Mileage Limits: How Leases Really Penalize You
Mileage limits how leases really penalize you in the US—overage fees and true cost so you know what you pay.
Lease mileage limits in the U.S. penalize you with per-mile overage fees—often $0.15–$0.25/mile—so going over your annual limit can add hundreds or thousands. Here's how mileage limits really penalize you.
TL;DR Lease mileage (e.g., 10K–15K/year) is capped. Over = per-mile fee (e.g., $0.15–$0.25/mile). A few thousand extra miles = hundreds or more. Pre-buying miles is sometimes cheaper. Use autopremo.com lease calculator and lease vs buy if you drive a lot. Use autopremo.com.What Mileage Limits Mean
Lease sets annual mileage (e.g., 10K, 12K, 15K). At turn-in, miles over (term × annual limit) are charged at per-mile rate. Use autopremo.com to compare lease vs buy if you drive a lot. Get lease at autopremo.com.
How Much Overages Cost
Example: 3-year lease, 12K/year = 36K total. You drive 45K = 9K over. At $0.20/mile = $1,800. That's real cost. Use autopremo.com lease vs buy calculator to see if buying wins. See lease vs buy at autopremo.com.
Pre-Buying Miles vs Overage
Some lessors let you pre-buy miles at a lower rate than overage. If you know you'll go over, compare pre-buy vs overage. Use autopremo.com so you see true cost. Check at autopremo.com.
Bottom Line
Mileage limits penalize you with per-mile overage fees. If you drive a lot, factor that in or consider buying. Use autopremo.com lease vs buy so you see true cost.