Lease-end process

Everything you need to know toward the end of your lease.

As you enter the final months of your lease agreement, you’ll have options to consider and decisions to make. Planning your next move will help you enjoy a smooth lease-end experience.

Lease-end options

Which is right for you?


Lease or buy

Buy or lease a new car to get into the latest ride.

Purchase your current car

Make it your own by purchasing your leased vehicle.

Your lease-end timeline

Here’s what to do and when during the last 90 days of your lease.

90 days – Research

Start the lease-end process by thinking about your options. If you have questions, our Lease Servicing Team is just a phone call away at 888-222-4227.

60 days – Inspect

Schedule a free to help eliminate surprises when you return your car. Estimating potential damage and taking care of any necessary repairs 60 days from lease-end will reduce the chance of stress down the road.

30 days – Choose

Make your decision. Buy your current vehicle, upgrade to the latest model or go for something different.

Does your vehicle need repairs?
Tesla leases: Visit a Tesla-certified body shop .
All other leases: Visit your originating dealer.

Get rewarded

When you re-lease with Santander Consumer USA, you may be eligible for:

  • Exclusive incentives
  • Returning lessee bonus cash
  • Up to $500 in waived wear and tear fees

If you decide to turn in your vehicle, be sure to complete these steps:

Schedule a prereturn inspection through our certified vendor, AiM, at selfschedule.aiminspect.com or by calling 866-621-9123. Make sure you have your full 17-digit VIN and Santander Consumer USA account number handy.
Contact your originating dealer to set up an appointment to return your vehicle.
Tesla leases: In the Tesla app, select Financing > Manage Lease > Start Lease Return, and follow the instructions.
Complete an odometer statement at your dealership.
Tesla leases: Complete the odometer statement in the Tesla app.
Return all keys, fobs, manuals and any other accessories that came with the vehicle.
Where applicable, cancel or remove your license plates.
If necessary, update, remove or cancel your toll tag.
Delete all stored information and connected devices, such as mobile phones and garage door controls, from your vehicle.
Remove all personal items.

Avoid the unexpected with a prereturn inspection
A prereturn inspection will help you avoid unexpected items on your final vehicle return invoice. Santander Consumer USA will cover the cost of a prereturn inspection completed with our certified vendor, AiM, to help you determine the effects of wear and use on your vehicle.

The inspection should be completed between 10 and 90 days before the end of your lease agreement, and you can schedule your inspection at selfschedule.aiminspect.com or by calling 866-621-9123. AiM will work around your schedule to provide a free and easy assessment.

Benefits of a prereturn inspection

A free prereturn inspection offers:

  • Flexible self-scheduling for an appointment at your convenience and location of choice
  • A comprehensive assessment of your vehicle’s wear, helping you understand any outstanding wear and tear obligations, if applicable
  • The opportunity to visit your originating dealer to have repairs completed before turning in your leased vehicle
  • Avoid the hassle of unexpected damages that could occur post turn-in, such as transport or dealership lot damage
  • The vendor provides an on-the-spot copy of the inspection report, plus you can request additional copies later

Make things easy by understanding what mileage and wear to look for before you turn in your vehicle. As stated in your Santander Consumer USA Lease Agreement, mileage, the condition of your vehicle and its maintenance are your responsibility.

Excessive mileage and wear will result in additional charges. Confirm your mileage allowance and any per-mile overage charge by reviewing the Santander Consumer USA Lease Agreement.

After your leased vehicle has been returned, you’ll receive a vehicle return invoice outlining any remaining amounts due (if applicable), such as a disposition fee, unpaid payments, excess miles, excess wear, late charges, taxes or other fees. Contact the Lease Final Bill Team at 855-383-0558 if you have any questions.

Use these tools
Take advantage of the following resources to help you tell the difference between normal and excess wear.*

Tesla leases: Use the Tesla Excess Wear and Use Guide.
All other leases: Use the chart below and The Wear Tool .

Interior wear

Normal
N/A
Excess

  • Any replacement equipment that does not meet manufacturer’s specifications of comparable design, function and quality
  • Any absent equipment or damaged parts (including keys, key fobs, DVDs for the GPS system, charging cable, charging station, DVD player headphones, DVD remote control, convertible boot, etc.)

Normal
Burn holes 1/8 inch or less in diameter
Excess
Burn holes larger than 1/8 inch in diameter

Normal
Cuts, tears and singed areas 1/2 inch or less in diameter
Excess
Tears, rips, cuts and singed areas exceeding 1/2 inch in diameter

Normal
Removable stains
Excess
Irremovable stains or any stain that requires replacement of upholstery or carpeting

Exterior wear

Normal
N/A
Excess
Absent or nonfunctional exterior parts are chargeable in all instances

Normal

  • Individual instances of damage over 2 inches if the cost to repair does not exceed $100
  • Scratches that can be buffed out during reconditioning
  • Single instances of damage 2 inches or less in diameter, excluding hail damage and punctures

Excess

  • Excess overspray, conspicuous sanding/grinding marks, uneven texture or poor color match greater than 2 inches in diameter
  • One or more occurrences of body, bumper or molding damage greater than 2 inches in size
  • Punctures or cracks to painted surfaces that will exceed $100 to repair
  • All substandard repair or damage that compromises the safety or structural integrity of the vehicle
  • Any defect that reduces market appeal or impairs vehicle appearance
  • Damaged chrome bumpers

