In-stock car leasing
- Rated 4.9/5 on Feefo
- FCA authorised, FRN 315268
- BVRLA leasing broker member
- Part of Global Vehicle Group
22 models
What in-stock car leasing means before you enquire
At a leasing broker, in stock means a vehicle already exists or has been allocated for supply, rather than simply being a specification you could order. It does not confirm a delivery date. The exact car, its current allocation, funder approval, paperwork and supplying dealer arrangements still need to be checked.
- Existing or allocated vehicle
- Finance checks still apply
- No delivery-date confirmation
Intelligent Vehicle Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and receives a commission from the lender or funder when an agreement completes. A trading style of XLCR Vehicle Management Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 315268). Finance is subject to status, availability and individual funder criteria.
Last updated: September 2026.
Editorial responsibility: Stacey Smith, Brand Director, Intelligent Vehicle Finance. Reviewed and approved September 2026.
A stock label is only the start
- Confirm the vehicle: Exact car and current allocation.
- Funder decision: Application and supporting checks.
- Complete the paperwork: Signatures and required payments.
- Dealer arrangements: Preparation and agreed handover.
First confirm the vehicle and the written quotation. The funder then needs the application information and must make its own decision. Any required identity checks, supporting documents, agreement signatures and payments follow the applicable process.
Separate the stock label from the handover arrangements
An in-stock enquiry can suit a director replacing a company car, a sole trader changing vehicles, a small fleet filling a requirement or a private driver seeking an available specification. The useful question is whether a particular car fits your needs and remains available to you.
A broker arranges the agreement and supply through the relevant parties. Do not assume a stock label means a car is physically at the broker, reserved in your name, approved for finance or ready for handover. Ask which stage the vehicle has reached and have the position confirmed for the exact car.
Check the actual car, not only the model
Confirm the derivative, powertrain, gearbox, colour, wheels, fitted options and seating. Ask for its registration status and model year, because an already allocated car may not match the newest specification shown in a brochure. Check any warranty-start implications if it is already registered.
Where passenger access, child seats, equipment or luggage space matter, verify them before accepting a substitution. An available SUV is not automatically a four-wheel-drive car. A different derivative may change its company-car tax, equipment and running costs.
For a battery-electric car, check charging compatibility and your practical charging plan. For a plug-in hybrid, ask about the exact battery and version and plan regular charging. Official range and consumption figures must belong to that version and are not a guarantee of your results.
Compare electric car leasing with hybrid and plug-in hybrid leasing. Confirm the exact derivative, model year and equipment before relying on any specification.
Understand what still needs to happen
First confirm the vehicle and the written quotation. The funder then needs the application information and must make its own decision. Any required identity checks, supporting documents, agreement signatures and payments follow the applicable process.
The supplying dealer must also complete its preparation and agree the handover arrangements. Allocation and availability can change before the relevant parties confirm them. Ask what, if anything, reserves the vehicle, when you would become committed and which terms apply if the position changes.
Do not end another vehicle arrangement or make travel plans on the stock label alone. Ask for written confirmation of the agreed handover arrangements once the required steps are complete. Finance and supply remain subject to status, availability and individual funder criteria.
Keep the contract checks even when a car is available
Compare the initial rental and later rentals, term, annual mileage, VAT basis, maintenance and administration fee. Confirm any other stated fees and road-tax treatment. An available car still needs to work over the whole agreement, including its mileage and return-condition requirements.
Maintenance is not automatically included, and you should arrange the insurance required by the agreement. Early termination can carry a charge. A ready-made specification can be convenient, but accepting equipment you do not need can still affect the cost and company-car tax.
Read how business contract hire and personal contract hire work. The business leasing and personal leasing pages help you explore the relevant route.
Tax and road costs across the agreement
Confirm the registration and tax data of the allocated car. A different trim, option pack or registration status can change the relevant cost.
For a company car available for private use, including commuting, the benefit-in-kind (BiK) percentage is applied to its P11D value to calculate the taxable benefit. Your Income Tax rate then determines the personal tax. It is not a percentage of the lease payment.
| Car tax category | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero-emission car | 4% | 5% | 7% | 9% |
| Qualifying 1–50g/km car | 4% to 16% | 5% to 17% | 18% | 19% |
In the qualifying 1–50g/km band, the exact percentage before April 2028 depends on official electric range. Cars above that band use their applicable CO2 bracket; diesel supplements can apply. The maximum appropriate percentage is 37% in 2026/27 and 2027/28, 38% in 2028/29 and 39% in 2029/30. Check the exact version against HMRC’s rates for each year.
