State-by-state guide
RV dealer doc fees by state: Maryland allows $800, California caps at $85, and Texas sets no dollar limit
We read the dealer documentary fee laws, rules and agency notices in all 50 states and DC. 18 cap the fee, from $85 in California ($70 for dealers outside its DMV partner program) to $800 in Maryland, and the other 33 set no dollar cap: some regulate the fee through disclosure rules, and many dealer laws do not mention it at all. The federal CARS Rule, which never covered RVs, was vacated in 2025 and withdrawn in February 2026.
By the RV Dealerships research desk · Published October 25, 2026
Key findings
- Maryland has the highest fixed cap we found: $800, in force since July 1, 2024. Pennsylvania allows $490 with electronic filing in 2026, Louisiana $436 and Mississippi $425.
- California has the lowest cap: $85, or $70 for dealers that are not DMV private industry partners. Arkansas allows $129, New York $175 and Iowa $180.
- Seven caps move with inflation: Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania adjust theirs every year, and Michigan every two years ($280 or 5% of the price, whichever is less, for 2025 and 2026).
- No dollar cap in 33 of the 51 jurisdictions we verified, including Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Massachusetts, Utah and Wisconsin. Many require the fee to be disclosed, posted, itemized or built into the advertised price; in others, including Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma, the dealer statute does not mention doc fees. South Carolina reviews fees above $225.
- Missouri, Washington and Michigan clearly reach trailers. Missouri's rule names trailers, Washington's covers any "vehicle" towed on a highway, and Michigan's covers towable RVs unless a towable-only RV dealer sells under a separate act. Alaska's dealer chapter leaves out motor homes and RVs entirely.
- There is no federal doc fee rule. The FTC's CARS Rule excluded motor homes and RV trailers, was vacated by the Fifth Circuit in 2025, and was withdrawn effective Feb. 12, 2026.
Which states cap doc fees
A documentary or "doc" fee is what a dealer charges to prepare the sale paperwork, file the title and registration and keep the records. It is not a government fee. Some states set a dollar ceiling, some tie it to inflation, and many only require the dealer to disclose it. Whether a cap covers an RV depends on how the law defines the vehicles it covers, so we note that where the text answers it.
The federal CARS Rule is gone
With no federal rule, state law and general consumer-protection law are what limit doc fees and add-ons on an RV sale.
The full table
| Alabama | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in Titles 5, 8 and 32 of the Code of Alabama or the dealer license and sales tax chapters (40-12, 40-23) | Code of Alabama, Titles 5, 8, 32 and ch. 40-12, 40-23 (Legislature's official site), e.g. 40-12-390, 8-20 |
| Alaska | No cap found; doc fees must be included in the advertised price | No: the chapter's "motor vehicle" excludes motor homes and recreational vehicles | Advertised price must include document preparation and other dealer fees | AS 45.25.440 and 45.25.990 |
| Arizona | No cap found | Not confirmed | Ads must clearly and conspicuously say a document fee will be charged | A.R.S. 44-1371(B) |
| Arkansas | $129 | Not confirmed | Charged uniformly to all retail buyers; written disclosure and an 8 x 10 inch sign in the finance office; may not be presented as required by any other entity | Ark. Motor Vehicle Commission Rule 8 (A.C.A. 23-112-317) |
| California | $85 for DMV private industry partner dealers, $70 for others | Likely: the section covers any "vehicle" a dealer sells or leases | May not be represented as a government fee; a separate electronic filing charge is limited to the dealer's actual cost | Cal. Veh. Code 4456.5 |
| Colorado | No cap in statute (2024 compiled statutes) | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the dealer article | C.R.S. title 44, art. 20 (2024 edition, PDF) |
| Connecticut | No cap | Applies to motor vehicle dealers | Written statement and sign: amount, services, that it is negotiable and not payable to the state | Conn. Gen. Stat. 14-62(c) |
| Delaware | No cap found in dealer law | Not confirmed | None found | 21 Del. C. ch. 63 |
| District of Columbia | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the Automobile Consumer Protection Act or the motor vehicle financing chapter (we did not read the DCMR dealer rules) | D.C. Code 50-501 to 50-510, 50-601 to 50-610 |
| Florida | No cap | Applies to motor vehicle dealers | Documents must state the charge "represents costs and profit to the dealer" for items such as preparing documents | Fla. Stat. 501.976(18) |
