What Is a Documentation Fee?
What is a documentation fee in the US—doc fee is dealer charge for paperwork; amount and negotiability vary by state.
A documentation fee (doc fee) in the U.S. is a dealer charge for processing paperwork—title, registration, contracts. Amount and negotiability vary by state; some states cap it. Here's what is a documentation fee.
TL;DR Doc fee = dealer charge for processing paperwork. Amount varies ($100–$800+); some states cap it. Negotiability varies—ask; get it in the OTD breakdown. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator to build full OTD. Use autopremo.com.What It Covers
Doc fee = dealer's charge for handling title, registration, contracts. It's profit for the dealer—amount varies. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator to see OTD with doc fee. Get your numbers at autopremo.com.
State Rules
Some states cap doc fee; others don't. Check your state. Even if capped, you can sometimes negotiate other fees or price to offset. Use autopremo.com. See OTD at autopremo.com.
Get It in Writing
Insist on full OTD breakdown—selling price, doc fee, tax, title, total. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator. Check at autopremo.com.
Bottom Line
Documentation fee = dealer charge for paperwork; amount and negotiability vary by state. Get full OTD in writing; use autopremo.com OTD calculator so you see what you're paying.