Updated 13th August 2026

Australian transport and logistics businesses are often under cash flow pressure because customer payments can take weeks, or even months, to come through.

Invoice Finance can help by unlocking cash tied up in unpaid freight invoices, often within 24 hours, rather than leaving your business waiting 30, 60 or 90 days to be paid.

How does Invoice Finance work for freight and logistics operators in Australia?

Transport and logistics businesses in Australia often have costs to cover now, while customer payments may still be weeks or months away.

Fuel, wages, subcontractors, vehicle maintenance, tolls, insurance and depot or warehouse costs do not wait for customer payment terms to run their course. This can create pressure, even when the business is busy and invoices have already been issued.

Invoice Finance helps turn unpaid freight invoices into working capital, so your business is not left waiting for customers to pay before it can cover the next round of costs.

Here’s how the process generally works for a transport or logistics business.

Goods and services provided 

You deliver the goods, complete a freight run or provide warehousing services, then issue an invoice to your customer.

Finance your invoice 

You submit the invoice to ScotPac and can receive an advance of up to 85% of the invoice’s value. Access can be provided within 24 to 48 hours once your facility is approved and set up.

Invoice is settled 

Once your customer pays the invoice, you receive the remaining balance, less associated fees.

What do transport and logistic businesses use Invoice Finance for?

Invoice Finance provides access to working capital that can be used across a range of business needs. For transport and logistics businesses, this can include:

  • meeting payroll
  • paying fuel and maintenance costs
  • covering subcontractor payments
  • managing depot, warehouse or operating costs
  • funding growth
  • financing expansion
  • purchasing a business
  • consolidating debt

Can Australian freight companies use Invoice Finance to fund import and export trade cycles?

Yes, they can.

A key advantage of Invoice Finance, compared to a bank overdraft for example, is that your funding capacity can grow as your invoice volume grows. This makes it a scalable working capital solution for transport and logistics businesses with growing sales and reliable customers.

When combined with a Trade Finance facility, Invoice Finance can also help support more of the import and export trade cycle.

Trade Finance covers:

  • supplier payments and import/export costs

Invoice Finance covers:

  • cash flow gaps caused by outstanding customer payments

Together, these facilities can help businesses manage the timing gap between paying suppliers, moving goods and waiting for customers to settle invoices.

How do Australian transport businesses compare Invoice Finance against bank overdrafts and term loans?

Invoice Finance is a customisable working capital solution. It is flexible, scalable and often well suited to transport and logistics businesses waiting on customer payments.

A bank overdraft or business loan may require property as security, depend heavily on credit history and take longer to be approved. These options can still suit certain business needs, but they may not always match the way transport cash flow works.

For transport and logistics businesses, Invoice Finance can provide more control over how much funding you access and when, because the facility is linked to unpaid invoices rather than a fixed lump sum.

What do transport and logistics companies in Australia need to qualify for Invoice Finance?

Many small and medium sized freight businesses with a demonstrably consistent book of customers, can apply for Invoice Finance.

Here at ScotPac, our eligibility requirements include:

Many small and medium-sized freight businesses with a consistent book of customers can apply for Invoice Finance.

At ScotPac, eligibility requirements generally include:

  • your business issues invoices to other businesses, not directly to consumers
  • your business has been operating for at least 6 months
  • your business has 6 months of consistent invoicing and collections
  • your customers are creditworthy Australian businesses with a reliable payment history

What you do not need to qualify:

  • property to serve as security
  • a perfect credit score

If unpaid invoices are slowing your business down, speak to ScotPac about Invoice Finance solutions for transport and logistics businesses

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Invoice Finance for transport and logistics businesses

How quickly can transport business access funds through Invoice Finance?

Once your facility is approved and set up, accessing cash against new invoices is fast and simple, with no need to reapply each time.

With ScotPac, most freight, transport and logistics businesses can access funds within 24 hours of submitting an eligible invoice.

Does Invoice Finance work if customers take 60 or 90 days to pay?

Yes. In many cases, the longer your payment terms, the more useful Invoice Finance can be.

Whether your customers pay in 30, 60 or 90 days, you can access most of the invoice value upfront, rather than waiting for the full payment term to pass.

Do I need to use Invoice Finance for every invoice, or can I pick and choose?

With ScotPac, you can choose either whole-of-ledger facilities, where all eligible invoices are financed, or a selective Invoice Finance option.

If you are not sure which structure is right for your business and objectives, speak to a ScotPac lending specialist.

Can freight businesses with seasonal revenue still access Invoice Finance?

Yes. Invoice Finance is a flexible working capital solution that can be used during peak periods and scaled back during quieter months, depending on your facility structure.

This can make it better suited to seasonal logistics businesses than a fixed-limit overdraft or standard business loan.

What's the difference between Invoice Factoring and Invoice Discounting?

With Invoice Factoring, your lender manages collection of your debtors on your behalf. This means less responsibility for collections.

With Invoice Discounting, your business retains control and responsibility for collections.

Both options are available for SMEs in the transport and logistics industries.

Does ScotPac offer Trade Finance for logistics businesses that import or export?

Yes. ScotPac provides Trade Finance in conjunction with Invoice Finance to help fund supplier payments and import costs, while also unlocking cash from your accounts receivable.

Together, Invoice Finance and Trade Finance can provide working capital support across the trade cycle.

Can a freight forwarding business use Invoice Finance against international receivables?

Yes, it can. Export Invoice Finance with ScotPac is available for businesses with overseas customers.

ScotPac can assess foreign debtor receivables as part of a broader Invoice Finance facility. However, terms can vary depending on the jurisdiction and debtor creditworthiness.

Ready to talk to Australia’s largest non-bank business lender with over 35 years of experience providing custom working capital solutions to SMEs? Contact ScotPac today about Invoice Finance for your transport or logistics business. 

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