DealScan.devDealer fee glossary
Dealer prep fee
Also called: Prep fee, Dealer preparation fee, Get-ready fee
A dealer prep fee charges you for cleaning, fueling, and inspecting the car before you take it. This is normal cost-of-doing-business work that gets a car ready to sell, so the fee is widely considered junk padding. It is one of the most negotiable line items on a quote.
- Typical cost
- $200 to $500
- Mandatory?
- No, this is generally considered junk padding
- Negotiable?
- Yes
What it is
Getting a car ready to sell (washing it, topping fluids, a basic inspection) is part of the dealer's overhead, not a separate service you ordered. On new cars, manufacturers already reimburse dealers for this prep, which is why a separate prep fee is often labeled a junk fee.
On used cars the same logic applies: reconditioning is what a dealer does to put the car on the lot, and charging it back to you as a line item double-dips. Treat the prep fee as fully negotiable, and ask for it to be removed or absorbed into the price.
Frequently asked
Do I have to pay a dealer prep fee?
Usually not. Preparing a car for sale is normal dealer overhead, and on new cars the manufacturer already pays for prep. It is one of the easiest fees to negotiate away or have removed.
What is the difference between a prep fee and a doc fee?
A doc fee covers paperwork to title and register the car. A prep fee covers cleaning and readying the vehicle. The doc fee is unavoidable (though capped in some states); the prep fee is generally negotiable padding.