Ohio doc fee limit: $398 in 2026
What an Ohio dealer may charge for paperwork, and how to check the fee on your quote.
- Limit
- $398
- Kind of limit
- Legal maximum
- Also limited to
- 10% of the contract amount before tax, title and registration
- Changes
- Every January with inflation
- In force since
- January 1, 2026
- On the quote it may read
- Documentary service charge, Doc fee
- Applies to a lease
- Yes
- Sales tax on the fee
- No
- From January 1, 2027
- $412
- Law
- Ohio Rev. Code 4517.261Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
- 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 $398
- The part above $398 is over the legal maximum.
- At or under $398
- 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 Ohio doc fee
What is the doc fee limit in Ohio in 2026?
Ohio limits the dealer documentary service charge to $398 under Ohio Rev. Code 4517.261. The figure has been in force since January 1, 2026. It changes: every January with inflation.
Can a dealer in Ohio charge more than $398?
No. $398 is the legal maximum for the documentary service charge. Also limited to: 10% of the contract amount before tax, title and registration. Other charges on a quote, such as registration and title, are separate from it.
Is the doc fee taxed in Ohio?
No. Ohio does not charge sales tax on the documentary service charge.
Does the Ohio doc fee limit apply to a lease?
Yes. The same $398 limit applies to a lease.
Can the doc fee be negotiated in Ohio?
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.