What it actually costs
Payment, fee, and tax data for vehicle leasing, sourced to Experian, the Federal Reserve, and the CFPB. Every table states the period its data covers, and these pages are re-checked against their sources at least twice a year.
- How Much Is the Acquisition Fee at Each Lease Company?Acquisition fees run $595-$1,095 by brand. Verified figures: $650 at Toyota, $645 at Ford, $695 at Tesla and GM, up to $1,095 at Porsche.
- Average Car Lease Payments in 2026The average new lease ran $619 a month in Q1 2026 vs $770 for loans, a $151 gap. Payment distributions, segment averages, and model-level spreads.
- What Is the Disposition Fee for Each Brand?Disposition fees verified from each captive's own site: $350 at Toyota, $395 at Nissan, up to $495 at GMC, the highest confirmed base fee found.
- Excess Mileage Charges by Brand: What Each Lease Company ChargesToyota, Honda, and Ford charge $0.15 a mile over your lease limit. Hyundai caps at $0.20; luxury brands run $0.25 to $0.30. Rates for 13 brands.
- Excess Wear and Use Standards by Captive: Dent, Tire, and Glass Limits ComparedHonda charges for dents over 1.5 inches; Ford and GM Financial allow 4. Compare exact wear thresholds across 9 lease captives, verified in August 2026.
- What Do Extra Miles Cost Up Front vs. at Lease End?No captive, not even Toyota, publishes an up-front extra-mile price. Turn-in overage rates run 15 to 30 cents a mile by brand, checked in August 2026.
- Do You Pay Sales Tax on a Lease Buyout? By StateA lease buyout is taxed as a new purchase in most states, on the buyout price, not the car's original cost. Rates run from 3% to 7.25% across 15 states.
- How Late Can a Lease Payment Be Before It Counts?Lease grace periods and late fees are set by contract and state law, not published by brand. Credit bureaus commonly report at 30 days past due.
- Which Lease Companies Allow Transfers, and What Do They Charge?GM Financial's own site lists a $625 lease transfer fee. Most captives, including Ford, BMW, and Toyota, publish little or nothing about transfers.
- Which Lease Companies Offer Multiple Security Deposits?Which captives actually offer multiple security deposits: Toyota confirms up to 9, BMW up to 7. Most brands publish no MSD program at all.
- Sales Tax on a Leased Car by StateCar lease tax rules differ sharply by state. Texas taxes 6.25% up front, most states tax the monthly payment, and 1 of 5 "no-tax" states isn't tax-free.
- Which Lease Companies Let You Sell to CarMax or Carvana?Since July 2021, Honda, GM Financial, Ford, Nissan, and BMW have blocked third-party lease payoffs. Toyota is a notable exception outside the Southeast.