Dealer doc fees by state
A dealer doc fee is the dealer's charge for the contract and title paperwork, and the table gives the cap, or says no cap, from the statute or regulator page read for that state.
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Doc fee by state
Each source was read on 2026-11-09.
| State | Limit | Statute | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | $129 | Ark. Code Ann. § 23-112-317(c)(1) | The service and handling fee is at least $0 and at most $129. A dealer who charges it must charge every retail customer the same amount. |
| California | $85 with a DMV partner contract, $70 otherwise | Cal. Veh. Code § 4456.5 | The document processing charge is at most $85 when the dealer has a DMV private-industry-partner contract, and at most $70 otherwise. A separate electronic filing charge is limited to the amount the filing provider bills the dealer. |
| Connecticut | no cap | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-62 | The amended section, effective October 1, 2025, defines a dealer conveyance or processing fee and requires the quoted price to state the fee and that the fee is negotiable. Those subsections set no dollar maximum. |
| Florida | no cap | Fla. Stat. § 501.976(18) | The section sets no dollar maximum on a predelivery service charge. A document that lists the charge has to print the statutory disclosure that the charge represents the dealer's costs and profit for items such as inspecting the vehicle and preparing the sale documents. |
| Illinois | $300 base on January 1, 2020, then the yearly CPI change | 815 ILCS 375/11.1(b) | On a retail installment contract, the documentary fee maximum is a $300 base as of January 1, 2020, adjusted each year by the Consumer Price Index. The statute page does not print the adjusted 2026 dollar amount. |
| Indiana | $261.72 | IC 9-32-13-7(b) | As of July 1, 2026, the Auto Dealer Services Division says it will not take enforcement action on a documentation preparation fee at or below $261.72. The division bases that figure on the statute and the Consumer Price Index. |
| Iowa | $180 | Iowa Code § 322.19A | A dealer may charge a documentary fee of at most $180. The fee has to be included in the vehicle price and disclosed in any advertised price, and the purchase agreement has to carry the statutory notice. |
| Louisiana | $436 for 2026 | La. R.S. 6:969.18(A)(2) | The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission published a maximum documentary fee of $436 for calendar year 2026. |
| Maryland | $800 | Md. Code, Transp. § 15-311.1(b)(1) | On and after July 1, 2024, a dealer processing charge may not exceed $800. |
| Michigan | lesser of 5% of the cash price or $280 | MCL 492.113(2)(a) | On a motor vehicle installment sale, the documentary preparation fee may not exceed 5% of the cash price or $280, whichever is less. The department set the $280 figure on January 28, 2025. Its ceiling table dated April 1, 2026 still lists $280. |
| Minnesota | lesser of $350 or 10% of the sale or lease value | Minn. Stat. § 168.27, subd. 31 | For a sale or lease on or after July 1, 2025, the documentary fee may not exceed $350 or 10% of the sale or lease value, whichever is less. |
| Missouri | $620.79 for 2026 | RSMo § 301.558 | The Department of Revenue's April 2026 dealer newsletter states that the updated maximum administrative fee for 2026 is $620.79. |
| New York | $175 | 15 NYCRR 78.19(c)(2) | A dealer who files the registration or title application for a customer who bought the vehicle from that dealer may charge at most $175 for that help. DMV registration, title, and inspection fees are separate. Ordering a special plate is a separate fee of at most $5. |
| North Carolina | no cap | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-101.1 | A dealer who charges an administrative or documentary fee has to post the amount, disclose it in price advertising, and show it on the buyer's order. The section sets no dollar maximum. |
| Ohio | lesser of $398 or 10% through December 31, 2026 | Ohio Rev. Code § 4517.261 | Through December 31, 2026, the documentary service charge may not exceed $398 or 10% of the amount due on the bill of sale, excluding tax, title, registration, and negative equity, whichever is less. The same page sets the dollar figure at $412 from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027. |
| Oregon | $250 with an integrator, $200 without | ORS 822.043(4) | The document processing fee may not exceed $250 when the dealer uses an integrator, or $200 when the dealer does not. Aside from the portion paid to the integrator, the buyer may negotiate the fee. |
| Pennsylvania | $490 electronic, $409 on paper, for 2026 | 63 P.S. § 818.327(c) | For calendar year 2026 the documentary preparation fee may not exceed $490 when the dealer files electronically, or $409 when the dealer does not. The state board says the fee is negotiable, so the dollar amount may not be preprinted on the buyer's order. |
| Rhode Island | $400, and only above $10,000 | 280-RICR-30-20-1.6(N) | A documentary preparation fee may be charged only on a vehicle transaction over $10,000, and it may not exceed $400. |
| Texas | no cap | Tex. Fin. Code § 348.006; 7 TAC § 84.205 | The Finance Code and the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner rule do not set a hard maximum. A documentary fee of $225 or less needs no filing. Before charging more than $225, the seller has to send the OCCC a written notification and a cost analysis. |
| Virginia | no cap | Va. Code § 46.2-1530 | A processing fee has to be itemized on the buyer's order and posted on a sign in the sales area. The section sets no dollar maximum. A separate online systems filing fee under section 46.2-1530.1 is whatever the filing provider charges, on its own line. |
| Washington | $200 | RCW 46.70.180(2) | The documentary service fee may not exceed $200. Before the agreement is signed, the dealer has to disclose in writing that the fee is negotiable. |
These jurisdictions are left out. This page does not state a doc fee figure for them, because a statute or regulator page was not confirmed: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
This page summarizes public statutes and regulator pages. It is not legal advice.
Is it negotiable?
A cap limits the fee. The dealer can still negotiate the price of the car. The Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut sources also say the fee itself is negotiable. A dealer can charge the same fee on every deal and move the discount to the selling price. The line that matters is the one on your buyer's order.
Quick answers
- How much is a dealer doc fee in my state?
- Find your state in the table. A capped row is the maximum copied from the linked statute or regulator page. A row that says no cap means that source sets no dollar maximum. If your state is not listed, this page does not state a figure for it.
- Is a dealer doc fee negotiable?
- A cap limits the fee. The dealer can still negotiate the price of the car. This page summarizes public statutes and regulator pages. It is not legal advice.
- How do I check the doc fee on a buyer's order?
- Paste the buyer's order on the quote page. The check reads the doc fee line along with the selling price and the other dealer charges.