailments, interim payments, taxes or unlisted charges. Net after listed costs is not total dealership profit.
Compare a faster or slower sale
| Days held | Financing cost | Net after listed costs |
|---|
Only the holding period changes. Sale proceeds and entered fees stay the same. Any additional extension charges or vehicle markdowns need to be added separately.
See the original $20,000 illustration
Use an expected sale date, then test a slower sale. This hypothetical example uses a $20,000 advance, 12% annual simple interest, 60 days outstanding and a 365-day year. The fees are illustrative. It is not a lender quote.
| Example item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Interest: $20,000 × 12% × 60 ÷ 365 | $394.52 |
| Illustrative flooring fee | $150.00 |
| Illustrative administration fee | $50.00 |
| Total financing charges | $594.52 |
The $20,000 principal is separate. A curtailment reduces that principal; it is not another financing fee. It still takes cash out before the car sells. Reconditioning, transportation, insurance and any markdown also affect the vehicle’s profit.
Floor plan rates and fees: what lenders publish
Public information reviewed for this guide on October 7, 2026. Most providers require a quote for their standard rate and complete fee schedule. A daily charge, a promotional interest rate and an annual percentage rate measure different things. Compare the total dollars due for your expected holding period.
| Provider | Dealer fit | Public pricing | Fees and limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
AFC Daily Tab | Independent dealers with fast-turn inventory | $4–$12 per day, based on the floored amount | Standard charges are bundled; other agreement fees apply. Unavailable in New York and South Dakota. |
NextGear Capital / Flex | Independent retail and wholesale dealers | Quote required | Flex defers interest, advance-related fees and principal paydowns. The amounts remain payable. |
Kinetic Advantage | Independent dealers | Standard rate requires a quote; eligible deferments cost $95 each | Deferment limits apply. Standard fees and interest continue. |
Westlake Flooring | Licensed dealers nationwide | Advertised 0% introductory interest for up to six months | Restricted promotion can end early. Ongoing rate and complete fees require a quote. |
ACV Capital | Dealers making eligible ACV purchases | 60 Day Offer: no interest for up to 60 days, plus a checkout-disclosed fee | Vehicle purchase price must be below $40,000 before fees. Agreement interest applies afterward. |
CarBucks | Independent used-car dealers | Quote required for complete pricing | Advertises no curtailments or audit fees. Ask for written Quick Turn conditions and remaining charges. |
FlexPlus | Independent dealers, wholesalers and buy-here-pay-here lots | 30-day flat-fee plans starting at $65, with no interest | Fees increase by vehicle-value tier. Full tiers and longer-term costs require a quote. |
First Business Bank | Established independent dealers needing $1 million or more | Prime-based pricing; spread requires a quote | Inventory equity, operating history, financial strength and turnover requirements apply. |
Ally | Qualified new- and used-vehicle dealers | Rate and fee schedule require a quote | Ask how inventory insurance, eligible rewards and cash-management arrangements affect net cost. |
Ford Credit | Qualified franchised dealers | May 2026 filing: floating reference rate, then Prime, plus recent spreads of 0–0.50 percentage points | Additional per-vehicle flat charges, amounts undisclosed. This dated structure is not an all-in APR or a current quote. |
AFC Daily Tab: the daily tiers and extension question
AFC publishes these exact tiers:
| Floored amount | Daily standard charge |
|---|---|
| < $5,000 | $4 |
| $5,001–$10,000 | $6 |
| $10,001–$15,000 | $10 |
| > $15,000 | $12 |
The exact $5,000 boundary is unclear in the published table; ask AFC which tier applies. Standard charges include interest, the floorplan fee and document processing. Eligibility is limited to qualifying licensed, non-rental dealers without a standard AFC line, using approved inventory sources.
An August 19, 2024 AFC article describes a 45-day term, one extension to 90 days and a 1% curtailment fee. AFC uses the term “curtailment fee.” Ask whether today’s extension requires a fee, a principal reduction, or both, and how the amount is calculated.
NextGear and Kinetic: what payment flexibility actually changes
For NextGear Flex, ask for the payoff amount at 30, 60 and 90 days. Its current terms make deferred amounts payable at the earliest applicable final-period date, maturity event or vehicle sale. A later payment date can help cash flow, but the eventual bill must fit the expected sales proceeds.
Kinetic’s deferment program applies to eligible curtailment payments, not a required final payoff. The total deferred cannot exceed 1.5% of the dealer’s credit line, and the dealer must be in good standing. Ask whether deferral merely moves a cash shortage to the following payment date.
Westlake: get the post-promotion price before signing
The advertised interest promotion can be withdrawn before six months. It excludes existing dealers who close and reactivate their floorplan, and dealers who closed within 90 days of the promotion’s start. Request the standard rate and every applicable fee alongside the promotional quote.
Westlake also advertises terms up to 200 days. That maximum does not establish your curtailment schedule. Its FAQ directs dealers without an existing Westlake Financial relationship to apply there before applying for flooring.
ACV’s 2026 programs: 60 interest-free days versus a 10-day cash window
The 60 Day Offer, effective February 16, 2026, charges a fee displayed at checkout. Interest starts under the loan agreement if the advance remains unpaid after the offer period. Ask whether the fee still makes sense if you expect to sell quickly. Returned-payment and reprocessing charges may also apply.
The separate Float to Floor terms, effective February 4, 2026, extend the first floorplan period to 70 days but provide only a 10-day cash-payment window. If unpaid when that window ends, loan-agreement interest and fees begin the following day. A separate checkout fee applies, and the vehicle price must be below $40,000 before fees. It is not 70 interest-free days.