| Georgia | No cap: the Attorney General's consumer office says Georgia does not regulate the amount | Not confirmed | Dealer fees must be included in any advertised price; a "plus dealer fee" disclaimer is not enough | Ga. Dept. of Law, Consumer Protection Division |
| Hawaii | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | A price ad must say whether charges beyond the quoted price will be assessed (tax and title fees may be left out) | HRS ch. 437 (Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Act), incl. 437-4 |
| Idaho | No cap found in the dealer rule | Not confirmed | Listed separately from other fees and identified as a dealer document preparation fee subject to sales tax | IDAPA 39.02.03.100.02 |
| Illinois | $300 base (2020), adjusted yearly by CPI | Not confirmed | Required notice: "A DOCUMENTARY FEE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL FEE" in retail installment contracts | 815 ILCS 375/11.1 |
| Indiana | $261.72 enforcement limit from July 1, 2026, adjusted for inflation under IC 9-32-13-7 | Not confirmed | Included in the advertised price; disclosed in writing and as a separate line on the bill of sale | Ind. Secretary of State, Doc Fees in 2026 |
| Iowa | $180 | Motorhomes: yes. Travel trailers are licensed under ch. 322C, which this section does not cover | Fee must be included in advertised prices, with a required "DOCUMENTARY FEE" notice in the purchase agreement | Iowa Code 322.19A |
| Kansas | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the dealer licensing act | K.S.A. 8-2401 to 8-2447 (Vehicle Dealers and Manufacturers Licensing Act) |
| Kentucky | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap. RV dealers have their own chapter (KRS 190A), which sets no fee cap either | A processing fee is counted in the cash price on a retail installment contract (KRS 190.090(8)) | KRS ch. 190, KRS ch. 190A |
| Louisiana | $436 for 2026 (inflation-adjusted each year) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | La. Motor Vehicle Commission Bulletin B-2026-001 (R.S. 6:969.18(A)(2)) |
| Maine | No cap in statute | Not confirmed | Any document preparation fee must be posted on the vehicle; failing to do so is evidence of an unfair trade practice | 29-A M.R.S. 953-A |
| Maryland | $800 (since July 1, 2024) | Likely: the section regulates dealer charges on any "vehicle" | Contract must state "Dealer processing charge (not required by law)" in 12-point type; included in advertised prices unless disclosed | Md. Transp. 15-311.1 |
| Massachusetts | No cap found in the Attorney General's motor vehicle rules | Not confirmed | Doc fee must be inside the advertised price (a separate note is not enough) and itemized in the contract price | 940 CMR 5.02(3), AG doc fee advisory |
| Michigan | Lesser of $280 or 5% of the cash price (2025-2026; adjusted every two years) | Motorhomes: yes. Towable RVs: yes, unless sold by a towable-only RV seller under the Retail Installment Sales Act | Included in the cash price on installment sale contracts; the cap applies to installment sales | MCL 492.113(2)(a), DIFS Bulletin 2025-03-CF |
| Minnesota | Lesser of $350 or 10% of the sale (since July 1, 2025) | Motorhomes: yes. Towables: not confirmed | Must be separately stated on the sales agreement; may be left out of the advertised price | Minn. Stat. 168.27, subd. 31 |
| Mississippi | $425 | Not confirmed: the rule names motor vehicle dealers. New RV dealers are also licensed by the Motor Vehicle Commission (Miss. Code 63-17-201), but the rule does not mention RVs | Separate itemized line on the buyer's order, plus a bold, capitalized notice that the fee is not an official fee and may include dealer profit; dealers report their fee to the Commission each year by Dec. 31 | Miss. Motor Vehicle Commission Regulation 8.1 (30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 1301) |
| Missouri | $500 base, raised yearly by CPI (current figure set by the Dept. of Revenue) | Yes: the section names motor vehicles, trailers, vessels and vessel trailers | 10% of the fee is remitted to a state technology fund | RSMo 301.558 |
| Montana | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the dealer licensing part | MCA 61-4 part 1 (dealer licensing) |
| Nebraska | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the Motor Vehicle Industry Regulation Act | Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-1401 to 60-1441 |
| Nevada | No cap found in NRS ch. 482 | Not confirmed | None found | NRS ch. 482 |
| New Hampshire | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the registration chapter's dealer sections (its $5 processing fee is a state charge on electronic registrations) | RSA ch. 261 |
| New Jersey | No cap found in the documentary service fee rule | Not confirmed | Each documentary service and its price itemized in writing, in at least 10-point type; may not be presented as required by government | N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26B.3 (41 N.J.R., May 18, 2009) |
