A long term copier lease is anything 60 months or longer. Some dealers will write 72 or even 84 month leases. The monthly drops every time the term gets longer. The total cost goes up. Here is what you really pay over the life of a long term lease and when it is the right move.
What Long Term Means in Copier Leasing
In the copier industry, 60 months is the start of long term. 72 month leases are common on higher end machines. 84 months show up sometimes on production printers, those big standalone units that print at 100 plus pages a minute. Most small business copier leases stop at 60 months. The longer terms are usually offered when the equipment is expensive enough that the dealer needs more months to make their margin work.
Real Pricing on Long Term Leases
A long term lease usually has the lowest monthly cost of any term structure. Typical 2026 ranges. A 45 to 55 ppm color office copier, $225 to $345 a month on 60 months, $195 to $295 a month on 72 months. A 60 ppm or higher production color copier, $345 to $645 on 60 months, $295 to $545 on 72 months. A 90 ppm production printer, $695 to $1,250 on 60 months, $595 to $1,050 on 72 months.
The pattern is clear. Each extra 12 months on the term drops the monthly by 10 to 15 percent. But the total contract value goes up by 20 to 35 percent over the life of the lease.
Total Cost Over the Life of a Long Term Lease
Math on a 55 ppm copier with a hardware cost of $12,000. 60 month lease at $275 a month. Total cost over the term, $16,500. 72 month lease at $245 a month. Total cost over the term, $17,640. 84 month lease at $225 a month. Total cost over the term, $18,900. You pay $2,400 more over 84 months than 60 months for the same machine. The cash flow each month feels easier, but the price for that comfort is real.
What Most Guides Miss
The bigger risk on a long term copier lease is not the price. It is the equipment going out of warranty or service support before the lease ends. Copier brands stop making parts for older models, usually 7 to 10 years after release. If you sign an 84 month lease on a model that is already 2 years old, you may run out of replacement parts in year 6. The dealer will still owe you a working machine under the lease, but they may have to give you a different model. Sometimes that swap is fine. Sometimes it is a downgrade. Before signing a 72 or 84 month lease, ask the dealer how long the model will be supported with new parts. Get the answer in writing in the lease. If they cannot guarantee 7 plus years of parts support, take a 60 month lease instead.
When Long Term Is the Right Move
Long term leases fit best for predictable, high volume offices where the machine is well matched to current and future needs. Production print shops, large law firms, and big property management companies often run 72 month leases because their volume is steady and the equipment is too expensive to refresh every 3 years. Long term also fits if you want the lowest possible monthly payment and you do not need flexibility.
When to Stick With 36 to 60 Months
If your office volume changes year to year, your business may grow or shrink, or your technology platform may shift, 60 months or less keeps your options open. The lower monthly on a 72 month lease is not worth the lock in for most small businesses.
Service Contract on a Long Term Lease
Service costs scale with usage, not just with time. A long term lease should always include locked in click rates for the entire term, with caps on any annual escalator. A 3 percent yearly service escalator over 7 years compounds to about 23 percent higher service cost in year 7. Push for a 1 to 2 percent cap, or a flat rate, before signing.
End of Term on a Long Term Lease
The same return notice rules apply. Most long term leases require 60 to 120 days written notice before the end of the term. Miss it and your lease often rolls into a 12 month renewal. On a long term lease, that one missed notice can cost $3,000 to $10,000 in payments you did not plan.
For more, read our 60 month copier lease guide and our copier lease pricing guide.
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