Lease Return Fair Wear and Tear: BVRLA Guide & Costs (2026)

Quick answer: Fair wear and tear on a lease return car covers five specific categories, based on the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) guide that UK leasing companies use to assess returned vehicles:

• Dents under 10mm in diameter, paint unbroken, maximum 2 per panel
• Scratches under 25mm long that haven't cut through to primer or bare metal
• Bumper scuffing that doesn't require repainting
• Alloy wheel scuffs under 50mm around the total wheel rim
• Windscreen chips outside the driver's eyeline, professionally repaired with a warranty

Anything past these limits is chargeable damage, not fair wear and tear. Car Body Shop inspects and repairs lease return vehicles against this exact standard before the leasing company's assessor does, in Rochdale and across Greater Manchester.

What Is Fair Wear and Tear on a Lease Return?

Fair wear and tear is the cosmetic ageing a leasing company accepts as normal use for a vehicle's age and mileage, charged at £0. The BVRLA publishes the fair wear and tear guide that UK leasing companies use to assess returned vehicles, including Lex Autolease, Alphabet, and Arval. A scratch acceptable under one leasing contract is acceptable under nearly all of them, because they reference the same guide.

The BVRLA guide splits vehicles into two standards: a "blue zone" for cars, and separate blue zone and orange/working zone standards for commercial vehicles, since vans and pickups take more cosmetic damage during normal work use and get assessed more leniently. This article covers the car (blue zone) standard.

BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Thresholds by Damage Type

The BVRLA guide sets measurable limits across seven areas of a car: dents, scratches, bumpers, alloy wheels, glass, tyres, and interior condition.

Dents

A dent under 10mm in diameter with unbroken paint is fair wear and tear, up to a maximum of 2 dents per panel. A dent over 10mm, a dent with cracked or missing paint, or a third dent on the same panel is chargeable regardless of size. Paintless and traditional dent removal in Rochdale fixes both types, usually same day.

Scratches

A scratch under 25mm is fair wear and tear only if it hasn't broken through to primer or bare metal. A scratch that exposes primer or metal is chargeable at any length under 25mm, and any scratch over 25mm is chargeable regardless of depth. Car scratch repair in Rochdale colour-matches the panel so the repair is invisible against the rest of the car.

Bumper Damage

Minor scuffing that doesn't require repainting is fair wear and tear. A bumper dent, crack, or scratch that needs the panel resprayed is chargeable. BVRLA lists typical dealer recharge costs of £50 to £200 for bumper damage on cars.

Alloy Wheels and Kerbing

Scuffing up to 50mm around the total circumference of the wheel rim is fair wear and tear. A dent, hole, or damage to the wheel rim itself is chargeable at any size, separate from the 50mm scuff allowance for surface scratching.

Windscreen and Glass

A chip outside the driver's eyeline — the area swept by the wipers, directly ahead of the driver — is fair wear and tear if it has been professionally repaired with a warranty. A crack, a hole, or any unrepaired chip is chargeable. BVRLA lists typical dealer recharge costs of £50 to £700 for windscreen damage on cars, with the top of that range covering full replacement.

Tyres

Tyres need a minimum of 1.6mm of tread depth across the central three-quarters of the tread pattern, around the entire circumference. This is the UK legal minimum, not just a lease return standard, so tread below 1.6mm is chargeable and illegal to drive on.

Interior

Wear consistent with the car's age and mileage — faded upholstery, light scuffing on door trims — is fair wear and tear. Burns, tears, staining, and holes in upholstery or trim are chargeable regardless of cause.

Fair Wear and Tear Limits vs. Repair Costs

The table below compares each BVRLA threshold with the cost of fixing the damage independently before the return inspection, using Car Body Shop's published Rochdale pricing and BVRLA's own recharge cost bands.

Damage type	BVRLA fair wear and tear limit	Cost to fix before return
Small dents, paint unbroken	Up to 10mm, max 2 per panel	From £180
Scratches	Up to 25mm, no primer/metal exposed	From £150
Kerbed alloy wheels	Scuffing up to 50mm around the rim	From £80 per wheel
Multiple areas	N/A — combination repairs	From £300
Bumper needing repaint	Not fair wear and tear	BVRLA recharge: £50–£200
Windscreen chip or crack	Not fair wear and tear unless repaired outside the eyeline	BVRLA recharge: £50–£700

Fixing chargeable damage independently before the inspection replaces the leasing company's invoice with a fixed, known price, and the vehicle passes the wear-and-tear check with no listed damage.

How to Inspect a Lease Car Before Return

1. Check every panel in daylight — dents and scratches are harder to spot under artificial light or in shade.
2. Measure any dent or scratch against a 10mm or 25mm reference. A UK £1 coin is 23mm across, close enough to the 25mm scratch limit to use as a rough gauge.
3. Run a hand around each alloy wheel rim to feel for kerbing, not just look for it — light scuffs can be nearly invisible from a standing position.
4. Check tread depth at three points on each tyre — both edges and the centre — with a tread depth gauge or a 20p coin. If the coin's outer rim is hidden when inserted into the tread groove, the tyre is above the 1.6mm legal minimum at that point.
5. Photograph every panel, wheel, and interior surface with a timestamp before the return appointment.
6. Book any chargeable repairs at least 5 working days ahead of the return date, since same-day availability isn't guaranteed close to a deadline.

Book a Pre-Return Lease Inspection in Rochdale

Car Body Shop has completed over 5,000 repairs across 10+ years, including lease return work for drivers across Rochdale, Whitworth, Bacup, Littleborough, Milnrow, Heywood, Bury, and Oldham. Lease return repairs in Rochdale covers dent, scratch, and kerbed-wheel repair against the exact BVRLA standard above, with same-day turnaround in most cases and a free quote before any work starts.

Get a quote via WhatsApp at +44 7471 512557 or call 07471 512557.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered fair wear and tear on a leased car?

Fair wear and tear is dents under 10mm, scratches under 25mm without primer or metal exposure, bumper scuffs that don't need repainting, alloy wheel scuffs under 50mm, and tyres with at least 1.6mm of tread, under the BVRLA guide used by UK leasing companies.

How much can a leasing company charge for lease return damage?

BVRLA-published recharge bands run £50 to £200 for bumper damage and £50 to £700 for windscreen damage on cars, with individual leasing companies setting their own rates for other chargeable items.

Can I dispute a lease return damage charge?

Request the leasing company's inspection report and photographs, then compare each charged item against the BVRLA fair wear and tear guide before paying. Leasing companies assess returns against this published standard, so a charge outside its thresholds can be challenged directly.

Do I need to repair damage before returning a lease car?

No. Leasing companies accept the vehicle in any condition and invoice for chargeable damage afterward. Independent repair beforehand is typically the lower-cost route, since it replaces the leasing company's recharge invoice with a fixed, known price.