| New Mexico | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the Motor Vehicle Code (its administrative fees are state charges) | NMSA ch. 66, incl. art. 4 dealers (NMOneSource, PDF) |
| New York | $175 for handling registration and title, plus actual DMV fees | Not confirmed | Dealer must handle registration when a lien is recorded or it issued plates | NY DMV, Let the Buyer Be Aware (15 NYCRR 78.19) |
| North Carolina | No cap | Applies to motor vehicle dealers | Sign of at least 24 inches in the sales or finance area stating the fee; separately itemized | N.C.G.S. 20-101.1 |
| North Dakota | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the dealer licensing chapter | N.D.C.C. ch. 39-22 (Motor Vehicle Dealer Licensing) |
| Ohio | Lesser of 10% of the price or a CPI-adjusted amount ($250 base, 2006) reset each September | Not confirmed | Stated in writing without itemizing the services | ORC 4517.261 |
| Oklahoma | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in Title 47, including the new and used dealer chapters (47 O.S. 561 to 588) | 47 O.S., complete title (Oklahoma Legislature, RTF) |
| Oregon | $250 if the dealer uses an integrator, $200 if not | Yes: applies to vehicle dealers, including RV dealers | Negotiable except the $35 integrator share; buyer may choose whether an integrator is used | ORS 822.043 |
| Pennsylvania | $490 with electronic processing, $409 without (2026; CPI-adjusted yearly) | Not confirmed | Posted on a sign in the dealership; negotiable, so the amount may not be pre-printed on the buyer's order; may be left out of advertised prices | Pa. State Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons notice (63 P.S. 818.327) |
| Rhode Island | $400 documentary fee plus up to $20 title preparation fee | Not confirmed | Both fees are negotiable and optional; applies to dealers located in Rhode Island | R.I. Attorney General, Auto Dealers |
| South Carolina | No fixed cap: fees up to $225 are deemed approved; higher fees can be reviewed | Not confirmed | Dealer files the fee with the Dept. of Consumer Affairs; shown on the contract, posted in the dealership and in ads | S.C. Code 37-2-307 |
| South Dakota | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None in the statute; the Dept. of Revenue may adopt price-advertising rules (SDCL 32-6B-63) | SDCL ch. 32-6B (Regulation of Vehicle Dealers) |
| Tennessee | No cap found in the Motor Vehicle Commission advertising rule | Not confirmed (Tennessee issues a separate RV dealer license) | Since April 20, 2022 the fee may be left out of advertised prices, but ads must state its amount and that it is excluded | Tenn. Motor Vehicle Commission rule change notice |
| Texas | No dollar cap: a "reasonable amount" | Not confirmed | Must be charged to cash and credit buyers alike and stated on the buyer's order and contract | Tex. Fin. Code 348.006 |
| Utah | No limit, per the state Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division | Not confirmed | Listed separately from state fees and never called state-mandated; required sign in the sales room | Utah MVED sales FAQ (R877-23V-14) |
| Vermont | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the dealer subchapter | 23 V.S.A. ch. 7, subch. 3 (Dealers, 450 to 476) |
| Virginia | No cap | Applies to motor vehicle dealers | Amount filed on the board-approved buyer's order and posted on a sign in the sales area | Va. Code 46.2-1530 |
| Washington | $200 | Yes: "vehicle" covers anything towed or driven on a highway | Disclosed in writing as negotiable before signing; separately itemized; ads must say a fee up to $200 may be added | RCW 46.70.180(2) |
| West Virginia | Set by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles (amount not confirmed) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | W. Va. Code 17A-6-18a |
| Wisconsin | No dollar cap: the service fee must be "reasonable" and the DMV may audit it | Not confirmed | Required statement on the purchase or lease contract; fee may not rise after it is disclosed; services listed in writing on request | Wis. Admin. Code Trans 139.05(8) |
| Wyoming | No cap in statute | Not applicable: no cap | None found in the dealer licensing chapter | W.S. 31-16-101 et seq. (motor vehicle franchises and dealer licensing; Title 31, PDF) |
"Not confirmed" means we could not verify that detail from an official statute, rule or agency page; it does not mean the rule does not apply. "No cap in statute" means we read the state's dealer licensing law and it says nothing about doc fees. Download this table (CSV)
What it means for you
- Ask for the out-the-door price in writing. It should list the doc fee, any add-ons, taxes and title fees separately. Compare that number between dealers, not the sticker.
