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Sell a leased car – even while the contract is still running

You get a firm offer for your leased car, we clarify the settlement amount with the leasing company, and whatever is left above it goes to you.

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  1. 1Car
  2. 2Details
  3. 3Your offer

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  • We buy while the lease is still running
  • We settle the lease with the leasing company
  • Difference above the settlement amount at the handover
  • Free valuation, deregistration included

Prefer the phone? 062 557 74 48

48haverage time to sell

0 CHFfor valuation & deregistration

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Selling a leased car: who owns it and who has to agree

If you want to sell your leased car before the contract ends, you usually have good reasons: the new car is on order, the family is growing, a move is coming up or the monthly payment weighs more than expected. The catch is in every lease agreement. The owner is the leasing company; you are the registered keeper and user. With AMAG Leasing, for example, the vehicle remains its exclusive property for the entire term and afterwards, and you have no right to acquire it.

You can see this in the vehicle registration document. Among the entries, you will usually find Code 178 “change of ownership prohibited”. Without the leasing company’s consent, the road traffic office then refuses to transfer the registration to another person (Art. 81 VZV). A buyer could therefore not even register the car. Anyone who sells a leased car without consent is selling someone else’s property and may be committing a criminal offense.

The legal route is called settlement: the leasing company states the amount at which it ends the contract on a specific date. This is also how our purchase works. We clarify the settlement amount with the leasing company, settle the contract and buy the car from you. If our offer is above the settlement amount, you receive the difference. If your contract ends in a few months anyway, it is also worth reading the guide on the end of leaseshows what else matters when selling a classic car.

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Typical situations with a leased car

  • New car before the lease ends
  • Payment no longer fits the budget
  • More kilometers than agreed
  • Planning a move abroad
  • Family needs a different car
  • Leased car with accident damage
  • Garage’s purchase offer too high
  • Lease ends in a few months

In the form, name the leasing company and, if you already know it, the settlement amount with its reference date.

Sell your leased car: four steps to payment

  1. 1

    Request a non-binding offer

    Enter your vehicle details in our online form. Your advantage: with just a few details, you get a very accurate initial offer (in practice often accurate to within +/- 1’000 CHF), because we use real market data.

  2. 2

    Send photos & vehicle registration document

    Send us photos of your car and your vehicle registration document conveniently online. This allows a precise assessment without you losing time on appointments.

  3. 3

    Get a guaranteed offer

    Based on your photos, you receive a firm, guaranteed offer – conveniently online, with no on-site viewing appointments. No renegotiation, 100% transparent.

  4. 4

    Vehicle handover & payment

    We settle the contract with the leasing company. If our offer is above the settlement amount, you receive the difference at the handover by instant bank transfer.

How you get your money

Right at handover, with no waiting.

Instant bank transfer Recommended

We transfer the purchase price during the handover itself. The money is usually in your account within seconds, secure and traceable.

Cash payment

For smaller amounts, for example for export vehicles, we can also pay in cash on request.

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Ending a lease early: your rights under the KKG and the costs

If you lease a car privately, the contract is usually subject to the Consumer Credit Act (KKG). It allows you to terminate at the end of any three-month period of the term, with at least 30 days’ notice (Art. 17 para. 3 KKG). You can recognize such a contract by the reference to the right of withdrawal and by a table that shows, for every point in time, what additional payment is due beyond the installments already paid if the contract ends early, and what residual value the car then has (Art. 11 para. 2 KKG). For business leases and credit over CHF 80’000, which the law excludes, the terms of your contract apply.

Getting out is not free. The payments are calculated over the full term; if the contract ends earlier, they are recalculated retroactively from the start, and what you have already paid, including a down payment, is deducted. This is how the terms of AMAG Leasing, for example, handle it, adding a flat fee for the administrative work, any excess kilometers and reconditioning costs. The shorter the car was leased, the more the recalculation usually weighs.

An example with assumed, round figures: the leasing company states a settlement amount of CHF 19’000, and our offer is CHF 22’000. At the handover, you receive CHF 3’000. If it states CHF 23’000, CHF 1’000 is missing, which you pay yourself. Ask for the settlement amount in writing, with a reference date and a breakdown. If you want to buy the car yourself first and then sell it on, you will find the calculation in the guide on the lease buyoutshows what else matters when selling a classic car.

Have this ready

  • Lease agreement with the table for early termination
  • Name of the leasing company and contract number
  • Settlement amount with reference date, if you already have it
  • Vehicle registration document, even with the Code 178 entry
  • Mileage and agreed mileage allowance per year
  • All keys, service booklet and any wheels leased with the car

Why verkaufedeinauto.ch?

Because our customers matter most to us, verkaufedeinauto.ch gives you a platform where you can conveniently – at any time of day – have your car’s value estimated from home. Our team supports you personally from the valuation to the handover – for a fast, smooth sale and immediate payment. If you’d like to find out more, visit our About us page.

  • Guaranteed offer

    You get a firm offer for your car in no time, based on your photos. No negotiating and no obligation whatsoever.

  • Hassle-free

    Fast and stress-free: upload your photos, and we’ll take care of the rest. No lengthy appointments and no tough negotiations.

  • Fair

    A fair offer based on your photos – no hidden costs, no obligation whatsoever.

Selling your car made easy

Leased car: sell it privately, to a dealer or to us?

