Through the ups and downs of the auto market, one thing remains the same: every state has a documentation fee. Also known as a doc fee, this isn’t like the other fees you’ll encounter. Be sure to familiarize yourself with what car dealer fees you should and shouldn’t pay.
The price of a car is never what it seems. There’s the selling price, the fees, the add-ons, and taxes. When it’s all said and done, you end up with the out-the-door price, and one of the line items you’ll see on your purchase agreement is a “doc fee”. Car dealer doc fees show up on EVERY car deal, and on this page we’ve aggregated all the car dealer doc fees by state for 2025.
Some states (like California and New York) cap the dealer doc fee. Others, such as Florida, don’t cap the doc fee. We’ve gathered the average doc fee that you should expect a dealership to charge in every state. If a dealer is charging more, you should try to negotiate the price down. Download this FREE negotiation cheat sheet!
Car Dealer Doc Fee by State – 2025
We’ve also included the average title and registration fee you should expect to pay in each state.
| State | Average Doc Fee | Title Fee | Total Registration Fees | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | $299 | $15 | $245 | More info |
| AL | $489 | $18 | $393 | More info |
| AR | $129 | $10 | $28 | More info |
| AZ | $499 | $4 | $564 | More info |
| CA | $85 | $25 | $524 | More info |
| CO | $699 | $7 | $595 | More info |
| CT | $599 | $25 | $180 | More info |
| DC | $300 | $26 | $185 | More info |
| DE | $475 | $35 | $45 | More info |
| FL | $999 | $75 | $297 | More info |
| GA | $599 | $18 | $20 | More info |
| HI | $395 | $5 | $78 | More info |
| IA | $180 | $25 | $333 | More info |
| ID | $399 | $14 | $126 | More info |
| IL | $347 | $155 | $151 | More info |
| IN | $199 | $15 | $38 | More info |
| KS | $499 | $10 | $80 | More info |
| KY | $450 | $6 | $26 | More info |
| LA | $425 | $77 | $64 | More info |
| MA | $459 | $75 | $60 | More info |
In today’s market you will likely not be able to negotiate the dealer doc fee. That being said, we have this complete guide to car dealer fees you should never pay.
You can find this data incorporated into our out the door price (OTD) calculator. When you are shopping for a new or used car it is important that you understand the total “out the door” price that you will be paying. Dealers like to get you to talk about monthly budget, however the most important things is to negotiate the OTD price.
When Buying a Car Out of State, Where Do You Pay Registration Fees?
Registration fees and taxes are generally paid in the state where you reside and where the vehicle will be titled and registered. If you buy from a dealership, they may collect your home state’s taxes and registration fees at the time of purchase and handle the paperwork for you. This saves you lots of time and hassle. If the dealer doesn’t handle it, you’ll need to register the vehicle yourself at your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or equivalent agency. Unfortunately, vehicle registration fees are not negotiable, and are set by state law.
Here’s a look at vehicle registration fees by state as of 2025:
Free Car Buying Help Is Here!
Ready to outsmart the dealerships? Download your 100% free car buying cheat sheets today. From negotiating a deal to leasing a car the smart way, it’s all available for instant download. Get your cheat sheets today!
Any possibility that as part of this chart you can also add the other fees? For example, for new there is the license plate fee, NY tire fee and inspection fee.
Jessie, take a look here: https://caredge.com/guides/car-dealer-doc-fee-by-state/
not working link
Try now, please!
Zach that website you said to try does not work @ 2:18 pm on 1/17/2025
Thanks for letting me know, George. I just updated it. There was a typo previously that I just fixed.
Hi just started watching your videos. I really enjoy them. I thought DOC fee was fake. I heard that on other websites that talk about similar things.
Is the doc fee attached to DMV and Lixwnxe fee?
Thanks Barbara
Hi Barbara, glad you’re enjoying the videos! The doc fee is a real charge, but it’s not always directly tied to DMV or license fees. It’s typically an administrative fee that dealers charge to cover the paperwork involved in selling a car.
Doc fees are much higher in WV now
Fees for PA are higher than on the list. Doc fees are now $422, title $58 and registration is $39.
NM link to MVD is bad.
Standard vehicle price on sticker $29,200.00+options & destination charge = total vehicle price $31.615.
When I ask the sales person for Otd price… When should I mention I have an employee discount is it in the beginning before he starts writing the otd price or when they show the total price of everything in finance room and If I agree can I then mention the employee discount? Some say it doesn’t matter because they go with standard vehicle price sticker $29, 200.00 . And you don’t get discount on options installed by manufacturer. Thanks for your time!
Three weeks ago I purchased a used car. The paper work printed and given to me is from the 1960s! On yellow or pink paper with extremally light ink. I tried coping it all so I would have a clear readable copy. It did not work. I re wrote all the umbers (next to the original ones) to help
me figure out what it all said.
Something I have not seen you guys talk about. What if the numbers on the buyers order do not jive with what was talked about. They did not show the -$2000 for financing and trade in allowance. They keep telling me “oh it’s in there”.
I was under the weather when my 20 year old picked up the car. I have never let anybody take advantage of me (UNTIL NOW). I BOUGHT IT AND HAVE NOT FOUND OUT THAT THEY DID NOT PRICE THINGS OR GIVE ME THE DISCOUNTS THAT WE SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THE DEAL. ONLY A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS BUT WE HAD TO GO 75 MONTHS AND I HATE TO BE TAKE ADVANTEGE OF.
They even produced a fake document to show the $2,000 being taken off!
Should see an attorney ? To be honest I can’t even figure out what they did!
I at least want good clear copies of everything!! They pulled the paper work from us and ran it to the back as fast as they could!
Advice ?
where can I find the dealer invoice price?
Hi Tom, here is our quick guide to the quickest method of getting the invoice price: https://caredge.com/guides/dealer-invoice-price-lookup
Your
“doc” prices, stop at Rhode Island. There is NO next page. What is “doc” price for TX?
Joel, we are able to click on the next button to see more. For TX you’re looking at a $150 doc fee on average.
Here in Florida they are thieves and abusers and when you ask them why the dealer fees are so excessively high they tell you that they check the car’s oils, the tires and wash them, that is, a car that has just left the factory, they check to see if a tire It has air and will charge you 1500.00. People should stop buying from these dealers and we should create a Facebook account where here in Florida we only support dealers who are fair and do not have these dealer fees. We are already tired of theft from car dealers, yes. We don’t buy from them, they will lower the prices because otherwise they will have to buy the cars themselves.
I’m naive yes but why aren’t there stronger regulations for what a dealer can charge for doc fees? Cleary if California can file paperwork for $80 then other states can do they same. Why are dealers in other states able to set their own doc fee?
Hi Bill. The short answer is: dealership lobbyists are powerful in every state, some more than others. It’s unfortunate but has been the case for decades.
Should I expect the doc fee to be associated with the state of purchase or my state of residence?
Hi Matt, it will be associated with the state of purchase.
All I want to know is why the consumer should have to pay a DOC fee when buying, and what is the State of NJ allowable DOC limit?
The DOC fee covers the dealership’s administrative costs during the sale. Although there is no limit on DOC fee in New Jersey, You can always ask for clarification or try to negotiate!
On your list of fees for 2024 it shows the average doc fee in Oklahoma is $289. We have been searching for a used vehicle for 2 months and all the dealers we have checked from Oklahoma City to Tulsa and in between have a doc fee of $599.
whats the capped doc fees in md