Fee-Inclusive Pricing on CLASSIC.COM

What the FTC requires

This is not a new rule, and it is not pending. Section 5 of the FTC Act has prohibited deceptive pricing for decades, and the FTC's position is that an advertised price which excludes mandatory fees is deceptive under that existing law.

The timeline, briefly:

• 13 March 2026 — the FTC sent warning letters to 97 dealer groups, covering roughly 203 locations, stating that advertised prices must be the total price consumers will pay, including all mandatory fees.
• 2026 enforcement — the FTC settled two actions against dealerships, one for $4 million and another involving consumer redress of up to $75 million plus a $3.1 million civil penalty.
• September 2026 — the FTC published pricing transparency FAQs for the industry, confirming that price transparency is not a new requirement and that no additional rulemaking is needed.

There is no grace period and no phase-in. The FAQs themselves do not carry the force of law — they are FTC staff guidance — but they describe how the agency reads a statute that is already in force.

California dealers: the California CARS Act took effect 1 October 2026 and adds state-level requirements, including separate disclosure of dealer-installed accessories. State rules sit on top of the FTC Act baseline — they can add disclosures, but they do not reduce the requirement that the advertised price be the all-in price.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Please confirm specifics with your own compliance counsel.

How CLASSIC.COM displays pricing

Each listing shows a single Asking Price. When we can confirm that price includes all mandatory dealer fees, the listing also displays a Fees Included signal and a short disclaimer telling buyers that fees are covered.

Where we cannot confirm it, the listing shows a new signal "Fees Undisclosed". That is not a judgement about your compliance — in most cases it simply means we have not yet confirmed it with you or your inventory provider.

We do not currently display a line-item breakdown of individual fees. The all-in price plus the disclaimer meets the transparency requirement; the FTC does not require itemisation. However, it may be a feature that will be offered in the future, stay tuned.

How to send us a fee-inclusive price

If your inventory comes through an IMS feed

Most inventory providers now support this, and many have already made the change. Your provider generally has one of three setups:

1. A single all-inclusive price field — the price with fees already added. This is what we prefer and what we map to Asking Price.
2. A separate total-fees column alongside the base price. We add them together.
3. Individual fee columns — doc fee, dealer fee, processing fee. We total them ourselves.

Any of these works. Contact your IMS provider and ask them to send fee data to CLASSIC.COM, or contact us and we will reach out on your behalf. We are already working directly with most major providers and may have your answer on file.

A caution: some platforms only include fees when a per-dealer setting is switched on, or only once you have entered your fee values in their system. If you have not configured your fees with your provider, the feed will send a base price even where the capability exists. Please reach out to Partner Support if you need help with this.

If your inventory provider cannot send fee data

Some providers cannot send a price specific to one marketplace, or hold no fee data at all. This usually means that you must add prices in your IMS/DMS including all fees and charges. Several dealer groups are already set up this way. If you are not sure on your current situation, please contact Partner Support, we’ll be happy to help.

If you enter listings manually

Enter the all-in price in the Asking Price field — the vehicle price plus every mandatory fee. You will be asked to confirm that the price includes all mandatory dealer fees; that confirmation is what turns on the Fees Included signal.

You can use the vehicle description to note the fee composition if you would like buyers to see it.

Keeping it accurate

Tell us when your fees change. If your fee values change and your listings do not, the displayed price stops being the price a buyer will pay — which is the problem the requirement exists to prevent.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to act now? Yes. This obligation already exists under the FTC Act and the FTC is actively enforcing it. We are not the ones enforcing it and we will not remove or penalise your listings — but we would rather you hear this from us clearly than assume there is time.

Will CLASSIC.COM show a fee breakdown on the listing? Not today. We show a single Asking Price with a Fees Included signal and disclaimer. An itemised breakdown is something we may add in future.

My IMS sends several price fields. Which one maps to Asking Price? The one that reflects the full price a buyer pays — vehicle price plus all mandatory fees, excluding taxes, title and registration. Your provider can confirm which field that is, or we can help you check.

What happens if I don't update my listings? They stay active and unchanged. They will not display the Fees Included signal, which means buyers will not see confirmation that your price covers fees. Your obligations under the FTC Act are unaffected by anything we do or don't display.

My fees differ by state, or between new and used inventory. That is common and we can handle it. Each of your locations is configured separately. Contact Partner Support with your fee schedule.

Does the California CARS Act change what I send you? The all-in price requirement is the same. The CARS Act adds separate disclosure obligations for dealer-installed accessories for CA dealers. If your provider is making CARS Act changes to your feed, let us know so we can map the new fields.

Where can I read the FTC's own guidance? The FTC's pricing transparency FAQs are the primary source.