Dealer addendum vs. Monroney label: what each one is for
The Monroney label is the manufacturer's federally required window sticker. The addendum is the dealership's own document. Here's how to keep them separate and both accurate.
QP Addendums team5 min readThe Monroney label is the window sticker the manufacturer applies to every new vehicle under federal law. The dealer addendum is a separate sticker the dealership creates to show products and services it has added, and their prices. One describes the vehicle as it left the factory. The other describes what the dealership did after it arrived.
They usually hang side by side, which is why they get confused. They are different documents, with different owners and different rules.
The Monroney label
The Monroney label is named for Senator Mike Monroney, sponsor of the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958. The law requires manufacturers to attach the label to new automobiles, and it must remain on the vehicle until delivery to the buyer. Removing or altering it before then is a federal violation.
A Monroney label typically shows:
- The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the base vehicle
- Factory-installed options and their prices
- The destination or transportation charge
- Fuel economy and environmental information
- Government safety ratings, where available
The manufacturer controls its content. The dealership doesn't edit it.
The dealer addendum
The dealer addendum is the dealership's own document. It typically shows:
- Vehicle identification: VIN, stock number, year, make, model
- Dealer-installed products and services, with a price for each
- Totals and the resulting dealer price
- The dealership's approved disclosure language
- Dealership branding
The dealership controls its content, and is responsible for making it accurate and clear. Read more about what a dealer addendum is.
Side-by-side comparison
| Monroney label | Dealer addendum | |
|---|---|---|
| Created by | Manufacturer | Dealership |
| Required by federal law | Yes, on new vehicles | No |
| Shows | Factory equipment, MSRP, fuel economy, safety ratings | Dealer-installed products, their prices, dealer price |
| Can the dealer change it? | No | Yes, it's the dealer's document |
| Used vehicles | Not applicable | Optional, alongside the FTC Buyers Guide |
Rule of thumb: never cover the Monroney label. Place the addendum beside it, and make sure the VIN on both matches.
Rules of thumb
- Never cover the Monroney label. Place the addendum beside it, not over any part of it.
- Don't repeat factory equipment as an add-on. If it's on the Monroney label, it came from the factory and shouldn't appear again as a dealer product.
- Make the addendum read as the dealership's document. Clear dealership branding and a heading such as "Dealer Addendum" help shoppers tell the two apart.
- Match the vehicle exactly. The VIN on the addendum should match the VIN on the Monroney label. Pulling vehicle data straight from inventory, instead of retyping it, is the simplest way to guarantee that.
How QP Addendums handles it
QP Addendums manages only the dealership side. It never generates or modifies the Monroney label. It starts from the vehicle in your inventory so the addendum's VIN and vehicle details match the factory sticker, then applies your store's products and prices, with the same fixed disclosure block on every sticker. See how it works.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm federal, state, and local requirements with your dealership's counsel.
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