How Much Does a Hydrovac Truck Cost in 2026?

How much does a hydrovac truck cost?

A new hydrovac truck costs $250,000 to $450,000 and a used one $75,000 to $250,000, according to the Hydrovac News buyer's guide (updated March 2026). Live listings on October 15, 2026 ran higher: most 2020 to 2025 used trucks we checked had asking prices of $273,600 to $445,000, and a new 2027 truck was listed at $540,000.

The range is wide because "hydrovac" covers everything from a Class 6 or 7 truck with a small body to a Class 8 truck with a big debris body, a large positive displacement blower and a boiler. Beyond size, age and hours drive much of the spread in the listings below.

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How much does a new hydrovac truck cost?

Plan on $250,000 to $450,000 for a typical new unit, per Hydrovac News (March 2026). The two new-truck prices we could verify on October 15, 2026 both came in above that range, though one is likely in Canadian dollars.

• Custom Truck One Source listed a new 2027 Peterbilt 548 6x4 with a Tornado Global Hydrovac F2 ECOLITE body at an asking price of $540,000 in Sacramento, California (listing page). The listing did not show tank sizes or blower rating.
• The Town of Innisfail, Alberta, approved a new 2025 Freightliner Truvac Coywolf hydrovac for $722,561.76 in a council vote on Feb. 10 (year not stated in the article) (Mountain View Today, seen October 15, 2026). The article shows only a "$" sign. Innisfail is in Canada, so this is most likely Canadian dollars.

For a sense of a full-size spec, the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District in Utah went out to bid in September 2026 for a hydro vacuum excavator with at least a 12 cubic yard debris tank, 1,200 gallons of water, 5,200 CFM of airflow and a 400,000 BTU water heater (bid documents). The packet shows no price.

How much does a used hydrovac truck cost?

Across a sample of 16 hydro excavation trucks with posted prices on Machinery Trader on October 15, 2026, asking prices ran from $109,900 for a 2015 truck to $585,000 for a 2021 truck. Nine of the ten trucks from 2020 or later asked $273,600 to $445,000.

Machinery Trader showed 59 truck-mounted vacuum excavator listings that day. The table leaves out units without a price and units that read as combination sewer cleaners, jetters or air-vac systems.

What the listings tell you

• Late-model trucks sit above the guide's used range. Every 2020 to 2025 truck in the table asked at least $273,600, above the top of the $75,000 to $250,000 range in the Hydrovac News guide.
• Trucks from 2013 to 2016 asked $109,900 to $219,900. That is where the guide's used range shows up.
• Hours matter, but not alone. The two 2013 Vactor HXX trucks are $78,900 apart. The one with 5,474 hours asks more than the one with 11,297, but chassis and condition also differ.
• Check the meters. One listing put 18,980 in the hours field while its description said 18,980 chassis miles and 2,100 chassis hours. Get engine hours, blower hours and miles in writing.

One public purchase for comparison: Mt. Pleasant, Utah, approved $399,000 for a used 2022 vacuum truck it uses for hydro-excavation and sewer cleaning (Sanpete Messenger, April 3, 2025). Asking prices are not sale prices, so treat the table as a starting point for negotiation.

What do used hydrovacs sell for at auction?

The truck-mounted auction results we could verify ran from $23,500 for a 2009 Vactor HXX with 308,641 miles (March 2026) to $200,000 for a 2021 Vactor HXX PD (May 2025). Old, high-mile trucks sold far below dealer asking prices.

Machinery Trader's auction results page lists 32 results on October 15, 2026 in its truck vacuum excavator category, including two 2018 Tellus TUT-6500 trucks whose auctions ended October 14, 2026, but prices require a login. Auction trucks usually sell as-is, so leave room in your bid for transport, an inspection and first repairs. Our used equipment buying checklist covers the basics.

What makes one hydrovac cost more than another?

Capacity and capability. A bigger debris body, more water, a stronger positive displacement blower, a boiler and a longer boom all add cost, and so does the heavier chassis needed to carry them.

The figures below come from the Hydrovac News guide (updated March 2026). Our hydrovac trucks buying guide goes deeper on matching a truck to the work.

Debris body and water tank

Residential trucks run 8 to 10 cubic yards of debris capacity and commercial trucks 12 to 16 or more. Water capacity runs 500 to 800 gallons on small trucks and 1,000 to 1,500 on large ones. Larger tanks mean fewer dump trips but a heavier truck.

Blower type and CFM

Positive displacement (PD) blowers are the industry standard, rated at 4,000 to 6,000 CFM. Fan systems cost less but lose vacuum under heavy loads. Few listings show the blower rating, so ask for it.

Heater or boiler

For cold-weather work the guide points to diesel boilers of 400,000 to 800,000 BTU.

Boom reach

Small trucks reach 8 to 12 feet and large trucks 18 to 24 feet.

