Which dealer fees are legit?

The out-the-door price is the total you'd pay for the car before financing, including taxes and fees. The FTC says to get it in writing before you go to the lot. It lets you compare dealers line by line and spot charges that slip in at signing.

Ask the dealer to sort every line into three groups:

• Government charges: money that goes to your state or local government.
• Dealer fees: charges the dealer sets.
• Optional add-ons: products and services you can say no to.

These include sales tax, the title fee, and registration or plate fees. Some states add others. The CFPB says you can't negotiate taxes, title, or registration fees set by your state and local government.

You can check them. Ask which lines are paid to the government and how much each one is. Then compare them with your state motor vehicle agency's fees and your local tax rate.

Watch for a dealer fee with an official-sounding name. FTC staff guidance says an ad can leave out only charges a government requires you to pay. A fee the dealer requires belongs in the advertised price, even if the government allows it or charges it to the dealer first.

The CFPB lists dealer fees, like preparation fees, document fees, delivery charges, and market adjustments, among the costs you may be able to negotiate. Here's what the common ones are and what to ask.

• Doc fee (documentation or processing fee). The dealer's charge for handling paperwork. FTC staff note that states handle these differently: some cap them, some require a separate disclosure, and others rely on general laws against deception. If the dealer charges it to every buyer, FTC staff say it belongs in the advertised price. Ask: “Is this charged to every buyer? Was it in the advertised price?” If it won't come off, ask for the same amount off the car's price.
• Destination charge (new cars). Federal law requires a window sticker on new cars that lists, among other things, what the dealer was charged to ship the car there. The destination line on your quote should match the sticker. A second shipping-type fee, like “delivery” or “freight,” is a dealer charge. Ask what it covers.
• Dealer prep, reconditioning, or delivery fees. Ask what work was done and why it isn't already in the car's price.
• Loan origination or processing fees. Ask who charges it, the lender or the dealer, and compare the whole loan with your own preapproval. See how dealer loan rates are marked up.
• Market adjustment (ADM) or a dealer “addendum” sticker. Extra markup or dealer items added on top of the window sticker price. See how to avoid paying a market adjustment.

For any dealer fee, ask three things: Is it required? What is it for? Will you take it off, or lower the price by the same amount?

The CFPB says add-on products are optional: you don't have to buy them, and if you do, the price is negotiable. If you finance one, you borrow more and your payment goes up. FTC staff say dealers can't claim an optional add-on is required, say one that's already installed can't come off, misstate the price, or charge you for options you didn't agree to.

• Extended warranties (service contracts) and GAP. Price each one separately, outside the monthly payment. See whether a dealer extended warranty is worth it.
• Nitrogen-filled tires. Ask for the price and what's included, like free top-offs. See whether a nitrogen fee is worth it.
• VIN etching and theft packages. Check any insurance discount with your insurer yourself. See whether VIN etching is worth it.
• Paint, fabric, tire-and-wheel, and maintenance plans. Ask for the contract and the cash price of each, and what it actually covers.

California's CARS Act adds rules for dealers there:

• Ads for a specific car, and the dealer's first written reply about a car, must show its total price. That total has to include any dealer markup and anything already installed on the car. Under this law, it can leave out taxes, government fees, finance charges, the doc fee, and a few other charges the law lists.
• When a dealer writes to you about an add-on during the deal, it must say in writing at least once that the add-on isn't required and you can buy or lease the car without it.
• When a dealer quotes a monthly payment in writing, it must also show the total you'll pay after all the payments, plus any down payment or trade-in that total assumes.
• A dealer can't charge for add-ons you wouldn't benefit from, such as nitrogen under 95% purity, oil changes for an electric car, a service contract that's void because of earlier crash or flood damage, paint protection that voids the carmaker's paint warranty, or catalytic converter marking on a car that doesn't have one.

Most used cars bought or leased from a California dealer for $50,000 or less now also come with a 3-day right to cancel. See how California's 3-day return rule works.

Put the numbers from your written quote into the quote check. It spots missing lines, surprise charges, and changes between offers. Then, before you sign, make sure the final contract matches the quote you agreed to, line by line.