Container sales and rental yard with your own delivery truck
Keep a small stock of storage containers on a rented lot and deliver them on your own tilt-bed truck.
- $40k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
2,725 US businesses with employees in this field, -1.8% in a year
NAICS 532310 “General rental centers”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
You rent or buy a small lot, hold a stock of new and used containers, and deliver them yourself with a tilt-bed truck or trailer. You sell some and rent others by the month.
Your first three steps
- Price out a used tilt-bed truck or trailer and a first batch of containers, and get quotes from wholesale suppliers
- Check zoning for any lot you are considering with your city or county planning office, and ask about permits for outdoor storage
- Line up a few early customers such as local contractors and farms, and set rental terms, deposits and delivery prices
Who pays
Contractors and builders, retailers needing overflow space, event and seasonal businesses, farms and households.
How it makes money
Sale price per container, monthly rental fees, and delivery and pickup charges. Rentals bring steadier income over time, while sales bring larger one-off payments.
Skills that help
- Sales and customer service
- Safe truck driving and positioning loads
- Managing stock, rentals and cash flow
- Basic equipment maintenance
Watch out for
- Zoning and land use rules for storing containers on your lot, so check with your city or county
- Commercial driver rules: check whether your truck weight needs a CDL, and whether you need a USDOT number if you cross state lines
- Commercial auto and general liability insurance, plus coverage for stock on your lot
- Safety risks when tilting and unloading heavy containers, so get trained before taking jobs
- Tying up cash in stock, and some containers sitting unsold or unrented
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: container sales and rental yard
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a container sales and rental yard?
Startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on your lot, truck and the amount of stock you hold. This is an estimate, so get quotes for each part before committing, since stock ties up cash.
How much can a container yard make?
Monthly revenue is typically around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on how many containers you sell and rent and how much stock you carry. That is revenue before costs, and some containers may sit unsold or unrented.
What rules should I check before opening a container yard?
Check zoning and land use rules with your city or county. Check whether your truck weight needs a CDL, and whether you need a USDOT number if you cross state lines. Also look into commercial auto and liability insurance, and get safety training for tilting and unloading.
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