Most vehicle leases cap how many miles you can drive per year, and going over that cap triggers a per-mile overage fee at turn-in — often a nasty surprise for drivers who don't check in on their pace until the lease is nearly done. This calculator extrapolates your driving pace so far to project whether you're on track to exceed your allowance, and estimates the fee you'd owe if nothing changes, so you can adjust your driving habits — or start planning a buyout — well before lease-end.
How the projection is calculated
The calculator takes the miles you've driven since lease start (current odometer minus starting odometer) and divides by the number of months that have elapsed, giving your average monthly driving pace. That pace is then extrapolated across the full remaining lease term to project your total mileage at turn-in. The projected total is compared against your total contracted allowance — your annual allowance prorated across the full lease term — and any projected excess is multiplied by your per-mile overage rate to estimate the fee.
This is a linear extrapolation: it assumes your driving habits for the rest of the lease will match your pace so far. It's a useful early-warning tool, not a guarantee — see the limits section below.
Inputs and what they mean
Annual mileage allowance and lease term come straight from your lease contract. Starting odometer is usually 0 (or your odometer reading at lease signing, if the vehicle wasn't brand new). Current odometer and months elapsed reflect where you are right now. The overage fee rate — typically $0.15 to $0.30 per mile — is also specified in your lease agreement; check the contract if you're not sure of the exact figure, since it varies by leasing company and vehicle.
Reading your projection
A projected overage of 0 miles means your current pace, if it holds, will land you at or under your allowance by lease-end — no fee expected. Any projected overage means your current pace would put you over the limit if it continues unchanged for the rest of the lease. The earlier in the lease you run this check, the more time you have to correct course — a driver flagged at month 6 of a 36-month lease has 30 months to slow down, while a driver flagged at month 30 has much less room to adjust.
Limits and what to do if you're projected over
This is a simple linear projection — it can't account for driving habits that change partway through the lease (a new commute, a move, a seasonal travel pattern). Early-lease checks are less reliable than late-lease checks for exactly this reason. If you're projected to be significantly over your allowance, a few options are worth exploring before turn-in: many leasing companies let you purchase additional miles upfront at a lower per-mile rate than the turn-in overage charge, and if the overage is large, buying out the lease (purchasing the vehicle outright) eliminates the mileage limit entirely, since it no longer applies once you own the car.