CarBucks and FlexPlus: compare flat charges at your actual turn time
CarBucks advertises Quick Turn and longer plans, but complete Quick Turn conditions were not available in the public material reviewed. Request the cost for your vehicle value and expected sale date.
FlexPlus offers movement from a short-term plan into a longer arrangement, with long-term plans up to 120 days. Ask what the switch costs before assuming a low starting fee will cover a slow-selling vehicle.
Bank and captive programs: qualifications matter as much as the rate
First Business Bank lists at least five years of active ownership, 20% inventory equity, strong financials and inventory turning at least four times annually or averaging 90 days or less. Prepare an aging report before requesting a comparison.
Ally supports multiple approved inventory sources. Ask which purchases qualify and whether rewards depend on other products or transaction volume.
In Ford Credit’s May 2026 disclosure, higher-risk dealers may face principal curtailments, while rebates are paid separately from interest charges. Request an actual dealer schedule covering rate changes, flat charges, insurance and repayment timing.
Which dealerships can apply for inventory financing?
Floor plan providers serve different dealership models. Some focus on independent used-car dealers, while bank and manufacturer programs may have different operating-history, equity or franchise requirements. The comparison above identifies each provider's stated fit.
For example, First Business Bank lists specific ownership-history, inventory-equity and turnover requirements. Those are that provider's criteria, not a universal floor plan standard.
Excel's funding review is for established operating dealerships. Prepare your dealer license and ownership information, recent bank statements, financial statements, inventory aging and title records, and existing financing agreements. Include current floorplan balances, payoff obligations and curtailment schedules. If you provide buy here, pay here financing, have receivables and collection records available as well.
Franchise status describes the manufacturer's relationship with the dealership; new versus used describes the inventory sold. A new-car dealership can be a long-established business. Read more about franchised, independent and buy here, pay here dealerships in the funding guide.
Keep inventory, title and sale records consistent with the lender's statements. A sold-out-of-trust sale occurs when a financed vehicle sells without the required lender payoff. The OCC's floorplan lending handbook explains why inventory checks and payoff controls matter.
What to compare in a floor plan quote
Ask each provider to price the same inventory amount and expected sale date, then request a slower-sale example. Keep financing charges and principal payments separate so you can compare both cost and cash requirements.
- Interest: the annual rate, any variable-rate reference, when interest starts, the day-count basis and how changes are calculated.
- Fees: which amounts are charged once, by vehicle, by day or at an extension, and whether an introductory offer changes them.
- Principal: the advance amount, any dealer equity required and the dates and amounts of curtailments.
- Payoff: what becomes due when the vehicle sells, when the line matures or when a promotional period ends.
- Fit: eligible vehicles and purchase sources, title requirements, and compatibility with existing financing agreements.
Before signing, ask which additional charges are possible: extensions, audits, titles, administration, required insurance, line opening or renewal, unused credit, late payments and insufficient funds. These are questions to check, not fees every provider charges. Confirm when interest starts, the calculation basis and what becomes due after a sale. Request a sample payoff statement so you can see how those charges appear together. Keep a copy of the agreed fee schedule with your inventory records.
Dealer floor plan financing questions
What is a good dealer floor plan financing rate?
There is no single published rate that applies to every dealership. Compare interest and fees in dollars at your expected inventory turn time, then test a slower sale. Review required principal payments separately because they affect cash flow without being an additional financing charge. Compare a regular quote separately from any introductory offer.
Does an interest-free floor plan offer mean there are no costs?
No. For example, ACV's 60 Day Offer includes a separately disclosed fee. Request the complete fee schedule and the price after the interest-free period before making a decision.
What happens if a vehicle takes longer to sell?
Check the agreement for continuing interest, scheduled principal reductions, extension charges and final payoff dates. A program that postpones a payment may still require the accrued amount later. The calculator compares different holding periods under its stated simple-interest assumptions; it does not reproduce every lender's repayment schedule.
Can an independent used-car dealership apply?
An established independent used-car dealership can request a review. Show vehicle acquisition costs, inventory age, reconditioning costs and the operating cash available after current obligations. The provider table identifies programs that serve independent dealers; final eligibility depends on the written offer and the provider's requirements.
Can I seek working capital if I already have a floor plan?
Bring the floorplan agreement and current statements to the review. A provider needs to assess existing payments, lien priority, restrictions on additional debt and any required consent. Our car dealership funding guide explains the other funding products to discuss alongside inventory financing.
Does this floor plan calculator show a lender quote?
No. It estimates annual simple interest on a 365-day basis using the amount, rate, days and fees you enter. Its cash-flow example assumes the full vehicle purchase is financed, fees and other vehicle costs are paid before sale, and principal plus interest are paid at sale. It does not model interim principal payments or curtailments. Use a lender's actual quote and payoff schedule to review the agreement.
Review your dealership inventory funding needs
Tell Excel how much inventory financing you need, which vehicles you plan to buy and how quickly they typically sell. Bring your current inventory and debt information so the review can account for cash needed before each sale.
Start my dealership funding review
Need to fund payroll, equipment, reconditioning or another business expense? Compare the four dealership funding options before choosing a structure.
Research notes: Provider pricing and eligibility are drawn from the linked official program pages and disclosures, checked October 7, 2026. Dated offers are identified where relevant. The lender comparison describes researched programs; ask Excel which options are available for your dealership. Examples are hypothetical, and final terms depend on a written offer.