Used car window stickers and the FTC Buyers Guide, explained

Online shopping gets people to the lot, but the window sticker is what they read when they’re standing next to the vehicle. A clear sticker answers questions without a salesperson, makes the price feel justified and gives shoppers a way to see more on their phone. For US dealers, the FTC Buyers Guide also has to be in that window, and it has strict rules.

Window sticker vs. Buyers Guide vs. Monroney

• Monroney label: the manufacturer’s sticker on new vehicles, with the official price, equipment and fuel economy. It’s required on new cars and can’t be removed before the sale.
• Dealer window sticker: your own sticker for used (and sometimes new) vehicles. It’s a sales tool, so you decide what goes on it.
• FTC Buyers Guide: a required disclosure in the US for used vehicles. It says whether the vehicle comes “as is” or with a warranty, and lists major problems to ask about. It must follow the FTC’s exact wording.

What to put on a used car window sticker

1. Year, make, model and trim, big enough to read from a few steps away.
2. Price, and the previous price if you’ve genuinely reduced it, plus a short fee note.
3. Mileage, colours and stock number.
4. Key specs: engine, transmission, drivetrain, fuel type and seating.
5. Fuel economy: MPG in the US, L/100 km in Canada, or MPGe for electric vehicles.
6. Standard and safety equipment, and a few highlights you’ve confirmed on that unit, like a sunroof or new tires.
7. A QR code linking to the vehicle’s page with photos, the history report and a way to book a test drive.
8. The VIN and your dealership’s name and contact details.

Only list equipment you’ve checked on the actual vehicle. A decoded VIN tells you what the model came with, not what options this one has.

The FTC Buyers Guide, in brief

In the US, the FTC’s Used Car Rule requires dealers who sell more than five used vehicles a year to post a Buyers Guide on every used car, light truck and van offered for sale. The main points:

• Use the official wording. The text, layout and order are set by the FTC. You fill in the vehicle, the warranty boxes and your contact details.
• “As is” or warranty. Tick “As Is – No Dealer Warranty”, “Implied Warranties Only” in states that limit “as is” sales, or “Dealer Warranty” with the terms.
• Display it in the vehicle where shoppers can read it, usually hung in a side window.
• It becomes part of the sale. Give the buyer the Buyers Guide, and if the deal changes the warranty, update it before they sign.
• Spanish sales need the Spanish version. If you conduct the sale in Spanish, the guide must be in Spanish too.
• Maine and Wisconsin have their own state versions.

Some states limit or don’t allow “as is” sales, so check your state’s rules. This is general information, not legal advice.

Canada

The Buyers Guide is a US rule. In Canada, provinces set the disclosure rules. In Ontario, for example, OMVIC requires dealers to disclose things like past accident damage and previous use as a rental. A clear window sticker still helps, and the price on it should follow your province’s all-in pricing rules.

Make the window work with your online ads

The sticker and your online ads should tell the same story. When a vehicle arrives, post it the same day (see how to market used car inventory on social media), print its sticker with a QR code to that same page, and update both when the price changes. For more independent-dealer ideas, see DealerAdGen for independent dealers.

Try it now with the free window sticker maker and FTC Buyers Guide maker — no sign-up needed to build one.