Section 179: How to Write Off a Copier Purchase This Year

Here's a purchase incentive a lot of business owners miss: under Section 179 of the U.S. tax code, many businesses can deduct the full cost of qualifying equipment — including a copier — in the year they buy it, rather than depreciating it slowly over several years. For a copier purchase, that can turn into a meaningful tax saving. Here's how it works in plain English.

Quick disclaimer: we sell copiers, not tax advice. The rules and dollar limits change, and every business is different — always confirm the details with your accountant or tax professional before relying on them.

What Section 179 does

Normally, when you buy business equipment, you deduct its cost gradually through depreciation. Section 179 lets qualifying businesses expense the full purchase price up front, in the same tax year the equipment is bought and put into service. For office equipment like a copier, the deduction lands now instead of being spread over years.

Does a copier qualify?

Copiers are exactly the kind of tangible business equipment Section 179 is designed for. The general requirements are that the equipment is:

• Used for business more than half the time,
• Purchased (or financed) and placed in service during the tax year, and
• Within the annual deduction limits set for that year.

Both new and used equipment generally qualify — a key point: a refurbished, low-meter copier can be just as eligible as a brand-new one, at a fraction of the cost.

What about leased or financed copiers?

This is where it gets useful. Certain equipment financing and lease-to-own arrangements can also qualify for Section 179, potentially letting you deduct the full price while paying over time. The specifics depend on how the lease is structured (a true operating lease is treated differently from a finance or capital lease), so this is exactly the kind of thing to run by your accountant.

Why timing matters

The deduction applies in the year the equipment is placed in service — not just ordered. If you want the write-off for this tax year, the copier generally needs to be delivered and in use by December 31. That's part of why year-end is a popular time to buy office equipment (more in our guide to the best time of year to buy a used copier).

The bottom line

Section 179 can let your business deduct the full cost of a copier the year you buy it — and since used equipment generally qualifies, a low-meter machine gives you both a lower price and a potential same-year write-off. Confirm the specifics with your tax professional, then, when you're ready, browse our used Ricoh copiers or call 714-696-6082 — we can have a machine delivered and in service before year-end.