It goes by a handful of names, documentary fee, doc fee, dealer prep, processing fee, predelivery service charge, and it's the dealership's own internal charge for the time it takes to handle title work and other paperwork on a sale. It is not a state charge. It is not a federal charge. It is set by each dealer.

In Tennessee, dealers can charge any amount they want for it as long as it's listed on the contract. Around Memphis, the typical range runs from about 500 to 800 dollars, with some dealers pushing into four figures. We charge zero.

Yes. Tennessee Code section 55-17-114 specifically authorizes motor vehicle dealers to charge document preparation, processing, or servicing fees on top of the sales price, provided the amount is disclosed clearly and conspicuously on the contract or invoice before the buyer signs. There is no statutory cap on the amount.

Tennessee is one of the states where doc fee law actually conflicts with the FTC's March 2026 enforcement position, which says all required fees must be in the advertised price. We're not interested in litigating that gap. We just removed the fee.

Across Memphis, West Tennessee, and the Mid-South generally, doc fees commonly fall in the 500 to 800 dollar range. Some dealerships go significantly higher, especially on used vehicles or higher-margin franchise brands. Since Tennessee doesn't cap the fee, it's entirely up to each dealer.

The honest answer is that you should ask any dealer you shop with, in writing, what their doc fee or processing fee will be. Then compare advertised prices accordingly. At Rivard-Royall, that number is zero, and you'll see it on the buyer's order.

The math isn't comfortable. A doc fee is essentially pure margin, multiplied by every car a store sells, so dropping it does hit the P&L on a per-deal basis.

What it earns back is harder to model but real. Less time spent walking buyers through a fee they didn't see coming. Fewer deals lost when an out-of-town shopper compares totals and finds ours actually matches what we advertised. A consistent answer to the question every modern buyer is already asking. Long term, we think that trade is the right one.

Everything related to the vehicle itself: manufacturer freight, factory options, standard equipment, and the dealership's own paperwork time. The number you see on the search results page or vehicle detail page is the full ask for the vehicle, before any government charges.

What it does not include: anything set by the state or your county (sales tax, title, plate, registration), and any optional product you choose to add at signing, like a service contract or GAP coverage. Those are separate decisions you make, not built-in markups.

Once we have your home address, we apply Tennessee's 7 percent state vehicle sales tax plus the local option rate for your county, calculate the state title fee, and add the county clerk's plate and registration cost based on your county and the vehicle's class. The total of those four items is the only thing layered onto the advertised price.

If you're registering somewhere other than Tennessee, the math runs through your state's DMV rules instead. We work it out before you sign anything.

No, and they never are at any reputable dealer. Service contracts, GAP, tire and wheel protection, and other aftermarket coverages are all optional. Turn down each one and you'll close out at the listed vehicle price plus whatever Tennessee or your home state charges for taxes and registration.

If you do want any of those products, our team walks through cost, coverage, and what they pay for. Then it's your call, and your call doesn't change the price of the vehicle or the rate your lender approved.

Yes. We regularly sell to buyers across the Mid-South and nationally, with delivery options and out-of-state titling handled by our team. The advertised price applies the same way. The government charges shift to whatever your home state and county require.

If you give us your home address, we'll run the actual out-the-door number based on your state's rules and walk you through how the title and registration work from Memphis to wherever you'll be driving. Phone is the fastest way, 901-881-0179.

No. The price displayed on rivardroyallgmc.com is identical to the price quoted at the desk on Mendenhall Road. We don't run separate online and in-store pricing, and we don't reveal additional fees when the conversation moves from email to a chair on the showroom floor.

The whole point of the One Price Promise is that the answer to "what does this truck cost" is the same answer regardless of who's asking, where they're asking, or what channel they came in through.

Four roughly simultaneous moves changed the conversation in spring 2026. The FTC sent warning letters in March 2026 to 97 dealer groups, telling them advertised prices must include every required fee. Cars.com revised its dealer listing policy the same month, demanding that the displayed total reflect what buyers will actually pay. CarGurus, which has long required full-cash pricing on listings, kept its rule intact. In April 2026, Autotrader rolled out a search ranking boost for dealers who include dealer fees in their listed price.

Tennessee state law still allows dealers to advertise without the fee, so the federal and state pictures are out of step. Our position is straightforward. The number on the website should be the number on the contract. We made that change before any regulator forced the question.