Most copier leases are not held by the dealer who installed the machine. They are held by a separate leasing company, and that company’s contract decides what happens when your term ends. We built these guides so office managers, controllers and CFOs can find the right company, read what it publishes about lease end, and know which clauses to check well ahead of the end date.
Step 1: Find out who holds your lease
The fastest way is to look at the paperwork you already have:
- Your monthly invoice. The company you pay each month is usually the lessor, or the company servicing the lease for the lessor.
- Your signed lease agreement. The lessor’s name appears at the top or in the signature block. If the dealer’s name is on the form, look for a section saying the lease was assigned to a finance company.
- Assignment or welcome letters. Many leases are signed with a dealer and then transferred. A letter from the new company usually confirms this.
Names change over time because of mergers and rebrands. A lease signed under one name may now be billed under another. Each guide below notes the name changes we could confirm.
Step 2: Understand the general lease-end timeline
Every agreement is different, but most copier leases share the same parts, and leasing companies generally offer several options at the end of the term. These are the clauses we suggest finding first.
The notice clause. Many leases ask you to tell the lessor, in writing, whether you plan to return or buy the equipment. The clause usually sets a window of days before the end date and says how notice should be sent. Notice generally goes to the leasing company, not the dealer. Keep a copy.
Renewal. If no option is chosen, many agreements continue on a month-to-month (or renewal) basis until you choose an option. The renewal section tells you which applies to yours.
Return. The return section normally covers where the equipment goes, how it should be prepared, and whether you need a return authorization. Your leasing company can provide return instructions in writing before anyone picks up a machine.
Buyout types. Your end-of-term option was chosen when the lease was signed. Common versions are a $1 option, a fixed percentage of the original cost, and a fair market value option. Look for the box or line labeled “purchase option” or “end of term option” on your lease, and request a quote through your leasing company’s customer portal or customer service.
Protect your data before any return. Most modern copiers store images of scanned and printed documents. Plan hard drive wiping or removal with your dealer or IT team before the machine leaves, ask for confirmation in writing, and follow the Federal Trade Commission’s copier data security guidance. [1]
Contacting your leasing company through its customer portal early is the easiest way to confirm your options.
Step 3: Open the guide for your leasing company
Each guide covers that company’s end-of-term options and how to reach it.
- De Lage Landen (DLL): a vendor finance company that is fully owned by Rabobank and provides financing through equipment manufacturers and dealers. [2]
- Canon Financial Services: a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A. that provides lease financing for Canon products, based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. [3]
- Xerox Financial Services: the financing arm that offers leases for Xerox hardware, software and solutions. [4]
- Wells Fargo: Wells Fargo’s vendor finance group, Wells Fargo Vendor Financial Services, appears on many office imaging equipment leases. [5]
- U.S. Bank Equipment Finance: the equipment leasing and finance business that operates under the U.S. Bank name.
- First Citizens Bank Equipment Finance (formerly CIT): First Citizens merged with CIT in 2022, and the former CIT equipment finance business now operates as First Citizens Bank Equipment Finance. [6]
- LEAF Commercial Capital: a Philadelphia-based equipment leasing and finance company that has described itself as a subsidiary of M&T Bank. [7]
- GreatAmerica Financial Services: a family-owned equipment finance company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a focus on the office equipment industry. [8]
- Navitas Credit Corp.: an equipment finance company based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [9]
- Financial Pacific Leasing (FinPac): a small-ticket equipment leasing company in Federal Way, Washington, and a subsidiary of Columbia Bank, formerly Umpqua Bank. [10]
- PEAC Solutions (formerly Marlin Leasing): the brand Marlin Leasing Corporation adopted in 2022, after funds managed by affiliates of HPS Investment Partners acquired Marlin. [11]
Do not see your leasing company? The general timeline above still applies, and our Lease End Check can help you sort out the dates.
A simple plan that works with any lessor
- About 120 days before the end date, pull your signed agreement and find the notice, renewal, return and purchase option sections.
- About 90 days out, decide whether to buy, renew, return or replace, and request a written buyout quote either way.
- Send any required notice using the method and address in the lease, and keep proof of delivery.
- About 60 days out, get return instructions in writing and schedule the hard drive wipe.
- After the return, keep your receipts and the leasing company’s confirmation that the return is complete.
If an upgrade makes more sense than a return, a partner dealer can review your options and how the current lease would be handled. Get those details in writing and compare them with your own buyout quote.
Check your lease before the deadline
Use our free Lease End Check to organize your dates and options. If you are considering new equipment, you can also request a commercial copier lease quote.
1-800 Office Solutions is not affiliated with any of the leasing companies listed on this page. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Your lease agreement controls.