The FTC Buyers Guide: what used-car dealers must post, and when Spanish is required
What the FTC Used Car Rule requires on every used vehicle you offer for sale, how to fill out the Buyers Guide, and when the Spanish version is required.
By Dealerspot4 min read
Every used vehicle on your lot needs a Buyers Guide in the window. The requirement comes from the Federal Trade Commission's Used Car Rule, and it is one of the simplest compliance items to get right. It is also one of the easiest to miss on a busy day, and each missing or wrong guide is a separate violation.
This guide covers who the rule applies to, how to fill out the form, and when you need the Spanish version.
Who has to post a Buyers Guide
The rule applies to dealers who sell, or offer for sale, more than five used vehicles in a 12-month period. That covers almost every independent dealer.
A few sellers are exempt, including banks and financial institutions, businesses selling to their own employees, and certain lessors. Sales at auctions that are closed to consumers are not covered, but public auctions are.
Which vehicles need one
For the rule, a vehicle is "used" if it has been driven for anything other than moving or test driving, whether or not it was ever titled. Light-duty vans and trucks, demonstrators, and program cars count if they have:
- a gross vehicle weight rating under 8,500 pounds,
- a curb weight under 6,000 pounds, and
- a frontal area under 46 square feet.
Motorcycles, agricultural equipment, and vehicles sold for scrap or parts (with the title submitted and salvage certification obtained) are excluded.
When and where to post it
Post the guide before you display a vehicle for sale or let a customer inspect it, even if the car is not fully prepped yet.
It has to be displayed prominently, with both sides readable. Hanging it from the rear-view mirror or placing it in a side window works. A guide in the glove box, trunk, or under a seat does not count. You can take it down for a test drive, but it has to go back up when the drive ends.
Filling out the front
The front of the guide tells the buyer whether the vehicle comes with a warranty. Check the box that matches the deal:
- As Is - No Dealer Warranty: you offer no warranty and disclaim implied warranties.
- Implied Warranties Only: required in states that limit or prohibit selling "as is." In those states you must use this version instead of "As Is."
- Dealer Warranty: you give an express warranty. Mark it full or limited, and fill in the systems covered and the duration. A warranty only counts as "full" if it meets the FTC's specific conditions; otherwise it is limited.
The guide also tells buyers to get a vehicle history report and points them to ftc.gov/usedcars, which explains how to check for safety recalls.
Whatever you agree to during negotiation has to show up on the guide. If you agree to add a warranty or change its terms, update the guide before the sale closes.
Filling out the back
On the back, fill in your dealership's name and address, and the name or position and phone number of the person customers should contact with complaints after the sale. The back also lists the major defects that can occur in used vehicles, so buyers know what to look for.
When you need the Spanish Buyers Guide
If you conduct the sale in Spanish, you must post a Spanish-language Buyers Guide on the vehicle before you display it or offer it for sale. The English guide itself tells Spanish-speaking customers to ask for a Spanish Buyers Guide if the sale is conducted in Spanish.
In practice, if your sales team regularly negotiates in Spanish, keep Spanish guides ready for every vehicle, not only the ones a Spanish-speaking customer asks about. You can display both versions.
The contract statement described below must also appear in Spanish when the sale is conducted in Spanish.
The guide becomes part of the contract
The Buyers Guide is part of the sales contract, and its terms override anything contrary in the contract. Your contract must include this statement:
The information you see on the window form for this vehicle is part of this contract. Information on the window form overrides any contrary provisions in the contract of sale.
At the sale, give the buyer the original guide or a copy that reflects the final negotiated terms. Many dealers also add a signature line reading "I hereby acknowledge receipt of the Buyers Guide at the closing of this sale."
Maine and Wisconsin
The FTC rule does not apply in Maine and Wisconsin, because both states have their own required disclosure forms for used vehicles. Dealers there use the state form instead.
What happens if you get it wrong
The FTC can seek civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation, based on its January 2025 inflation adjustment. Many states also have their own used-car disclosure laws, and state officials can fine or sue dealers who don't comply.
A Buyers Guide checklist
- Post a guide on every used vehicle before it is shown or offered for sale.
- Use "Implied Warranties Only" if your state limits "as is" sales.
- Fill in warranty terms exactly as agreed, and update them if negotiation changes them.
- Complete your dealership's details and complaint contact on the back.
- Use the Spanish guide and Spanish contract statement when the sale is conducted in Spanish.
- Include the required statement in your sales contract.
- Give the buyer the original or a copy at closing.
How Dealerspot helps
Dealerspot includes the Buyer's Guide in every deal's document package, filled from the vehicle and dealership details already in the system, alongside the bill of sale and odometer disclosure.
Run your lot from one place
Dealerspot handles inventory, deals, title and tax paperwork, and your website, built for independent dealers.