What FTC Price-Transparency Guidance Explains
FTC price-transparency guidance under the FTC Act calls for advertised vehicle prices to include mandatory dealer charges, excluding required government charges. Read the FTC guidance.
| Requirement | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| All-in pricing disclosure | Advertised prices include mandatory dealer charges, such as documentation fees and required add-ons. Only required government charges, including taxes, title, and registration, may be excluded. |
| No drip pricing | Dealers cannot quote a price and then reveal additional mandatory charges later in the negotiation or at signing. |
| Consistency across channels | Pricing information should be truthful and consistent across advertising, phone, chat, text, and in-person conversations. |
| Dealer-installed add-ons | Any item the dealer makes mandatory (protection packages, nitrogen tires, etc.) must be included in the quoted price. Optional add-ons that customers can genuinely decline are excluded. |
| Dealer responsibility | Dealers are responsible for accurate prices, configured charges, and applicable federal and state requirements. Enforcement consequences depend on the facts and legal authority involved. |
How DealerAutoPilot Supports Pricing Transparency
Dealers must configure advertised vehicle prices to include mandatory dealer charges, separating only required government charges. Eve uses the inventory and fee information provided to the platform; dealers must verify quotes and correct inaccurate or incomplete data. AI responses are not a guarantee of compliance.
Dealer Fee Schedule
Dealers must keep inventory prices and mandatory dealer charges current. Identify required government charges separately, and verify that a fee already included in a vehicle price is not added again.
All-In Payment Calculation
Payment estimates depend on the configured price, included dealer charges, down payment, term and APR. Confirm those inputs and clearly disclose any required government charges excluded from an estimate.
No Drip Pricing Architecture
Advertised prices should include mandatory dealer charges from the outset. Dealers must review inventory, templates and sample AI responses rather than assuming configuration prevents every disclosure error.
All Channels Covered
Review pricing across phone, SMS and website chat after configuration changes. Channel-specific responses and human follow-up must use accurate, consistent price information.
Available Interaction Records
Review available conversation and call records to investigate quoted prices. Storage depends on the applicable retention obligations and actual recording or transcript availability; do not assume every interaction has a complete transcript or two-year archive.
24/7 Consistency
AI availability does not guarantee correct pricing. Review representative responses, monitor discrepancies and correct configuration or inventory issues promptly.
What Dealers Need to Configure
DealerAutoPilot enforces what you configure. The system is only as compliant as your fee schedule. Here's what dealers are responsible for:
Set Your Fee Schedule in the Dashboard
Enter every mandatory fee your dealership charges: documentation fee, title and registration fees, and any dealer-installed add-ons you require on every vehicle. Go to Settings → Fee Schedule in your DealerAutoPilot dashboard.
Categorize Mandatory vs. Optional Add-Ons
Only mandatory items — things every customer must pay regardless — need to be in your fee schedule. Genuinely optional items (extended warranty, service packages) should be marked optional and are excluded from base pricing calculations.
Keep Your Fee Schedule Current
When your documentation fee changes or you add a new mandatory dealer add-on, update your fee schedule immediately. Eve will apply the updated fees to all subsequent interactions within minutes of saving.
Review Pricing Interactions Periodically
Use the Dealer Dashboard to review pricing quotes Eve delivered. Verify that all-in prices match your expectations. The audit trail is also your compliance documentation.
Important: DealerAutoPilot is not a legal compliance service and this page does not constitute legal advice. Dealers are solely responsible for ensuring their fee schedule accurately reflects all mandatory charges and for compliance with applicable federal and state law. Consult qualified legal counsel for guidance on FTC compliance obligations specific to your dealership.
What FTC Violations Look Like at a Dealership
Pricing problems can arise when mandatory charges are excluded, conditional discounts are unclear, or advertised information is inaccurate. Dealers must review both automated and staff communications.
- Sales rep quotes $29,495 on a phone call without mentioning the $895 documentation fee
- Internet manager emails a price that excludes the $499 nitrogen tire package you install on every vehicle
- Chat agent tells a customer "the payment would be around $489/month" without including the doc fee in the calculation
- Advertising shows a price that doesn't include a mandatory protection package added to every unit
- A busy Saturday with 40 inbound calls = up to 40 separate violations if fees aren't disclosed
DealerAutoPilot can support consistent information, but automated responses can still be wrong. Verify quoted prices and disclosures before relying on them.
- Verify that phone responses include mandatory dealer charges without double-counting them
- Check chat payment estimates against the configured inclusive price, APR and term
- Review SMS price disclosures and correct inconsistent templates
- Use available records for review; verify their completeness and retention before treating them as an audit archive
Keep your fee schedule accurate
Configure mandatory dealer charges and distinguish government charges. Review prices and financing assumptions regularly.
Support Transparent Pricing
Configure your fee schedule so Eve can use accurate dealer charges. Review your configuration when prices or fees change.
See Plans & Pricing → Try a Live Demo