The process of leasing a car in Massachusetts is basically the same as it is in any other state. When you lease a car, you can only lease one that is brand new, and you must get your leasing financing through the car dealer. For example, if you want to lease a new Ford Mustang, you must finance through Ford Credit. When a car dealer has current year and the next year models on the lot, lease offers are typically only for the newer models.
Visit a local car dealer that has a vehicle you are interested in leasing. You can use the Edmunds website (see Resources) to locate car dealers in your area of Massachusetts.
Select the car you want to lease, which can be based on what is important to you like the price or model of the vehicle. Discuss the lease terms with the salesperson and submit your application. You can select the length of the lease, the number of miles alloted for each year of the lease and any extras included with the lease. Typically, lease terms can be 24, 36, 39 or 48 months, and the standard number of miles is 10,500. You can also add more miles for an additional fee added to your monthly lease payment. Other miles options are usually 12,000 or 15,000. Extras could be maintenance or anything else the dealer wants to include. Specifics vary by car dealer.
Sign your lease paperwork at the car dealer and make your down payment, which is usually 10 percent of the vehicle price. Pay special attention to who is responsible for the Massachusetts excise tax when you read over the lease before signing it. The vehicle excise tax is unique to Massachusetts and is an annual tax you must pay while you are leasing the vehicle. It is based on the value of the car when purchased and is taxed at a rate of $25 per $1,000 in value. If your lease names you as the liable party, your driver's license can be suspended if you do not pay the excise tax when it is due. Usually the person on the registration is the liable party, but sometimes a car lease names the leasing company as the liable party.
