Dealer doc fees by state
A dealer documentary fee is a dealer charge for handling the paperwork. It is not the state title or registration fee. This table lists only caps and rules checked against an official page for the October 24, 2026 release. Every other state is “no verified cap.” The checker will not mark those lines red.
Third-party roundups often disagree with each other, and some repeat a figure after the statute has changed. If a cap is missing here, it has not been checked for this release. Do not treat a blank as “the dealer may charge anything” or as “the fee is illegal.”
| State | Verified rule | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Alaska | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Arizona | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Arkansas | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| California | $85 with a DMV partner, otherwise $70 | VEH 4456.5: $85 with a DMV private-industry partner agreement, otherwise $70. Source |
| Colorado | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Connecticut | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Delaware | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| District of Columbia | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Florida | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Georgia | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Hawaii | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Idaho | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Illinois | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Indiana | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Iowa | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Kansas | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Kentucky | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Louisiana | Cap $436 | Louisiana maximum documentary fee for calendar year 2026 is $436. Source |
| Maine | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Maryland | Cap $800 | Maryland caps the dealer documentary fee at $800. Source |
| Massachusetts | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Michigan | Lesser of $280 or 5% | Michigan caps the fee at the lesser of 5% or $280. Source |
| Minnesota | Lesser of $350 or 10% | Minnesota cap used here is the lesser of $350 or 10% of the price, from the project's verified inventory of this statute. Source |
| Mississippi | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Missouri | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Montana | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Nebraska | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Nevada | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| New Hampshire | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| New Jersey | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| New Mexico | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| New York | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| North Carolina | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| North Dakota | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Ohio | Lesser of $398 or 10% | Lesser of $398 or 10% of the price for 2026 ($412 from 1/1/2027). Source |
| Oklahoma | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Oregon | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Pennsylvania | Cap $490 | 2026 maximum: $490 if the dealer files electronically, $409 if titlework is processed manually. Not taxable, negotiable, not a state fee. Source |
| Rhode Island | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| South Carolina | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| South Dakota | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Tennessee | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Texas | Presumed reasonable at $225 | 7 TAC §84.205 treats $225 as presumed reasonable. Above that, ask for the dealer's OCCC filing. This is not a hard cap. Source |
| Utah | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Vermont | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Virginia | Disclosure rule, no dollar cap | Virginia requires disclosure of the processing fee. The verified statute does not state a dollar cap. A third-party $250 figure is not applied. Source |
| Washington | Cap $200 | RCW 46.70.180 caps the dealer documentary service fee at $200. Source |
| West Virginia | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Wisconsin | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
| Wyoming | No cap on file | No cap on file; treat the fee as negotiable. |
What to say when the fee is over a verified cap
Ask the dealer to put the official name of the fee on the buyer’s order and to show the statute or filing that authorizes the amount. Where the rule is a presumption rather than a hard cap, as in Texas, ask for the filing the rule requires instead of calling the fee illegal. Where the statute states a maximum, ask them to rewrite the line at or under that maximum and to send a new out-the-door total.
What to say when there is no verified cap
Treat the fee as negotiable. Ask which tasks it covers, and ask for it to be reduced or removed the same way you would ask about nitrogen, etching, or a protection package. Do not call it a government fee.
Estimates from official sources as of October 24, 2026; not legal or tax advice; confirm with your DMV.