Colorado › Doc fee
Colorado doc fees: no cap, and what buyers actually pay
What Colorado allows
- Colorado does not cap the doc fee. Dealers set it themselves, and there is no legal ceiling to point at.
- Buyers here commonly report around $636.00. That is a market figure drawn from reported deals, not a government number — treat it as a reference point for what is normal, not as a limit.
- The rule: 1 CCR 205-1, Regulation 44-20-121(3)(i), Rule 13 (C.R.S. Sec. 44-20-121(3)(i)) — advertising-inclusion rule only, confirms no price cap exists.
Is it taxed, and is it negotiable?
- The doc fee is part of the taxable amount in Colorado, so sales tax is calculated on it as well. A larger doc fee costs you more than the fee itself.
- With no cap in play, the doc fee is simply part of the total you are negotiating. What matters is the out-the-door number, not which line the money sits on.
- Taxed at Colorado's 2.9% to 11.2%, a $636.00 doc fee really costs between $654.44 and $707.23.
- The high end of what buyers report here is around $700.00 — above that you are an outlier, which is worth saying out loud at the desk.
What's specific to Colorado
- The doc fee is taxed in Colorado because you can't decline it. Colorado has no cap on it, but the dealer has to include it in the advertised price.
Run your own numbers
Common questions
How much is the doc fee in Colorado?
There is no cap. Buyers commonly report around $636.00.
Can I refuse to pay the Colorado doc fee?
Generally no — dealers charge it on every deal and will not remove the line. What you can do is negotiate the total out-the-door price, which is what actually determines your cost.
More on buying a car in Colorado
Source: Colorado Department of Revenue — Taxation Division, GIS Sales/Use Tax Lookup (with API) · rules last verified Oct 11, 2026. Methodology.