Two forms of leasing, two completely different tax and accounting consequences. We explain the differences in costs, ownership, VAT and buy-out — and suggest which to choose.
This is one of the first decisions facing a business owner financing a vehicle or equipment. Choosing between an operating and a finance lease affects tax, accounting and cash flow for the whole term of the agreement.
Operating lease
The leased asset remains the property of the lessor, and it is the lessor who books the depreciation. For your company the whole instalment (both the capital and the interest part) plus the initial payment are tax-deductible costs. VAT is added to each individual instalment.
- A low barrier to entry — a small initial payment.
- The whole instalment is deductible, within the vehicle value cap.
- Ideal if you replace cars every two to four years.
Finance lease
The asset enters the lessee's fixed-asset register and the lessee depreciates it. The deductible cost is the depreciation plus the interest part of the instalment — not the whole instalment. VAT is paid up front, with the first instalment.
- Ownership and depreciation sit with your company.
- VAT paid once, at the start.
- Advantageous for long use and for buying the equipment out.
The deduction cap you have to keep in mind
For passenger cars there is a cap on what you may treat as a cost. Since 1 January 2026 it depends on CO2 emissions: 225 000 zł for fully electric and hydrogen cars, 150 000 zł below 50 g/km, and 100 000 zł at 50 g/km or above — which covers most combustion cars. Above that value, instalments (operating lease) or write-offs (finance lease) are settled proportionally.
Which to choose?
For most small and medium companies an operating lease gives more flexibility, a lower barrier to entry and simpler accounting. A finance lease can work out better for more expensive assets used over many years, when ownership and a one-off VAT deduction matter.
In short: operating = flexibility and the cost sits in the instalment; finance = ownership and depreciation.
At Nalan Trade we match the form of financing to the actual goal — fleet rotation, tax optimisation or long-term use — and compare offers from several lessors.
Najczęstsze pytania
Which form of leasing lets me deduct the whole instalment?
An operating lease — the whole instalment (capital and interest) and the initial payment are tax-deductible costs, within the vehicle value cap.
When do I pay VAT on a finance lease?
On a finance lease VAT is paid up front, in a single payment with the first instalment, because the transaction is treated as a supply of goods.
Do I own the car under an operating lease?
Not during the agreement — it stays the property of the lessor. Once the agreement ends you can usually buy it out at an agreed residual value.
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