Nissan Lease Buyout: Dealer fees on top of purchase option fee?

So our lease on a 2015 Nissan Leaf SV is up on a few days, and I’m shopping around for dealers to use in the buyout process. Because we originally leased from a Maryland dealership (delivered on a flatbed to our house), and Maryland requires a state inspection during ownership transfer, I can’t use them. Ie, the Leaf can’t make the 180+ mile drive to even get there.

So using a local dealership means I’m paying sales tax again, but there’s not much I can do about it, and it’s not my question.

My question is the following: Nissan already stipulates a $300 purchase option fee, but the first quote I received from a local Nissan dealership also added on their $599 dealer handling fee. I’ll certainly shop around for offers from other dealerships, but what are my options here? Is there any Nissan documentation that indicates the required $300 fee is supposed to already cover this? There are only a few dealers close enough to drive an ~80 mile Leaf (with no quick charge) to, so I can’t expand the net very wide on this.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks,
HK

Dealers are allowed to charge a doc fee when processing that paperwork.

Are you a VA resident? It’s two initials in your username but you can make that clear. If yes, why would MD registration requirements apply to you? Maybe the original dealership can process your VA registration with paperwork being mailed, ie you don’t have to physically take the car there.

Sorry I didn’t make that part clear. Yes, I’m a Virginia resident. The Maryland dealership says that Maryland law requires a physical inspection at an MD state inspection station for any ownership transfer, and an internet search backs that up.

So if it was just paperwork, I’m sure we could do that. But having to physically drive the car to a Maryland inspection station scuttles the idea on a car with an 80 mile range.

HK

Ask a couple PA dealers? They’re limited to $141 doc