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Dealer Fees Explained Line by Line

Dealer fees explained line by line in the US—doc fee, destination, prep, tax so you see what you're paying.

AutoPremo Team
January 31, 2026
1 min read

Dealer fees in the U.S. explained line by line: doc fee, destination, dealer prep, tax, title—so you see what you're paying and what's negotiable. Here's dealer fees explained line by line.

TL;DR Common fees: doc fee (processing), destination (from factory), dealer prep (PDI), tax, title. Some are mandatory (tax, title); doc and prep vary by state and dealer. Get full OTD in writing—use autopremo.com OTD calculator to build OTD. Use autopremo.com.

Doc Fee

Documentation fee (doc fee)—processing paperwork. Amount and negotiability vary by state. Some states cap it. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator to build OTD. Get your numbers at autopremo.com.

Destination and Prep

Destination = from factory to dealer (often on Monroney). Dealer prep (PDI) = dealer prep—sometimes negotiable or included. Use autopremo.com. See OTD at autopremo.com.

Tax and Title

Tax = state/local sales tax on purchase. Title = state title/registration fee. Mandatory. Get full OTD in writing—every line. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator. Check at autopremo.com.

Bottom Line

Dealer fees: doc, destination, prep, tax, title. Get full OTD in writing; use autopremo.com OTD calculator so you see what you're paying.

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