At a glance

  • The FTC guidance was published in September 2026 and represents staff views rather than a binding rule of the Commission.
  • It states that dealer-required charges belong in the advertised price, while charges paid directly to government may be excluded.
  • Vehicles in transit may be advertised when their location and availability are stated clearly.

A September 2026 set of US Federal Trade Commission staff FAQs gives the automobile industry a detailed description of advertised price, mandatory fees and vehicle availability. The guidance applies to dealership and third-party websites, social media, print, roadside signs, calls and text messages.

The document states that an advertised price should be the amount any consumer can pay, apart from charges a government requires the consumer to pay directly. Dealer-required document, administrative or processing fees are included in the displayed figure under the FTC staff interpretation.

Discounts and mandatory fees

The FAQs use examples to show how conditional discounts appear alongside the general price. A US$39,999 vehicle may carry a US$2,000 dealer-finance discount when the US$39,999 price available with any financing remains the most prominent amount and the discount terms are clear.

Inventory receives separate treatment. A vehicle may be advertised while in transit or held offsite when the advertisement states that it is not physically on the lot. Representative photographs may be used when they match the make, model, condition and other material characteristics and are understood to be illustrative.

Who controls the advertisement

The FTC page says responsibility extends to dealers, third-party advertisers and manufacturers when they control the advertising. It also notes that the FAQs express staff views, are not binding on the public or the Commission and cannot address every specific advertisement.

The September guidance now provides a common reference for how US automobile prices, fees, discounts, photographs and inventory status are described across advertising channels.

Sources

Automobile Industry Pricing Transparency: FAQs ↗
US Federal Trade Commission (institutional source) · US Federal Trade Commission. Accessed 2026-10-12. Factual source citation; original paraphrase, no source-image reuse.