Out-the-Door Price: What It Includes and How to Get It in Writing

The out-the-door price is the total amount you would have to pay to own the car and drive it home: the price of the car plus every fee, tax, and charge, before any financing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) describes it as the total price of the car, before financing, including taxes and fees, and recommends getting it in writing before you visit a dealer.

It is the one number worth negotiating. Everything else, including the advertised price and the monthly payment, can look good while the total quietly grows.

Why the advertised price is not enough

Advertised prices usually leave out tax, title, registration, and dealer fees. That is true of the prices on dealer websites and of the advertised prices we show on our listings. Some advertised prices also assume discounts that not every buyer qualifies for; see how to read a dealer listing.

So a car advertised at $29,500 at one dealer can cost more in the end than the same car advertised at $30,000 down the road, depending on fees and pre-installed extras. You cannot tell from the ads. You can tell from two itemized out-the-door quotes.

What it includes

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) notes that you cannot negotiate taxes, title, or registration fees set by your state and local government, and lists dealer preparation and document fees among the charges to review. For which dealer fees are normal, see dealer fees explained. For the government side, see car sales tax, title, and registration.

Tax rules differ by state: the rate, whether a trade-in reduces the taxable amount, whether rebates and dealer fees are taxed. If you live in a different state from the dealer, tax is generally based on where you register the car. Check your state's revenue department or DMV site, and see buying a car out of state.

What it does not include

• Financing costs. Interest is separate. Settle the out-the-door price first, then compare loans.
• Finance-office products such as service contracts and GAP coverage, unless you choose to buy them. These are optional.
• Insurance.

A worked example, line by line

This is an example with round numbers. The tax rate and fees are made up for illustration; yours will differ.

Now compare a second dealer who advertises the same car for $28,700:

The lower advertised price is $1,373 more expensive out the door. You only see that when both quotes are itemized.

To check a dealer's arithmetic, or to estimate before you ask, use the out-the-door calculator.

How to ask for it

Ask by email or text, so the answer is in writing. Ask about one specific car, identified by VIN or stock number. Ask for it itemized.

Copy-paste request

Subject: Out-the-door price request, [Year Make Model Trim], stock #[number]

Hello,

I'm interested in the [Year Make Model Trim] listed on your site, VIN [VIN], stock #[number]. I plan to buy within the next [week / two weeks].

Could you send me an itemized out-the-door price for this car? Please include:

1. The selling price
2. Any rebates or incentives applied, and what I need to qualify for each
3. Any dealer-installed accessories or add-ons, with prices, and whether each can be removed
4. All dealer fees, each on its own line
5. Estimated sales tax, title, and registration for ZIP code [your ZIP]
6. The total

I'll be registering the car in [state]. I have my own financing arranged but I'm open to yours if the rate is better. I have no trade-in. [Or: I have a trade-in that I'd like to discuss separately once we agree on the price.]

Please also confirm the car is in stock and available. I'd prefer to keep this by email for now. Thank you.

[Name]

A few notes on why it is worded this way:

• "Itemized" stops a dealer from sending only a total, which you cannot compare.
• The ZIP code lets them estimate tax and registration properly.
• "Confirm it is in stock" matters because, as the FTC points out, a written quote helps you confirm the vehicle is actually on the lot.
• "Open to your financing" is honest and useful. Some discounts are tied to financing with the dealer, and you want that stated, not discovered.

If the dealer will not send one

Some dealers reply with "When can you come in?" That is a sales process, not an insult. Reply once:

Thanks. I'm happy to come in to sign once I have the itemized out-the-door price in writing. I'm asking a few dealers for the same thing and will go with the best total.

If you still get no number, move on to a dealer who sends one. Plenty will. A dealer does not owe you a quote, and you do not owe a dealer a visit.

Also watch for a quote with a line like "plus tax, tags, and fees" at the bottom. That is not an out-the-door price yet. Ask for those lines to be filled in.

Comparing quotes

Put each quote in a row and compare three things:

1. Selling price plus dealer fees plus add-ons. This is the dealer's part, and the real comparison.
2. Tax and registration. These should be nearly the same across dealers for the same buyer. If one is much higher, ask why.
3. Conditions. A quote that requires dealer financing, a trade-in, or a rebate you do not qualify for is not the same as one that does not.

Then use the best quote to ask the others if they can do better. The full method, with templates, is in how to negotiate car price by email. If you would prefer someone else to collect and compare the quotes, that is what our concierge does.

At the dealership

Bring the quote, printed or on your phone. Before you sign, compare it to the buyer's order and the contract, line by line. The FTC's advice is to compare the final contract with what the dealer sent beforehand, and to be ready to walk away if the terms do not match.

Small differences in tax and registration are normal, because the emailed figures were estimates. A new fee, a new add-on, or a different selling price is not normal. Ask for it to be corrected. See how to read a buyer's order.