Dealer documentation fees (also known as doc fees), cover a dealer's administrative costs related to title, registration, and other paperwork involved with the car purchase.
Doc fees usually range from $50 to over $1,000 depending on which dealer and state you purchase from. There are 17 states that limit the maximum amount a dealer can charge for this fee - including California, Michigan, New York, and Texas.
You cannot negotiate a dealer's doc fee because they are required by law to charge the same amount to every customer. You can, however, ask them to reduce the price of the vehicle to compensate for a high doc fee. You should also compare doc fees between dealers in the same State which can differ by hundreds of dollars - and make sure to include the fees in the overall price you negotiate.
The highest doc fees tend to be in the Southeast region of the United States with Florida having the highest average fee of $950. The lowest doc fee is found in California, with an average fee of only $85.
| State | State Name | Avg Doc Fee | Range | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | Alabama | $458 | $0 - $899 | No cap |
| AR | Arkansas | $120 | $100 - $129 | $129 |
| AZ | Arizona | $401 | $199 - $539 | No cap |
| CA | California | $85 | $75 - $85 | $85 |
| CO | Colorado | $508 | $249 - $689 | No cap |
| CT | Connecticut | $357 | $245 - $499 | No cap |
| DC | District of Columbia | $299 | $299 - $299 | No cap |
| DE | Delaware | $241 | $50 - $349 | No cap |
| FL | Florida | $950 | $600 - $999 | No cap |
| GA | Georgia | $580 | $400 - $899 | No cap |
| HI | Hawaii | $245 | $245 - $245 | No cap |
| IA | Iowa | $165 | $89 - $180 | $180 |
| ID | Idaho | $286 | $250 - $314 | No cap |
| IL | Illinois | $155 | $150 - $155 | $155 |
| IN | Indiana | $178 | $149 - $475 | No cap |
| KS | Kansas | $450 | $119 - $600 | No cap |
| KY | Kentucky | $354 | $0 - $698 | No cap |
| LA | Louisiana | $190 | $170 - $200 | $200 |
| MA | Massachusetts | $450 | $195 - $495 | No cap |
| MD | Maryland | $449 | $290 - $500 | $500 |
| ME | Maine | $336 | $198 - $399 | No cap |
| MI | Michigan | $200 | $75 - $210 | $210 |
| MN | Minnesota | $250 | $125 - $275 | $275 |
| MO | Missouri | $174 | $150 - $199 | $199 |
| MS | Mississippi | $274 | $139 - $399 | No cap |
| MT | Montana | $224 | $99 - $338 | No cap |
| NC | North Carolina | $600 | $250 - $699 | No cap |
| ND | North Dakota | $124 | $98 - $149 | No cap |
| NE | Nebraska | $222 | $29.5 - $399 | No cap |
| NH | New Hampshire | $459 | $240 - $500 | No cap |
| NJ | New Jersey | $270 | $98 - $399 | No cap |
| NM | New Mexico | $349 | $225 - $449 | No cap |
| NV | Nevada | $431 | $345 - $599 | No cap |
| NY | New York | $74 | $45 - $75 | $75 |
| OH | Ohio | $247 | $99 - $250 | $250 |
| OK | Oklahoma | $235 | $149 - $399 | No cap |
| OR | Oregan | $110 | $50 - $115 | $115 |
| PA | Pennsilvania | $350 | $200- $374 | $374 |
| RI | Rhode Island | $200 | $196 - $200 | $200 |
| SC | South Carolina | $293 | $0 - $599 | No cap |
| SD | South Dakota | $93 | $49 - $149 | No cap |
| TN | Tennessee | $590 | $289 - $699 | No cap |
| TX | Texas | $125 | $50 - $150 | $150 |
| UT | Utah | $293 | $0 - $398 | No cap |
| VA | Virginia | $749 | $250 - $850 | No cap |
| VT | Vermont | $148 | $0 - $296 | No cap |
| WA | Washington | $145 | $50 - $150 | $150 |
| WI | Wisconsin | $152 | $89 - $199 | No cap |
| WV | West Virginia | $160 | $85 - $175 | $175 |
| WY | Wyoming | $388 | $205 - $499 | No cap |
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes.
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
