Honda Lease Return FAQs

When you first sign your lease, you and a sales associate or financing team member will agree to a lease-end date. This date is more commonly referred to as your maturation date, and it marks the conclusion of your agreed-upon lease term. You should have your leased vehicle returned by then.

You should return your lease to the same Honda dealer where you originally signed and agreed to your lease. This will provide the smoothest possible transition and return process.

However, if for some reason you can’t return your lease to the originating dealer—such as a recent move—you should contact that dealer ahead of time to determine where to return your lease.

The lease return process isn’t any more complicated than its name suggests. At the end of your lease, you’re responsible for returning your leased vehicle.

Upon its return, Honda service technicians will give your car a simple inspection and ensure that there aren’t any glaring issues with its appearance or operability. Then, the decision will be up to you what happens next.

While you don’t need to schedule a formal appointment to return your lease, you should still be planning ahead of your maturation date. Not only should you plan on what your preferred lease-end option is, but you should also simply contact your originating dealer ahead of time.

At our Honda dealership, we offer simple lease return planning through our lease return center. Just visit our online lease return center, and fill out a simple form with your personal and vehicle information. This will alert our team that your lease-end date is approaching and to get any necessary inspections or paperwork ready.

Ahead of your lease return, there are a few ways you can get your vehicle ready. As we mentioned, our team will check to ensure that the appearance and mechanical status of your vehicle are as they should be. So, to get ready for your lease return, you should check the following:

• Vehicle mileage
• Exterior condition
• Interior condition (stains, tears, and more)
• Tire condition
• Glass condition (windshield & windows)
• Mechanical operations

If you’re worried that there may be an issue with your vehicle that might affect the lease return process, you can always schedule a multi-point inspection ahead of time.

While you can technically return your lease before or after its maturation date, you should aim to return it as close to it as possible. Some dealerships will charge you with an early or late return fee.

Speaking of fees, it’s important to keep in mind that there are several scenarios in which a dealership may add fees upon your lease return. Some of them include:

• Exceeding the agreed-upon mileage limit
• There is excess damage to the car
• The lease is returned early/late
• Vehicle payments are past due or unpaid

By getting ahead of the lease return process and properly preparing for it, you can avoid these extra charges.

Now, the end of your lease term doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to just return it. In fact, you have a handful of additional lease-end options. It’s up to you to decide which makes the most sense for you.

First, you can always lease a new vehicle. If you’re ready to get behind the wheel of a new model, you can sign a new lease at the end of your current one. This is, by far, the best option if you want to take advantage of all the latest vehicle upgrades, or just want to drive something entirely new.

Otherwise, you can always purchase your vehicle at the end of its lease. If, by the end of your lease, you’ve fallen in love with your ride, you can just purchase it right then and there. You can always contact a member of our sales or finance team to help set up a lease-end vehicle purchase.