Chassis

Residential and municipal work usually suits Class 6 to 7 chassis; pipeline and industrial work uses Class 8. The chassis weight rating also decides whether the 12% federal excise tax applies to a new truck (see below).

Engine and blower hours

The guide's sweet spot is 3 to 5 years old with 3,000 to 6,000 engine hours. It advises avoiding trucks over 8 years old or past 10,000 hours unless the price already reflects a major component replacement.

Is a trailer vacuum excavator cheaper than a hydrovac truck?

Yes, by a wide margin, but it does much less. On the first page of 169 trailer vacuum excavator listings on Machinery Trader on October 15, 2026, asking prices ran from $10,000 to $127,500, against $109,900 to $585,000 for the trucks above. The trailers that listed specs held 500 to 800 gallons of spoils with 1,000 to 1,315 CFM blowers, versus 8 to 16 or more cubic yards and 4,000 to 6,000 CFM on a truck (Hydrovac News).

Construction Equipment Guide shows these auction figures as converted to USD. A tenth HX30 sale in that window, a 2021 unit, brought $9,500, so find out what is wrong with any outlier before you price against it. A trailer can make sense for potholing and locates. If you dig all day or haul spoils to a dump site, the truck's capacity is what you are paying for.

What costs come on top of the truck price?

On a new heavy truck, the largest add-on is usually the 12% federal excise tax. After that come sales or use tax, registration, insurance and, on a used truck, an inspection.

The 12% federal excise tax on new heavy trucks

The IRS Form 720 instructions (revised June 2026) set the tax at 12% of the sales price on the first retail sale of truck chassis and bodies. Chassis and bodies suitable for a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 33,000 pounds or less are excluded. Check the GVWR on the chassis spec sheet: above 33,000 pounds, the first retail sale is taxable.

• The math: if the taxable sales price is $450,000, the tax is $54,000. Ask the dealer to show the tax as its own line on the quote.
• Parts added later: Federal law (26 U.S.C. 4051) also taxes parts and accessories installed within 6 months after the truck is placed in service. Replacement parts are exempt, and so are add-ons totaling $1,000 or less.
• Used trucks: The tax applies at the first retail sale. Ask your CPA how it applies to a used, rebuilt or re-bodied truck.

Other costs to budget

Sales or use tax depends on your state and where the truck is titled. Delivery and operator training are quoted by the seller, so get both in writing. Ask the lender whether taxes and fees can be included in the amount financed.

What is the monthly payment on a hydrovac truck?

On a $300,000 truck with 10% down, the illustration below runs about $4,870 a month over 72 months at a 9% estimated APR, and $7,240 a month over 48 months at 13%. $150,000 is the low end of the guide's value range for a 3 to 5 year old truck, $300,000 is typical of the late-model listings above, and $450,000 is the top of the guide's new range.

Assumptions: 10% down, the rest repaid in equal monthly payments using standard amortization at estimated APRs of 9% and 13% over 48, 60 and 72 months, rounded to the nearest $10, with taxes, fees and insurance excluded.

These are illustrations, not quotes. Ironmark is not a lender and does not set rates. Actual rates and terms depend on the lender, your business, credit, time in business and the truck itself. On a new truck, the excise tax can raise the amount you need to cover. More on structuring the deal is in our guide to hydrovac truck financing.

What do lenders check on a hydrovac?

Each lender sets its own criteria, but on a hydrovac expect questions about the components that are costly to repair. The Hydrovac News guide lists the same items for a pre-purchase inspection, so one third-party report can answer most of them.

• Engine and blower hours, plus the blower rebuild history and a compression test.
• Water system: pump hours, seal replacements and a pressure and flow test.
• Boiler: service records and a safety check, if the truck has one.
• Debris body: an ultrasonic thickness test, door seals, hinges and interior coating.
• Boom: full range of motion and a structural check.
• Chassis: frame, corrosion, brakes, miles and GVWR.

The business side (time in business, credit, cash flow) is covered in what lenders look at.

What should you have ready for a hydrovac quote?

Have the truck details and your business basics in one place. A specific truck is easier to price than a hypothetical one.

• The listing link or dealer quote: year, make, model, VIN, price, and whether the 12% excise tax is included.
• Chassis make, model and GVWR.
• Engine hours, blower hours and miles, read from the meters.
• Debris body size, water capacity, blower type and CFM, heater BTU and boom reach.
• Maintenance records and any inspection report.
• Who is selling: a dealer, a private party or an auction, and the sale date if it is an auction.
• Your planned down payment and preferred term.
• Your business's legal name, time in business and the work the truck will do.

See hydrovac truck financing to start with a specific truck.

Frequently asked questions

What does it cost to run a hydrovac for a year?

Beyond the payment, Hydrovac News puts first-year fuel at $15,000 to $40,000, operator wages at $50,000 to $80,000 and disposal fees at $5,000 to $15,000 (updated March 2026). Add the insurance, registration and maintenance ranges above.