FTC Used Car Rule (Buyers Guide)
What is the FTC Used Car Rule and the Buyers Guide sticker?
The FTC Used Car Rule requires dealers to post a Buyers Guide sticker on used vehicles disclosing whether the sale is "as is" or comes with a warranty, and what that warranty covers if there is one. The rule applies to licensed dealers across all 50 states, and the sticker itself becomes part of the sales contract — the terms it states override any different verbal promise made on the lot.
Key takeaways
- The FTC's Used Car Rule requires licensed dealers to display a Buyers Guide window sticker on used vehicles before offering them for sale.
- The sticker discloses whether the vehicle is sold as-is or with a warranty, and describes what that warranty covers if one exists.
- The Buyers Guide isn't just informational — it becomes part of the sales contract, and its stated terms take priority over a conflicting verbal promise.
- The rule applies at licensed dealers nationwide; private-party sales aren't covered, since there's no dealer warranty obligation to begin with.
- Reading the sticker before negotiating price, not after, is the point of the rule — it's meant to shape the decision, not just document it afterward.
What is the FTC Used Car Rule?
The FTC Used Car Rule is a federal rule requiring licensed used-car dealers to post a Buyers Guide sticker on every used vehicle offered for sale. The sticker discloses whether the car is sold "as is" or with a warranty, and if there's a warranty, exactly what it covers.
It's a disclosure rule, not a rule about vehicle condition. The FTC doesn't inspect or approve the car itself — the rule just requires the dealer to state plainly, in writing, what happens if something breaks after you drive away.
What does the sticker actually say?
| Sale type | What the Buyers Guide states |
|---|---|
| As-is | No warranty of any kind; repairs after purchase are the buyer's responsibility |
| Warranty | What's covered, for how long, and what share of repair costs the dealer pays |
| Both | A box checked for one or the other — the sticker can't leave this ambiguous |
The sticker also lists a phone number for complaints and states that spoken promises should be written down. It's designed to be read on the lot, before a negotiation starts, not discovered in a stack of paperwork at signing.
Why does the sticker become part of the contract?
Because that's what the rule requires — the disclosures on the Buyers Guide are incorporated into the sale, and they take priority over any different verbal statement made during the pitch. If a salesperson says something covered, and the sticker says as-is, the sticker generally controls unless something else in the signed paperwork changes that.
This is exactly why what does buying a car as-is mean tells buyers to read the sticker early rather than assume a verbal promise means anything on its own. Get any promise beyond what the sticker states added to the written contract, not left as something you were told at the desk.
Does this rule cover every used car sale?
It covers licensed dealers, across all 50 states. It doesn't cover private-party sales between individuals, since a private seller has no dealer warranty obligation to disclose in the first place — those sales are effectively as-is by default, sticker or not.
How does this relate to the FTC Holder Rule?
They're related consumer protections created by the same agency, but they cover different things. The Used Car Rule is about what you were told regarding the vehicle's condition and warranty at the time of sale. The FTC Holder Rule is about whether you can still raise a legitimate complaint about that sale against whoever ends up holding your loan, even after it's been sold to a different company. A misrepresented as-is sale is exactly the kind of claim the Holder Rule is built to preserve.
Common questions
What does the FTC Buyers Guide sticker actually have to say?
Whether the vehicle is being sold as-is or with a warranty, and if there's a warranty, what specific systems or repairs it covers, for how long, and what portion of repair costs the dealer will pay. It also lists a phone number for complaints.
Does the Buyers Guide sticker apply to every used car sale?
It applies at licensed used-car dealers across all 50 states. Private-party sales between individuals aren't covered by the rule, since there's no dealer warranty obligation involved in a private sale to begin with.
Can a dealer's verbal promise override what the sticker says?
No, generally the reverse is true. The Buyers Guide becomes part of the sales contract, so its written terms typically control over a conflicting verbal statement made during negotiation. Get any promise beyond the sticker added to the contract in writing.
What if the sticker is missing when I'm looking at a used car?
That's a red flag worth asking about directly before you go further. A licensed dealer is required to post it before offering the vehicle for sale, and its absence is worth raising with the dealer or, if unresolved, reporting to your state attorney general's office.
Does financing the car change what the Buyers Guide covers?
No. The Buyers Guide addresses the vehicle's warranty status, separate from how you pay for it. A financed as-is car is still as-is under the sticker's terms; the loan itself is governed by different paperwork entirely.