 TITLE: What Credit Score Do I Need for a Car Lease? CONTENT: Can I Lease a Car With a Bad Credit Score?\n------------------------------------------\nThe short answer is yes, you can lease a car with a bad credit score—though it may be more challenging. A lender may use your credit score to decide which types of vehicles they'll lease to you, so if you have your heart set on a particular car, your credit score could affect whether you'll be approved for it.\nA bad credit score may also result in a higher interest rate on the lease, meaning you'll pay more per month and over the lease term. Lenders may also request a higher security deposit from bad credit borrowers to cover their increased risk.\nYou may be able to lower your monthly payments, even if you don't have great credit, by making a \"capitalization reduction\" payment. Similar to a down payment, the capitalization reduction amount is subtracted from the purchase price that's used to calculate your lease principal.\nFor example, if you put down $3,000 on a car with a purchase price of $25,000, then your lease will be calculated with a $22,000 purchase price. That means you'll have a lower principal and less interest will accrue.\nIn the event you're unable to qualify for a lease, you might consider a lease transfer. Assuming you know someone who wants to get out of their current car lease, they may be able to transfer it to you so you can take over the payments. Their lender will still run your credit, but they may be more lenient than if you were applying for a new lease on your own. END