Selling a leased car in Nevada: what you can and can't do

October 22, 2026·6 min read

Quick overview

The short answer

Yes, you can sell a leased car, but not on your own. During a lease, the leasing company owns the car and holds the title. The Nevada DMV's title page says that if there is a loan, lease or other lien on the vehicle, you must contact the lienholder. Nothing can change hands until that company's interest is paid off and released.

So the real question isn't "can I sell it?" but "what's the cheapest way to get the leasing company paid?" The answer depends on one number: your payoff quote compared with what the car is worth today.

Who owns a leased car?

The lessor. You have the right to drive the car under the lease contract, but you don't hold the title, and you can't sign one over. That's why a private buyer, a bill of sale or a handshake can't complete a sale on its own, and why anyone who offers to take the car without the leasing company is a red flag.

If you're reading this because the car is in someone else's name for another reason, see selling a car that isn't in your name.

Step 1: Get a written payoff quote

Call the leasing company, the one you send your monthly payments to, and ask for a written payoff quote for the date you expect to sell. Ask them:

• What is the total payoff, and does it include remaining payments, any purchase-option fee, and other fees?
• How long is the quote good for?
• Do you allow a third party, such as a dealer or an online buyer, to pay off the lease?
• Who collects the sales tax and title fee if the car is bought out?

The lease-end buyout price in your contract isn't always the same as an early payoff. Get the actual figure in writing.

Step 2: Compare the payoff with what the car is worth

Get real offers before you decide. Then do the math:

• Offer is higher than the payoff: you have positive equity. A dealer or buyer that can pay the lessor directly can send the difference to you.
• Offer is lower than the payoff: you have negative equity. You'd have to cover the gap to sell, or roll it into another loan if a lender agrees. A buyer won't pay the difference for you.

Your options

1. Buy the car out, then sell it. You pay the lessor the buyout amount, the title comes to you, and you sell it like any car you own. The DMV says that on a lease buyout, a Nevada dealer or the lienholder collects the sales tax and title fee due on the sale. It's the most flexible route, but you need the cash or a loan to do it.

2. Sell it to a dealer. The dealer appraises the car, gets the payoff from your lessor, pays it, and handles the paperwork. Any equity can come to you. This is usually the easiest route when the offer beats the payoff.

3. Use an online or national buyer. National buyers such as CarMax and Carvana advertise leased-car purchases, but whether one can take yours depends on whether your leasing company allows it. Check with both before you plan around it.

4. Transfer the lease. Another person takes over the lease, but only if the leasing company approves it. The DMV warns that subleasing and "take-over payment" arrangements are illegal where a lender holds the title. Get approval in writing first.

5. Return it at the end of the lease. If the lease is nearly over, this can be simpler than a sale. Early return can bring early-termination, mileage and wear charges under your contract, so ask what applies.

What happens to the title after a buyout

How you get the title depends on how the lien was recorded. According to the Nevada DMV's loan payoffs and lease buyouts page:

• Electronic lien (most loans started after July 1, 2017): once the lien is paid, the lender notifies the DMV electronically. The DMV prints a clear title and mails it to the address the lender has on file.
• Paper title (older liens): the lienholder signs the title and delivers the original to you. Lenders don't notify the DMV of the payoff in this case, so you submit the signed title to the DMV to get a new title in your name. If you don't, the lienholder stays on DMV records.
• No title available: the lienholder can complete a notarized Lien Release (VP 186), which you submit with an Application for Duplicate Title (VP 012).

The DMV lists a title fee for a change of ownership, so confirm the current amount with the DMV before you pay. Our Nevada duplicate title guide covers the form, and our guide to selling a car with a loan or lien walks through payoffs and negative equity.

What cars like yours have sold for in Las Vegas

Before you commit to a payoff, it helps to know what a car like yours is actually worth. These are real numbers from our own records, not "up to" prices. They show what older, damaged and non-running cars in the valley fetch right now. They're not leased cars, since we can't buy those.

30 real offers · Las Vegas valley · Oct 15–28

Middle offer

$295

Under $500

23 of 30

Highest

$1,975

“$500” ads$100$1,000$10,000

• 1998 Nissan SentraBoulder City · Oct 28$150
• 2010 Toyota Corolla MatrixOct 27$755
• 2001 Mitsubishi GalantOct 26$60
• 2003 Honda CivicHenderson · Oct 26$470
• 2015 BMW X1Oct 24$1,120
• 2006 Nissan AltimaOct 24$295
• 2003 Volkswagen PassatOct 23$260
• 2006 Toyota AvalonOct 23$575
• 2005 Subaru OutbackNorth Las Vegas · Oct 22$295
• 2013 Dodge JourneyOct 22$345
• 1998 Saturn SC2Oct 21$150
• 2015 BMW 335IOct 21$155
• 2007 Infiniti G35Oct 21$155
• 2014 Jeep Grand CherokeeOct 21$155
• 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee LimitedOct 21$155
• 2011 Chevrolet CruzeOct 20$370
• 2018 Jeep RenegadeHenderson · Oct 20$1,975
• 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTOct 20$370
• 2018 Jeep Renegade TrailhawkHenderson · Oct 20$1,975
• 2003 BMW X5Oct 19$225
• 2011 Chevrolet CruzeOct 19$635
• 2003 BMW X5 3.0iOct 19$225
• 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTOct 19$635
• 2009 Toyota Scion TCOct 18$440
• 2009 Scion tCOct 18$440
• 2013 Dodge AvengerOct 17$295
• 2013 Dodge Avenger SEOct 17$295
• 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-ClassOct 16$155
• 2002 Mercedes-Benz E500Oct 16$155
• 2010 Nissan MaximaOct 15$285

Cars we bought and what the seller was paid at pickup. Swipe through, or tap the dots.

• 
  Paid $3,500
  2015 Lincoln MKCFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $300
  1997 Pontiac Firebird Trans AmFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $2,100
  2010 Audi A5 2.0T PremiumFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $360
  Chevrolet pickup
• 
  Paid $1,200
  2005 Toyota CamryPeeling paint
• 
  Paid $700
  2005 Nissan Maxima SE
• 
  Paid $3,200
  2015 Lincoln MKCFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $800
  2014 Ford Focus SE
• 
  Paid $780
  2005 Toyota Camry
• 
  Paid $2,500
  Toyota Camry
• 
  Paid $600
  2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser TouringFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $1,500
  2011 Dodge Charger R/T
• 
  Paid $800
  2002 Ford Mustang V6

Our junk car price guide has more offers and the scrap-weight math.

Why we can't buy a leased car, and when we can

We buy only cars you fully own: the title in your name, with no loan or lease on it. A leased car is owned by the leasing company, so we can't buy it, and we won't pretend otherwise.

Once you've bought out the lease and the title is in your name, it's a car you own, and we can make an offer. You get a firm offer online in about two minutes and choose a pickup time from the windows offered when you accept. The tow is free, you're paid at pickup, and we handle the title transfer at no cost. We buy cars running or not, including salvage and rebuilt titles.

After the sale, keep your plates, cancel the registration and file the Vehicle Resale Notification. Start with our cash for junk cars Las Vegas quote when the title is in your name.