On Sept. 15, 2026, Federal Trade Commission staff published FAQs to help the automobile industry comply with the FTC Act. Consistent with the FTC’s recent focus on pricing transparency, the guidance reiterates that the advertised price of a vehicle must be the actual price any consumer can walk in and pay, excluding only charges the government requires the consumer to pay.
In the press release announcing the FAQs, the FTC framed the guidance as part of its price-transparency agenda. “The FTC Act requires truthful and accurate pricing, which brings significant benefits for consumers and competition,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Price transparency is a priority for the Trump-Vance FTC, and today’s guidance is intended to help dealers and others in the auto industry better understand how the law applies to their advertising.”