Some plug-in hybrids can qualify for a temporary emissions easement. Check the registration date and Euro status as well as the CO2 and electric-range data against HMRC’s company-car guidance. Ask your accountant to confirm the treatment; a catalogue CO2 filter cannot settle it.
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED)
For cars registered from April 2017, first-year VED follows the applicable emissions and fuel rules. In 2026/27 the standard annual rate from the second tax payment is £200 when paid annually. Electric cars are not generally exempt. Check which road-tax costs are included in your agreement and how later changes are handled; future rates can change.
Expensive Car Supplement
For 2026/27 the additional annual supplement is £440 for five years from the second tax payment. It applies above a list price of £40,000 for non-zero-emission cars, including hybrids, or £50,000 for qualifying zero-emission cars registered from 1 April 2025. The electric threshold applies from 1 April 2026. Check the original list price including relevant options, before discounts, and the registration date against the vehicle-tax rules.
Planned eVED from April 2028
The government plans an additional mileage charge from 1 April 2028: 3p a mile for battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars, and 1.5p a mile for plug-in hybrid cars. It is additional to existing VED, with inflation uprating planned from 2029/30. The July 2026 eVED policy paper sets out the proposed measure. Check the final rules and how your funder will handle it before relying on a whole-term cost.
Tax information checked against GOV.UK and HMRC on 29 September 2026. This is general information, not individual tax advice. Your accountant should confirm the position for your circumstances, including any VAT recovery. Read the company-car BiK guide and VAT guide for the next questions to ask.
Useful next routes
Return to all car lease deals if your specification matters more than the current stock list. The Skoda Kodiaq and Volvo XC90 pages explain model choices; their existence is not confirmation of stock. Use the car leasing gateway to compare body types.
Find more explanations in the leasing guides. Confirm any fees against your quotation and our status disclosure.
In-stock car leasing: your questions
Stock and finance status
What does in stock mean at a leasing broker?
It means a vehicle already exists or is allocated for supply, rather than just a specification you could order. Confirm the exact car, where it is in the supply process and whether it remains available. It does not establish a delivery date.
Is an in-stock car already reserved for me?
Not simply because you can see the listing or have made an enquiry. Ask what reserves the particular car, when you become committed and which written terms apply. Allocation can change before it is confirmed.
Does in-stock status mean finance has been approved?
No. The funder assesses the application against its own criteria. Identity checks, supporting documents and the agreement process still apply. Finance is subject to status and individual funder criteria.
Handover and specification
Can you promise when an in-stock car will arrive?
A stock label is not a delivery promise. Handover depends on the exact vehicle, funder approval, completed paperwork and supplying dealer arrangements. Ask for written confirmation of the agreed arrangements when those steps are complete.
Can I change the colour or specification?
An existing or allocated vehicle has a particular specification. Ask which details are fixed and whether any change is possible before accepting a quotation. Another colour or version may mean a different vehicle and different terms.
What should I check if the car is already registered?
Ask for the registration date, model year, exact specification and any effect on the warranty start date. Check the agreement and tax treatment for that vehicle. Do not assume it has the same specification as a newly introduced version.
Costs and alternatives
Will the stock label tell me the company-car tax?
No. Check the exact derivative, P11D value, registered CO2 figure and the tax years covered by the agreement. Official electric range can also affect the qualifying low-emission tax band before April 2028.
Are maintenance, insurance and all fees included?
Do not assume so. Confirm the maintenance selection and exclusions, arrange the insurance required by the agreement, and check the administration fee and any other stated charges. Read the initial rental, mileage and road-tax terms together.
What if the car I enquire about is no longer available?
Ask about alternatives that meet your essential specification and compare fresh written terms. Recheck equipment, tax, mileage and the supply position for each alternative. Availability of one model does not prove another version can be supplied.
Intelligent Vehicle Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and receives a commission from the lender or funder when an agreement completes. A trading style of XLCR Vehicle Management Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 315268). Finance is subject to status, availability and individual funder criteria.
Related reading
- The 76 plate: what a plate change means if you lease - Timing, stock and why the plate matters less on a lease.