SCRA Auto Lease Termination

Service members who receive a deployment or change of station notice may have financial or property concerns, including vehicle leases. Learn how service members may be able to get out of their car lease through the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). 

For the purposes of this section of the SCRA, the following terms may be used: 

• Lessor: the company that leased the vehicle to the service member 
• Lessee: the service member who leased a vehicle

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act allows active-duty service members to terminate a car lease without having to pay additional charges if one of the following situations apply: 

• The service member entered the auto lease before entering active duty, and then is called into active duty for at least 180 days, or 
• The service member entered the lease before entering active duty, is called into active duty for less than 180 days, but is then ordered to extend to 180 days without break in service, or 
• The service member entered the auto lease during active duty, and then receives orders that may include: 
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) overseas, or to states such as Alaska or Hawaii, or 
  • Deployment with military unit for at least 180 days or longer.

To terminate a lease, first contact the finance department at the dealer where the vehicle was leased and ask if a termination notice should be provided to the dealer or a different agency. Once that is established, the service member is required to provide them:

• A written letter that gives the reason the lease needs to be terminated, what provision makes them eligible to break their lease, and the date the lease would end; AND  
• A copy of their military orders. 

The notice may be submitted by hand, by a private carrier, by certified mail, or email. After the documents have been sent the service member has 15 days to return the vehicle to the lessor. 

Click here to see a sample termination letter 

No. The lessor may not charge service members for early termination of the contract, but they may still be charged for:  

• Taxes,  
• Title and registration fees,  
• Past due payments, and 
• Repairs to the vehicle. 

Advanced payments service members made for the vehicle must be returned by the lessor within 30 days of receiving the notice. 

If the dealer is not accepting a car back after a notice of termination, with evidence, was provided, contact Armed Forces Legal Assistance for help. Through a legal assistance office, service members may take advantage of no-cost legal assistance services.  

Service members may also contact their state Attorney General office to submit a complaint against the non-cooperating company.  

SCRA prevents creditors from repossessing any personal property of active-duty service members without a court order. This only applies if the car was obtained before active duty. 50 U.S.C. § 3952