How Many Miles Should a Car Have Per Year? 10,787 Average
Last Updated on October 23, 2026 by Albert Duke
There is no set number of miles you should put on a car. The average U.S. light-duty vehicle drove 10,787 miles in 2024, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The often-quoted 12,000 to 15,000 miles is the usual lease limit, not the measured average.
Key takeaways
- FHWA data: 10,787 miles per light-duty vehicle in 2024, and 11,106 in 2023.
- 12,000 and 15,000 miles a year are the most common lease limits, says the Federal Reserve.
- 15,000 miles a year is about 39% above the 2024 average.
- Lease overage typically costs 10 to 25 cents per mile.
If you are asking “how many miles should a car have per year”, or how many miles you should put on a car in a year, start with the real average, then compare your own driving to it. This page uses federal data, a Federal Reserve leasing guide and a manufacturer maintenance schedule, and it shows our own calculations where we make them.
Average Miles Per Year on a Car
The FHWA reports how far registered vehicles travel each year. Its tables for 2024 and 2023 give these averages:
| Vehicle type | 2023 (miles per vehicle) | 2024 (miles per vehicle) |
|---|---|---|
| Light-duty, short wheelbase (cars) | 11,026 | 10,812 |
| Light-duty, long wheelbase (pickups, SUVs, vans) | 11,360 | 10,707 |
| All light-duty vehicles | 11,106 | 10,787 |
| All motor vehicles | 11,408 | 11,071 |
The 2024 figure for light-duty vehicles, 10,787 miles, is the best single answer to “what is the average annual mileage”. It is lower than the 12,000 to 15,000 often repeated online. Averages include cars that are driven very little, so your own number can sit well above or below it without anything being wrong.
Is Your Mileage Low, Average or High?
Compare your yearly miles with the 10,787 average. The table shows how a few common numbers compare and how long each takes to reach 100,000 miles.
| Your yearly miles | Compared with the 10,787 average | Years to reach 100,000 miles |
|---|---|---|
| 6,400 | About 41% lower | 15.6 |
| 10,787 (average) | Average | 9.3 |
| 12,000 | About 11% higher | 8.3 |
| 15,000 | About 39% higher | 6.7 |
As a rule of thumb (ours, not an official standard), anything clearly under 10,000 miles a year is lower than average, and anything over about 15,000 is well above it. Age matters as much as miles, so a ten-year-old car with 50,000 miles is a different story from a three-year-old car with the same reading. Our guides on how many miles a 2021 car should have and how many miles 20K is cover that in more detail.
Lease Mileage Limits and Overage Charges
This is where yearly miles turn into money. According to the Federal Reserve’s consumer guide to leasing, most leases cap mileage at 12,000 or 15,000 miles a year, and you can usually negotiate a higher limit at the cost of a higher monthly payment. The same guide says excess mileage charges typically range from 10 cents to 25 cents per mile, with higher charges usually applying to more expensive vehicles.
- The total allowance is the yearly limit times the lease term: a 3-year lease at 12,000 miles a year allows 36,000 miles.
- Going 5,000 miles over at 10 to 25 cents a mile would cost $500 to $1,250 (our calculation).
- The Federal Reserve says buying extra miles at the start of the lease usually costs less than paying excess charges at the end.
For lease terms, see our guide on how long you can lease a car.
Mileage and Maintenance
Service schedules follow miles or time, whichever comes first. As one example, the 2022 Kia normal maintenance schedule inspects the air cleaner filter every 7,500 miles or 12 months and replaces it at 30,000 miles or 48 months. A car driven 6,000 miles a year would hit the 48-month mark before the mileage mark, so low mileage does not remove the need for service. Check your own owner’s manual for the intervals that apply to your car.
How to Work Out Your Own Yearly Mileage
- Write down today’s odometer reading.
- Find an older reading, such as a service invoice, an inspection record or the reading when you bought the car.
- Subtract the older reading from today’s, then divide by the years between them.
- Compare the result with 10,787 and with your lease limit if you have one.
If you have no older reading, record the odometer today and again in a few months, then divide the miles by the months and multiply by 12.
Annual Car Mileage FAQ
How many miles should a car have per year?
There is no required number. The U.S. average was 10,787 miles per light-duty vehicle in 2024 according to the Federal Highway Administration, down from 11,106 in 2023.
Is 15,000 miles a year a lot?
It is about 39% above the 2024 average of 10,787 miles, so it is above average. It is also a common lease limit: the Federal Reserve says most leases cap mileage at 12,000 or 15,000 miles a year.
Is 12,000 miles a year a lot?
No. It is about 11% above the 2024 federal average of 10,787 miles, and it is one of the two most common lease limits.
How many years is 100,000 miles on a car?
At the 2024 average of 10,787 miles a year, 100,000 miles takes about 9.3 years. At 12,000 miles a year it takes about 8.3 years, and at 15,000 about 6.7 years.
What happens if I go over my lease mileage limit?
You pay for the extra miles at the end of the lease. The Federal Reserve says excess mileage charges typically range from 10 cents to 25 cents per mile, and higher charges usually apply to more expensive vehicles. At those rates, 5,000 extra miles would cost $500 to $1,250.
Does low mileage mean a car needs less maintenance?
Not always. Manufacturer schedules list intervals in miles or months, whichever comes first. For example, Kia’s 2022 normal maintenance schedule replaces the air cleaner filter at 30,000 miles or 48 months, whichever comes first, so a car driven very little can still be due for service.
How do I work out my own yearly mileage?
Subtract the odometer reading from a year ago from today’s reading. If you do not have a year of data, record the odometer today and again after a few months, then divide the miles by the months and multiply by 12.
Sources
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-1
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2023, Table VM-1
- Federal Reserve: Mileage limits on a lease
- Federal Reserve: Excess mileage charges
- Kia 2022 owner’s manual: Normal maintenance schedule