Criterion Private sale Selling to a dealer Selling via verkaufedeinauto.ch
Price high low medium-high + guaranteed offer
Effort high medium very low
Risk high low zero risk – secure payment
Duration 3–12 weeks 3–10 days 24–48h
Deregistration do it yourself sometimes included

Private sale

Price
high
Effort
high
Risk
high
Duration
3–12 weeks
Deregistration
do it yourself

Selling to a dealer

Price
low
Effort
medium
Risk
low
Duration
3–10 days
Deregistration
sometimes

Selling via verkaufedeinauto.ch

Price
medium-high + guaranteed offer
Effort
very low
Risk
zero risk – secure payment
Duration
24–48h
Deregistration
included

Residual value, market value and who benefits from extra value

The lease agreement states a residual value. It was calculated when the contract was signed in order to work out the payments, and it is not a price at which you may buy the car: AMAG Leasing states in its terms that the residual value is given solely for the lessee’s information. If you return the car at the end, with Cembra it usually goes to the garage that supplied it, and anyone who wants to buy it has to contact that garage. So if your car is worth more than calculated, you do not benefit from this when you return it.

By selling during the term, you can make use of such extra value yourself, provided the leasing company agrees to the settlement. It does not work without the company: the TCS states that another garage’s offer may not lead to a contract as long as the lease is running. Only your contract shows whether you are entitled to a purchase option or a share of any surplus; how to find the relevant clause is explained in the guide Right of first refusal on a leaseshows what else matters when selling a classic car.

Sources

  1. Consumer Credit Act (KKG, SR 221.214.1), Art. 1, 7, 11, 16 and 17 – Fedlex (in German)
  2. Road Traffic Licensing Ordinance (VZV, SR 741.51), Art. 80 and 81 – Fedlex (in German)
  3. AMAG Leasing: General leasing terms, edition 01/26, sections 1, 2, 9.9 and 14 (PDF) (in German)
  4. Cembra: Customer center, leasing for private individuals (end of contract, Code 178, insurance) (in German)
  5. TCS: End of a lease agreement – tips on returning a leased car (in German)
  6. Canton of Zurich, Road Traffic Office: Code 178 “change of ownership prohibited” (in German)

What determines the value of your car?

The most important factors in a vehicle valuation:

  • Make & model

    Premium brands hold their value better

  • Mileage

    The lower, the more valuable

  • Features & engine

    High-end features and a powerful engine increase the value

  • Technical condition

    Body, engine and transmission are assessed individually

What our customers say

Reviews on ProvenExpert from people who have sold their car to us.

Very good

Average 5-star rating

Recommended by customers 2026

All reviews

“Finally, a sale where I felt I was treated fairly. The offer was binding, and the whole process was quick and hassle-free.”

“I’ve sold several cars before, but never this stress-free. Everything was prepared digitally, and all I had to do was show up for the appointment. No haggling, no paperwork – the team took care of everything.”

“Professional team, transparent processes and fast payment.”

Questions about selling a leased car

May I sell a leased car while the contract is still running?

You cannot decide this on your own, because the leasing company remains the owner. A sale works as soon as it agrees to a settlement: the contract ends on a reference date, the settlement amount is paid to the leasing company, and it then sends the release of Code 178 electronically to the road traffic office. If we buy your leased car, we take care of the inquiries and the settlement with the leasing company. If you have a loan instead of a lease, other rules apply; see Selling a financed car.

What does it cost to end a lease early?

There is no fixed amount. What counts is the table that the Consumer Credit Act requires in every private lease. From it, you can read how much is still outstanding if you get out in a chosen month. Depending on the terms, a processing fee, excess kilometers and reconditioning costs are added. Ask the leasing company in writing for the settlement amount as of a specific date, ask about any fees for the quote and find out how long the amount is valid.

What if your offer does not cover the settlement amount?

Then the purchase price is not enough to settle the contract, and the leasing company only releases the car once the missing amount has also been paid. You cover this part. We clarify with you how much it is and how the payment works before you accept. If selling now does not pay off, the table in your contract shows how the additional payment changes at a later date. Compare this calmly before you decide.

Do you also buy a leased car with excess kilometers or damage?

Yes. More kilometers than agreed or damage do not rule out a purchase, but they affect two amounts: our offer, which depends on condition and mileage, and, depending on the contract, the settlement amount. AMAG Leasing, for example, charges excess kilometers and reconditioning costs on early termination based on the report of an independent vehicle expert. So state the mileage and the agreed mileage allowance in the form and show any damage in the photos.

End of lease coming up: sell or return?

If you return the car, excess kilometers and damage beyond normal wear and tear are charged, and you do not share in a higher market value. Buying it is only possible if the garage or the leasing company agrees. The TCS recommends contacting the leasing company about three months before the contract expires. Use this time for three figures: the garage’s purchase offer, the settlement amount and an offer from us. That shows you which route pays off for you.

What applies to insurance after the sale?

During the lease, fully comprehensive cover was required, at Cembra for example as a mandatory condition. If you took out the policy yourself, you notify the insurer of the sale; what happens to the premium and the contract is explained in the guide Canceling car insurance. If the insurance was included in the lease payment, with AMAG Leasing it ends with the lease agreement, and you do not need to cancel anything. We take care of deregistering the car at the road traffic office for you.

Further reading on leasing, loans and selling

Whether it is the end of the contract, a buyout or insurance: these pages help you prepare the settlement of your leased car and compare the figures.

Selling a leased car? Get your offer now

  • Free, non-binding valuation
  • We buy even while the lease is running
  • We clarify the settlement amount with the leasing company
  • Difference at the handover by instant bank transfer
  • We take care of deregistering the car
Request an offer now

Prefer to talk to someone?

Call us or message us on WhatsApp. We’re happy to answer your questions about selling your car.

062 557 74 48
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