This Credit Score Can Get You the Best Car Lease Deals

Just like applying for an auto loan, leasing a vehicle involves a hard credit check. The better your credit, the more likely you are to be offered more compelling lease deals.

But how exactly do your credit scores impact your lease options? And what credit score should you aim for if you want to get the best deal on the market? The answers depend on the state of the automotive market and the economy at large, but you can find a rough rule of thumb for which credit scores get you great lease offers—aim for 700 or above.

What’s a Good Credit Score to Lease a Car?

Most sources agree that you’re more likely to get approved for a lease with a credit score of at least 700. That’s classified as “good” by FICO and VantageScore, or “prime,” as viewed by lenders. 

Getting approved doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the best deals, though. For that, you’ll likely need a credit score that’s closer to “excellent” or “super prime”—somewhere around 750. 

Exploring the Data: Credit Scores & Lease Rates

According to Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market Report for Q1 2025, the average VantageScore 4.0 score for a new lease is 753. That’s just into VantageScore’s “Excellent” territory, which ranges from 750 to 850. It’s also five points above the average credit score for new vehicle loans (748). 

The same report shows the percentage of all leases that are granted within each credit score range:

• Super Prime (720+): 48.35%
• Prime (660–719): 37.74%
• Near Prime (620-659): 9.93%
• Subprime (580-619): 3.68%
• Deep Subprime (Below 580): 0.30%

As you can see, the majority of people who lease have a VantageScore 4.0 of at least 660. And nearly half of all lessees fall into the “super prime” borrower category—those with the best credit scores.

Another data point worth considering is the average lease payment by credit score:

• Super Prime: $595
• Prime: $590
• Near Prime: $610
• Subprime: $609

Prime and super prime borrowers pay less per month, on average, than those with lower credit scores. But, interestingly, prime borrowers had the lowest average payments. This could be due to a number of reasons. Super prime borrowers, for example, could be leasing more expensive vehicles.

Lastly, take a look at auto loan APRs by credit score:

• Super Prime: 5.18%
• Prime: 6.70%
• Near Prime: 9.83%
• Subprime: 13.22%
• Deep Subprime: 15.81%

Here, the data are clear: Borrowers with higher credit scores get much lower auto loan rates.

Assuming lenders consider similar factors with leases, the results point toward an unsurprising conclusion: You’re much more likely to get approved for a lease with favorable terms if you have good to excellent credit scores.

Can You Lease a Car With Bad Credit?

In some cases, yes, it’s possible to lease a car with bad credit. 

Whether you’ll qualify for a lease with poor credit can vary depending on the dealership and lender, plus financial factors, like how much cash you can put down. If you do get approved for a lease, you may be stuck with worse terms, like a higher monthly payment. This may feel counterproductive if you’re already having trouble juggling debts, and it may be a sign that you should look for a different option for transportation.

How to Improve Your Odds of Qualifying for a Lease

Here are some tips to consider if you’re working with bad credit:

Pay More Upfront 

You may have poor credit but plenty of cash on hand and a stable income. If that’s the case, and a lease feels right for your situation, you can offer to pay more (or even the entire lease balance) up front. This larger down payment could help offset some of the risk from the dealer’s perspective.

Ask a Co-Signer for Help

A co-signer with good credit may help you secure a lease. But co-signing is a tricky situation, as the co-signer is also legally on the line for the payments if you fail to make them. It’s an option to consider, but it’s likely best if you only enter into this type of arrangement with someone you trust (and who trusts you), and who’s fully prepared to take on the payments if necessary.

Boost Your Credit

Building great credit can take a long time, but some strategies can help bolster your scores more quickly. Significantly reducing your credit utilization (by paying down a credit card balance, for example) can have a quick and noteworthy effect.

If you can wait to get a new vehicle, you can also try tools like credit builder loans. It’ll take a bit longer to see the benefits, but terms tend to be shorter than those of “normal” loans—usually in the range of 6–24 months.

Choose a Cheaper Vehicle

This might not be the most appealing option if you’ve had your eye on a specific vehicle, but car prices vary a lot. A cheaper vehicle will still get you from point A to point B, and lenders may be more willing to approve you if there’s less money at stake. You might even consider leasing a used car.

Aim for a Shorter Lease Term

The shorter the term, the less opportunity you’ll have to default on payments, and the less the vehicle will depreciate in the meantime. These are both worthwhile considerations on the lender’s end.

The Bottom Line

Put simply, better credit usually unlocks better lease deals. That doesn’t mean you need perfect credit to get a lease, but you’ll generally want a credit score of at least 700, if not higher, and a solid all-around financial situation to unlock the best deals available.