Illinois doc fee limit: $377.63 in 2026
What an Illinois dealer may charge for paperwork, and how to check the fee on your quote.
- Limit
- $377.63
- Kind of limit
- Legal maximum
- Applies to
- Calendar year 2026
- Set by
- A $300 base from 2020, raised each year with inflation
- Figure for 2026 from
- Illinois Automobile Dealers Association
- Changes
- Every January with inflation
- On the quote it may read
- Documentary fee, Documentary service fee, Doc fee
- Sales tax on the fee
- Yes
- Electronic registration fee
- Separate and optional, $35 at most
- Must be shown with
- A notice that the fee is not an official fee and not required by law
- Law
- 815 ILCS 375/11.1Illinois Attorney General
- Checked
- September 29, 2026
Have a quote? See how its doc fee compares with your state's limit, along with every other fee on it.
Reading the fee on your quote
- Above $377.63
- The part above $377.63 is over the legal maximum.
- At or under $377.63
- The fee is allowed. Dealers rarely drop it.
- What to ask for
- A lower price or a lower out-the-door total.
Questions about the Illinois doc fee
What is the doc fee limit in Illinois in 2026?
Illinois limits the dealer documentary fee to $377.63 under 815 ILCS 375/11.1. The state sets the formula; the figure for 2026 is the one the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association publishes. It changes: every January with inflation.
Can a dealer in Illinois charge more than $377.63?
No. $377.63 is the legal maximum for the documentary fee. Applies to: Calendar year 2026. Set by: A $300 base from 2020, raised each year with inflation. Other charges on a quote, such as registration and title, are separate from it.
Is the doc fee taxed in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois charges sales tax on the documentary fee.
Can the doc fee be negotiated in Illinois?
Rarely. Dealers charge every buyer the same fee. The ask that works is a lower price or a lower out-the-door total, which holds the fee.