A lease agreement has more line items than a car purchase, and the names are not self-explanatory. Here is each one, roughly what it costs, and whether you can do anything about it.

Acquisition fee

Typically $595 to $1,095. Charged by the lender for setting up the lease. Sometimes called a bank fee or administrative fee.

This is a real lender charge and it is rarely waived outright. You do have one choice: pay it up front or roll it into the cap cost. Rolling it in means paying a finance charge on it for the entire term, so paying it at signing costs less if you can.

Watch for it being marked up above the lender's published figure. The lender's number is public, so it is checkable.

Disposition fee

Typically $350 to $500. Charged at the end when you hand the car back. It covers cleaning and remarketing.

Two things worth knowing. It is often waived if you lease or buy another car from the same brand, which is a quiet loyalty incentive. And it does not apply if you buy the car out, which is one small factor in whether a buyout makes sense.

Check whether it is in your contract before you sign. Not every lender charges one.

Documentation fee

$85 to $800, depending heavily on the state. The dealer's charge for paperwork.

Some states cap it by law. Others do not, and in those states it can be large. Where it is capped, arguing is pointless. Where it is not, it is effectively part of the price, and the honest way to handle it is to negotiate the total rather than the line.

Registration, title, and taxes

Varies by state. These are government charges passed straight through, and they are not negotiable or avoidable.

How lease tax works differs by state in a way that catches people out. Some states tax each monthly payment. Others tax the entire lease up front. A few tax the full vehicle price even though you are leasing. If you are taking delivery across state lines, this is the detail that decides your final number.

First month's payment

Due at signing on almost every lease. Not a fee exactly, but it is part of what you hand over on day one, and it is easy to forget when budgeting.

Security deposit

Often waived. Where it applies it is usually about one monthly payment, refundable at the end if the car comes back in acceptable condition.

Some lenders offer multiple security deposits, where putting down several deposits buys a lower money factor. The deposits come back to you at lease end, so the effective return can be good. It is not offered everywhere and it is worth asking about.

Excess mileage charges

15 to 30 cents per mile. Not due at signing, but contracted on day one and paid at the end if you go over. Covered in full in lease mileage limits.

Excess wear and tear

Varies. Assessed at return. See what actually gets charged.

Early termination

If you end the lease early, the charge is generally the remaining payments plus the disposition fee, less what the car is worth. It can be severe, which is why getting out early usually means transferring or trading rather than terminating.

What "due at signing" actually includes

The advertised "due at signing" figure normally bundles the first payment, the acquisition fee, registration and taxes, any down payment, and the doc fee. Two dealers can advertise the same monthly payment with very different amounts due at signing, and the one with the lower monthly figure is often the more expensive deal overall.

Compare the total cost across the term: (monthly payment x term) + due at signing - any refundable deposit. That single number is much harder to dress up than a monthly payment.

If you want that comparison run properly across a few options, send us what you are looking at.