LeaseWorth

Contract-based exit comparison

Early lease termination calculator

Compare the real paths available under your lease: finish and return, use the lessor's early-termination quote, compare payoff with a vehicle offer, or complete an approved transfer.

Start with the cost to finish

Add the lessor's early-return quote

Enter the complete amount the lessor says you would owe for this path today. Do not add guessed return charges unless the quote says they are excluded.

Compare payoff with a real vehicle offer

Enter both fields. Confirm the lessor permits the proposed buyer or dealer to complete the transaction.

Add an approved lease-transfer path

Use the lessor's complete transfer cost plus any cash incentive you would pay the person assuming the lease.

Calculated entirely in your browser. No account number, VIN, vehicle, or quote data leaves your device.

Why early lease termination is contract-specific

A lease is not a simple loan balance. Contracts can use an adjusted lease balance, realized vehicle value, unearned rent-charge credit, taxes, fees, and timing rules. The CFPB's Regulation M disclosure warns that the earlier a lease is ended, the greater the charge is likely to be. LeaseWorth therefore compares actual quotes instead of manufacturing a supposedly exact penalty.

Four possible ways out of a car lease

  1. Finish and return: keep making payments and prepare for disposition, mileage, and wear charges.
  2. Terminate directly: use a dated amount supplied by the lessor.
  3. Payoff and sell or trade: compare the allowed payoff with a real purchase offer.
  4. Transfer: only when the lessor approves an assumption and clearly states your continuing obligations.

Not every option exists for every lease. Contact the lessor—not only the originating dealer—to confirm what is allowed.

How to read payoff equity

offer difference = written vehicle offer − official payoff

A positive result means the entered offer exceeds the entered payoff. A negative result is the cash gap. It is not a completed transaction until the lessor accepts the buyer, the quote remains valid, and all taxes and fees are known.

Before paying an early-exit fee

Ask for the quote in writing, its expiration date, what charges it includes, what happens to refundable security deposits, and whether insurance or GAP coverage changes the liability after a total loss. A dealership may reasonably profit from legitimate work, but an early-exit decision should be based on transparent lessor numbers rather than a replacement vehicle's monthly payment.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to end a car lease early?

The contract and timing determine the actual charge. Ask the lessor for a dated early-termination quote and payoff; a generic calculation from remaining payments alone may be wrong.

Is an early-termination quote the same as a payoff?

Not necessarily. An early-termination liability, a customer buyout payoff, and a dealer or third-party payoff can be different amounts and may follow different contract rules.

Can I sell or trade a leased car?

Only if the lessor permits that transaction. Some lessors restrict third-party purchases or quote different amounts. Confirm eligibility before relying on a vehicle offer.

Can someone assume my lease?

Some contracts permit an approved transfer and others do not. The original lessee may retain obligations even after a transfer. Ask the lessor for written rules and the complete cost.

Official and lessor sources

Educational estimate only. The lease contract and current written lessor quote control; this is not legal or financial advice.