Cars.com, LLC (“Cars.com”) is a vehicle listing marketplace that both consumers and dealerships (“Dealers”) have entrusted in the vehicle purchase process. Cars.com enters agreements with Dealers pursuant to which Dealers may list their vehicles for consumers to purchase. As a condition to Dealers listing vehicles on the Cars com site, Dealers must agree to this Cars.com Site Compliance Policy (“Policy”).
Dealer Obligation and Responsibility for Transparent Pricing
In addition to federal and state laws that require Dealers to advertise transparent and accurate pricing, Cars.com also requires all Dealer listings to comply with the following:
- Accurate and Compliant: Dealers listing on the Cars.com site must ensure that each vehicle listing is accurate and compliant with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.
- Comprehensive Vehicle Listing Price: Except as otherwise allowed pursuant to applicable local, state and federal regulations, Dealers must ensure the vehicle listing price must be the final price that a consumer would pay to purchase the vehicle (the “Comprehensive Vehicle Listing Price”). The Comprehensive Vehicle Listing Price cannot be conditional, such as requiring dealer financing, down payments, credit incentives, or available to only select individuals. The Dealer must ensure the Comprehensive Vehicle Listing Price is up-to-date.
- Limited Listing Notes Exception: Dealers may exclude governmental titles, discounts, taxes and fees from the Comprehensive Vehicle Listing Price but Dealers must disclose these fees in the listing notes.
- Required Monetary Pricing: Dealer must include a monetary price for each vehicle that it lists for sale, and cannot list zero U.S. dollars, leave this field blank, or refer to a consumer to other sources for pricing information. Cars.com does not list vehicles that refer potential buyers to other sources for pricing information (i.e. “call dealer for pricing”).
- Vehicle Location: Dealers must only list vehicles that are available for purchase by a potential buyer at the Dealer’s location listed on the Dealer Profile Page. Dealers with multiple dealership locations are responsible for ensuring that Dealer listings only reflect the inventory at each specific location that is advertising with Cars.com.
- Prohibited Content: Dealers cannot include any content in their listings that contain links or calls to action to visit other sites, HTML or other code; malicious software; illegal, inappropriate, or offensive content; contact information or alternate phone numbers that differ from the Cars.com assigned Dealer phone inquiry number.
- Media Restrictions: Dealers with listings that contain media, including images and videos, can only use the media to depict the vehicle the Dealer is selling, for general Dealer branding or for informational purposes. Dealers cannot use media to promote special offers, prices other than the price offered in the listing, or to model potential payments or financing. If the media contains individuals, the Dealer must have each individual’s written consent to use the individual’s name, image, and likeness usage. Dealers must ensure that any media used accurately reflects the listed vehicle and applicable warranties if provided.
- Consumer Information Restrictions: Dealers may only use consumer information gathered from leads, reporting, and otherwise (“User Data”) to service the consumer request or provide customer service regarding the vehicle listing. Dealers cannot sell, lease, license, sublicense, or otherwise distribute or transfer User Data to third parties (other than to third parties such as lead management providers who provide services related to the permitted uses on behalf of the Dealer) or use User Data in any other unauthorized manner, including, without limitation, for unsolicited mass distribution of information or email, telephone, “spam”, “junk mail”, or direct marketing campaigns.
- Listing Responsibility: Dealers are solely responsible for reviewing their listings on Cars.com for accuracy.
- Obsolete/Sold Inventory: Dealers must promptly remove all sold or unavailable inventory from the listing feed as soon the Dealer sells the vehicle or the vehicle becomes unavailable.
- Listing Intended Purpose: Dealers shall only provide listings for non-recreational, non-commercial vehicles that are mass produced and intended for sale only in the United States, Canada, and the United States territories.
Deal Badging
Cars.com offers Deal Badging at its sole discretion for select vehicles for consumers’ benefit. Cars.com issues Deal Badges based upon several factors, including but not limited to vehicle listing information, geography, vehicle condition (year, make, model, trim, accessories) and other proprietary information. Dealers are solely responsible for providing Cars.com with up to date accurate Dealer listing data that must comply with this Policy, as the Deal Badge integrates vehicle listing information. Dealers are liable for any representations made to Cars.com regarding their vehicle listings. If a Dealer fails to provide an accurate and transparent vehicle list price and Cars.com becomes liable to a third party for basing its Deal Badge on the inaccurate vehicle list price, then the Dealer is wholly responsible for indemnifying Cars.com for any damages it incurs.
Violation of the Policy
Consumers and Dealers can report violations of this Policy to Cars.com at siteadherence@cars.com. Cars.com reserves the right to immediately remove a vehicle listing if Cars.com reasonably believes that the listing is not in compliance with applicable laws and this Policy. The Dealer is solely liable for all fees, costs, fines, and monetary consequences for the inaccurate, false, and/or misleading listing. Cars.com may also, at its sole discretion, temporarily or permanently suspend non-complaint Dealers or their listing for egregious or repeat violations of this Policy or applicable law.
Compliance
Cars.com incorporates this Policy as part of the Cars.com Terms and Conditions, located here, which govern all Dealers who receive Cars.com services and/or products, either through Order Forms or OEM enrollments.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT DEALERSHIPS KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE VARIOUS REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN VEHICLE LISTINGS. This page is for informative purposes and is not legal advice.
Last Updated: September 2025
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