- Check the cap before you negotiate. In a capped state, a fee above the cap is not allowed. In Washington and Connecticut the fee is negotiable by law, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island treat it as negotiable, and Oregon's is negotiable except the integrator share.
- Treat add-ons as optional. Paint sealant, nitrogen tires, extended service contracts and GAP are separate products. With the CARS Rule withdrawn, no federal rule forces a dealer to show you the price without them, so ask.
- Towables can fall outside car rules. Some caps are written for self-propelled motor vehicles. If you are buying a travel trailer, ask the dealer which rule they follow. Compare quotes from several travel trailer dealers.
- Selling or consigning? Consignment and buy-out deals carry their own paperwork charges. Ask consignment dealers and dealers that buy RVs for their fee in writing.
Related: what you pay in tax on the same deal is in RV sales tax by state, the title paperwork for towables is in travel trailer title requirements, and whether you can sign at all on a weekend is in buying an RV on Sunday.
The infographic
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How we did this
- We read state statutes, regulations and official agency pages (attorney general, DMV, dealer board and finance regulator notices) for dealer documentary, processing, administrative, service or closing fee rules on Oct. 24 and 25, 2026. Each verified row links to the source we read.
- "Capped" means the law or the agency that enforces it sets a maximum dollar amount or formula. "No fixed cap" means we found a statute, rule or official agency statement that regulates the fee through disclosure or review but sets no dollar ceiling, or that the dealer law or rule we read has no doc fee cap (Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey and Tennessee). "No cap in statute" (Alabama, Colorado, DC, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) means we read the dealer licensing chapter on the legislature's own site, searched it for documentary, processing, administrative, service, handling and preparation fees, and found no dealer fee cap. Colorado's check used the 2024 compiled statutes; for Alabama we rendered the Legislature's official Code of Alabama viewer in a browser and searched all 3,084 sections of Titles 5, 8 and 32 and chapters 40-12 and 40-23 (consumer credit, commercial and dealer franchise law, motor vehicles, dealer licenses and sales tax); and for DC we read the D.C. Code but not the DCMR dealer rules. A cap could still sit elsewhere in any of these states' law or rules.
- On October 25, 2026 we closed the last two open cap rows. Mississippi's $425 cap comes from Motor Vehicle Commission Regulation 8.1, read as the PDF on the Commission's own site, which cites Miss. Code 63-17-69 and 63-17-85; we could not confirm the rule's effective date, and the Commission's statute PDFs predate 2021 amendments. Alabama's row rests on the full-text search described above. Every state now has a cap answer from an official source. What remains open is narrower: in many rows the "Applies to RVs?" or disclosure cell says "Not confirmed" because the law we read does not say whether towables are covered. Check the state's own sources before relying on a figure.
- Where an agency publishes the current inflation-adjusted cap (Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania), we used its 2026 figure. We left the Illinois, Missouri and Ohio caps without a current dollar figure rather than guess the year's adjustment. Indiana's figure is the limit at or below which the Secretary of State says it will not take enforcement action.
- "Applies to RVs?" reflects only what the law's own definitions say. Where a cap is written for "motor vehicles" and the definition is self-propelled vehicles, motorhomes are covered but towables may not be.
- The CARS Rule status comes from the Federal Register: the 2024 final rule (89 FR 590) and the FTC's Feb. 12, 2026 withdrawal (91 FR 6507). This page is general information, not legal advice.
Not legal advice. Laws and agency rules change. Each row links the source we read and the date we checked it; confirm with the agency or an attorney before you rely on it.
