Dealer fees by state

Dealer documentation fees, state by state.

Of 51 jurisdictions, 15 set a statutory cap on the dealer documentation fee, 1 caps it by a formula whose current figure no agency publishes, 2 regulate it without a dollar cap, 21 set none, and 12 carry a rule Carlarity does not assert until it is verified with the state.

Each page cites the statute, shows the cap where one exists, lists the title, registration and sales-tax figures the report computes with, and carries the date every fact was last checked.

StateDoc-fee ruleDetailChecked
AlabamaVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
AlaskaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
ArizonaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-25
ArkansasState-cappeddoc fee capped at $1292026-09-07
CaliforniaState-cappeddoc fee capped at $852026-09-07
ColoradoNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
ConnecticutNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-07
DelawareNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
District of ColumbiaVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
FloridaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-07
GeorgiaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
HawaiiNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-25
IdahoNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
IllinoisCapped, current figure unpublisheddoc fee capped by statute, current figure unpublished2026-09-14
IndianaState-cappeddoc fee capped at $261.722026-09-10
IowaState-cappeddoc fee capped at $1802026-09-07
KansasVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
KentuckyNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
LouisianaState-cappeddoc fee capped at $4362026-09-14
MaineNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
MarylandState-cappeddoc fee capped at $8002026-09-07
MassachusettsNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-07
MichiganState-cappeddoc fee capped at $280 or 5% of the price, whichever is lower2026-09-07
MinnesotaState-cappeddoc fee capped at $350 or 10% of the price, whichever is lower2026-09-07
MississippiState-cappeddoc fee capped at $425 for one dealer class only2026-09-14
MissouriState-cappeddoc fee capped at $620.792026-09-14
MontanaVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
NebraskaVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
NevadaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
New HampshireVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-14
New JerseyNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
New MexicoVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
New YorkState-cappeddoc fee capped at $1752026-09-07
North CarolinaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-07
North DakotaVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
OhioState-cappeddoc fee capped at $398 or 10% of the price, whichever is lower2026-09-25
OklahomaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
OregonVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-07
PennsylvaniaState-cappeddoc fee capped at $4902026-09-10
Rhode IslandState-cappeddoc fee capped at $4002026-09-10
South CarolinaRegulated, no dollar capdoc fee regulated, no dollar cap2026-09-14
South DakotaVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
TennesseeNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
TexasRegulated, no dollar capdoc fee regulated, no dollar cap2026-09-07
UtahNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
VermontNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
VirginiaNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-07
WashingtonState-cappeddoc fee capped at $2002026-09-07
West VirginiaVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-14
WisconsinNot state-cappedno statutory doc-fee cap on file2026-09-14
WyomingVerify with the statedoc-fee rule requires verification with the state2026-09-25
How to use this

A cap tells you what is permitted. It does not tell you what is fair.

The documentation fee is dealer revenue, not a tax, and in most states the dealer sets it. Where a cap exists, a fee above it is a question for the dealer and the statute. Where none exists, the fee can be entirely legal and still worth negotiating — usually by treating it as part of the price and negotiating the out-the-door total. Your report does that arithmetic against your actual quote.

Check your dealDealer fees explainedOut-the-door price explained

Rules and figures come from Carlarity’s documentation-fee regulation table and state tax table; each shows the date we last reviewed it, and statutes change after we look. Nothing here is legal advice; verify with the state agency before relying on a cap.

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