
Mistakes & FAQ
Lease Mileage Limits and Wear-and-Tear Charges: What You Will Really Pay
How excess mileage fees and wear-and-tear charges work at lease end, with worked examples, typical standards and ways to cut or avoid the bill.
Put a rough dollar range on the miles you might drive over your lease allowance, plus end-of-lease fees.
Excess mileage is the most common surprise when a lease ends. Your contract states an annual allowance, commonly 10,000, 12,000 or 15,000 miles, and a charge for every mile above the total allowance for the full term. This estimator multiplies the miles you expect to go over by a per-mile rate range, then adds any other end-of-lease charges you enter, such as the disposition fee and wear-and-tear items.
How to use it. First check your contract for the exact cents-per-mile rate, because it is printed in the lease disclosures. If you are still shopping, use the typical ranges in the dropdown as illustrative planning figures only. Enter the miles you expect to exceed your allowance, adjust the low and high rates, and add a figure for other charges.
Worked example (illustrative). Driving 6,000 miles over at 15 to 25 cents per mile costs $900 to $1,500. Add $400 of other charges and the range becomes $1,300 to $1,900. If you would be 6,000 miles over, buying extra miles upfront at signing (often cheaper per mile than the penalty rate) or negotiating a higher allowance is usually less expensive.
Limits. Actual rates depend entirely on your contract. Some lessors waive charges if you lease or buy another vehicle from the same brand, and wear-and-tear billing follows your lease's written standards. This tool is an estimate, not a quote.

Mistakes & FAQ
How excess mileage fees and wear-and-tear charges work at lease end, with worked examples, typical standards and ways to cut or avoid the bill.

Getting Started
Compare your options when a lease ends: return the car, buy it at the residual price, extend or lease again, with a worked buy-or-return comparison.