Normal
Cracks, stars or stone chips 1/2 inch or less in diameter
Excess
Damage greater than 1/2 inch in diameter or any hole

Normal
Cracks 2 inches or less
Excess
Cracks exceeding 2 inches

Normal
N/A
Excess

  • Incomplete or subpar repairs
  • Any vehicle system/mechanical failure caused by noncompliance with manufacturer’s recommended maintenance program
  • Broken or malfunctioning equipment
  • Any replacement component that fails to meet manufacturer’s specifications

Normal

  • Tread of at least 1/8 inch when measured at the shallowest point
  • Tire type, size and brand must match and comply with manufacturer’s recommendations

Excess

  • Tires in any condition that represent a risk to driver/passenger safety, including cuts, sidewall plugs and gouges
  • Non-matching brands or improper tire sizes
  • Studded tires

Normal
Scuffs or minor nicks to wheels or wheel covers
Excess

  • Cracked, bent, mismatched or broken wheels or wheel covers
  • Wheels/wheel covers that are not original equipment or of equal quality, function and design

Normal
N/A
Excess

  • Any modification to the vehicle’s performance components, suspension or fuel system
  • Any change to paint color, non-factory paint scheme or wrapping
  • Engraved, etched or tinted glass that represents a risk to driver/passenger safety, is of poor quality or is outside legal regulations
  • Spray-on bed liners not installed by originating dealer
  • This list is for reference only and may not specify all instances of chargeable vehicle modifications
  • Tow hitches not installed by your originating dealer

The Wear Tool


Get The Wear Tool

See how your car measures up with The Wear Tool, a vehicle self-inspection tool that can be used to determine areas of excess wear. View and print the tool to help you carry out the vehicle self-inspection.

Acceptable sizes of various types of normal wear are noted on the tool, along with measuring guidelines. If you identify necessary repairs, we recommend ensuring all repairs are completed by a certified mechanic or repair technician ahead of your turn-in date.

Be aware that some repairs may be covered under warranty or insurance.

You should expect to receive your vehicle return invoice about 30 days after your vehicle is returned.

Items that are most frequently included on a vehicle return invoice can include but are not limited to: excess wear and tear, mileage overages, the disposition/vehicle return fee (if applicable), unpaid payments, fees, property tax owed, etc. Please see your lease agreement for more information.

If additional charges become due after the vehicle return invoice has been issued, another invoice will be mailed to you.

No, we do not apply credits or refunds for unused miles. At the initiation of your lease, your residual balance and payments were determined based on the number of miles you planned to drive.

Your vehicle return invoice is due upon receipt.

No, we do not accept credit cards. However, we accept payments from checking or savings bank accounts or physical checks with no additional fee.

We also accept payments by debit card, digital wallet options including Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo or through third-party payment processing companies, such as PayNearMe, CheckFreePay, MoneyGram and Western Union.

Please note that Santander Consumer USA’s third-party payment processing partner charges a fee to process payments made by debit card and digital wallet. Fees may also apply for other third-party payment options. Santander Consumer USA retains no part of these fees.

To make a payment and/or inquire about free payment options or the third-party fees associated with other payment options, please contact the Lease Final Bill Team at 855-383-0558.

Stay in the driver’s seat

Ready for your next journey? You have options to stay behind the wheel by leasing or buying a new car, or purchasing your current vehicle.

Lease or buy a new car

Step into the latest model year of your current car or switch to another vehicle. It’s your choice. Begin by researching vehicles to decide which best suits your lifestyle and needs then contact your originating dealer** to make an appointment for a test drive.

And remember, when you re-lease through Santander Consumer USA, you may be eligible for loyalty rewards.

Ask your originating dealer for further details.

Purchase your current car


Not all good things must come to an end. If you’ve grown attached to your current vehicle and prefer to make it your own, you can work with your originating dealer** or contact the Lease Servicing Team to start the purchase process. Financing may be available for qualified applicants.

Contact the Lease Servicing Team at 888-222-4227.

Important notes

Account closure
Whether your lease is terminated early or upon its scheduled expiration, you are required to return the vehicle to the location specified by Santander Consumer USA.

If your account is set up with Auto Pay
It is important to contact the Lease Servicing Team before your last scheduled payment due date to discuss lease-end payment options.

Please note:

  • Auto Pay will automatically cancel after your last scheduled payment is drafted. However, if your last scheduled payment is less than your regular scheduled payment amount, or if there is a change in your account status, your last scheduled payment will NOT be drafted, and you will be responsible for making your payment by the due date.
  • Any additional amounts still due and/or that may come due, which are not a part of your regular scheduled payment, will not be drafted by Auto Pay and will be reflected on your Lease-End Final Bill. Taxes and/or fees that may come due after your Lease-End Final Bill is sent will be reflected in a subsequent bill.

Property tax
Some jurisdictions bill for property tax once a year. Potential property taxes could be billed at a later time (even after vehicle turn-in), and closed accounts may be reopened due to property tax assessments.

*This is not a comprehensive list of all excess wear guidelines and is intended as general information only. Please refer to the terms of your lease agreement for a description of your rights and obligations at lease-end.

**If you have moved and it is no longer convenient to return to your originating dealer, you may work with any participating dealership. Please contact the Lease Servicing Team at 888-222-4227 to let us know which dealership you will be working with, and reach out to the dealership in advance to make an appointment.