Sources
- FTC, Withdrawal of the CARS Rule, 91 FR 6507 (Feb. 12, 2026), accessed October 25, 2026
- FTC, Combating Auto Retail Scams Trade Regulation Rule, 89 FR 590 (Jan. 4, 2024), accessed October 25, 2026
- Maryland Transportation 15-311.1, accessed October 25, 2026
- Minnesota Statutes 168.27, subd. 31, accessed October 25, 2026
- Oregon Revised Statutes 822.043, accessed October 25, 2026
- Revised Code of Washington 46.70.180, accessed October 25, 2026
- Iowa Code 322.19A, accessed October 25, 2026
- Missouri Revised Statutes 301.558, accessed October 25, 2026
- 815 ILCS 375/11.1, accessed October 25, 2026
- Ohio Revised Code 4517.261, accessed October 25, 2026
- South Carolina Code 37-2-307, accessed October 25, 2026
- North Carolina G.S. 20-101.1, accessed October 25, 2026
- Alaska Statutes 45.25.440 and 45.25.990, accessed October 25, 2026
- Arizona Revised Statutes 44-1371, accessed October 25, 2026
- Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission Rule 8, accessed October 25, 2026
- California Vehicle Code 4456.5, accessed October 25, 2026
- Indiana Secretary of State, Doc Fees in 2026, accessed October 25, 2026
- Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission Bulletin B-2026-001, accessed October 25, 2026
- Michigan DIFS Bulletin 2025-03-CF (MCL 492.113), accessed October 25, 2026
- New York DMV, Let the Buyer Be Aware, accessed October 25, 2026
- Pennsylvania State Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons, documentary fee notice, accessed October 25, 2026
- Rhode Island Attorney General, Auto Dealers, accessed October 25, 2026
- Massachusetts Attorney General, advisory on documentary preparation fees, accessed October 25, 2026
- Wisconsin Administrative Code Trans 139.05, accessed October 25, 2026
- Hawaii Revised Statutes ch. 437 (Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Act), accessed October 25, 2026
- Kansas Statutes 8-2401 to 8-2447, accessed October 25, 2026
- Kentucky Revised Statutes ch. 190 and 190A, accessed October 25, 2026
- Montana Code Annotated 61-4 part 1, accessed October 25, 2026
- Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Regulation Act, 60-1401 to 60-1441, accessed October 25, 2026
- New Hampshire RSA ch. 261, accessed October 25, 2026
- New Mexico Statutes ch. 66 (NMOneSource), accessed October 25, 2026
- North Dakota Century Code ch. 39-22, accessed October 25, 2026
- Oklahoma Statutes Title 47 (complete title), accessed October 25, 2026
- South Dakota Codified Laws ch. 32-6B, accessed October 25, 2026
- Vermont Statutes Title 23, ch. 7, accessed October 25, 2026
- Wyoming Statutes Title 31, accessed October 25, 2026
- Colorado Revised Statutes Title 44 (2024), accessed October 25, 2026
- D.C. Code 50-501 to 50-510, accessed October 25, 2026
- Mississippi Motor Vehicle Commission Regulation 8.1, Motor Vehicle Dealer Document/Service Fee, accessed October 25, 2026
- Mississippi Recreational Vehicle Franchise Law, Miss. Code 63-17-201 to -221 (MMVC PDF), accessed October 25, 2026
- Code of Alabama (Alabama Legislature, ALISON), 40-12-390 and Titles 5, 8, 32, accessed October 25, 2026
Cite this: RV Dealerships, "RV dealer doc fees by state: Maryland allows $800, California caps at $85, and Texas sets no dollar limit," October 25, 2026, https://rvdealerships.org/rv-dealer-doc-fees-by-state/
Spotted an error or have newer data? Tell us and we'll check it and update the page.
Questions people ask
What is the maximum RV doc fee by state?
Of the caps we verified, Maryland's is highest at $800, then Pennsylvania at $490 with electronic filing, Louisiana at $436, Mississippi at $425 and Rhode Island at $400. California's is lowest at $85, or $70 for some dealers. Illinois, Missouri and Ohio adjust their caps for inflation each year. Texas, Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina set no dollar cap.
Is a dealer doc fee negotiable?
Often. Washington requires dealers to disclose in writing that the fee is negotiable, Connecticut requires a sign saying so, Pennsylvania treats it as negotiable, and Rhode Island's attorney general says dealers need not charge it at all. Oregon's is negotiable apart from the $35 integrator share. In capped states the dealer cannot charge more than the cap, but you can still ask for less.
Does the FTC CARS Rule apply to RV dealers?
No. The final CARS Rule excluded motor homes, recreational vehicle trailers and slide-in campers. The Fifth Circuit vacated the rule in 2025, and the FTC withdrew it effective Feb. 12, 2026, so it does not apply to any dealer today.
Do doc fee caps apply to travel trailers?
Sometimes. Missouri's rule names trailers, Washington's covers any vehicle drawn on a highway, and Michigan's covers towable RVs unless a towable-only RV dealer sells under a separate act. Iowa's $180 cap is written for self-propelled motor vehicles, and Alaska's dealer chapter excludes motor homes and RVs. Check the definitions in your state's law or ask the dealer.