Documents to bring when you buy a car: the complete checklist

Free preview · from the dealership side of the desk

Nothing slows a car deal like a missing document. You agree on a price, sit down to sign, and hear that the lender needs a second pay stub, your insurance card is expired, or the trade title is in a drawer at home. Now you’re stuck another hour or coming back tomorrow, and a deal that felt settled starts to feel unsettled.

Insider truth: lenders attach “stips” to approvals, conditions like proof of income or residence. If they aren’t met, a deal can be delayed or come back with different terms, and that’s not when you want to renegotiate. Below: the always-bring list, separate lists for financing, trading in, paying cash and leasing, a worked example of a deal that stalled, the copies to take home, and what to ask when you call ahead. Requirements vary by state and lender.

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In the full guide

Everyone: always bring
If you are financing
If you are trading in a vehicle
If you are paying cash
If you are leasing
Worked example: the deal that stalled
Before you leave the dealership: copies to take home
What to say when you call ahead

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Checklists & word-for-word scripts

Print them, bring them, read from them at the desk.

Buying & ownership · ChecklistThe test drive that actually tells you somethingMost test drives are a 10-minute loop the dealer picked. How to plan your own route, why a cold start matters, what to test in what order, and a checklist to bring.7 min · free preview Buying & ownership · ScriptsNegotiate by email: get out-the-door quotes from 4+ dealersGet four dealers competing in writing from your kitchen table. How internet sales departments work, word-for-word emails for real out-the-door quotes, and how to compare them.7 min · free preview Buying & ownership · ChecklistBuying from a private seller: title, liens, payment and safetyNo dealer markup, but no one to fix the paperwork either. How to verify the title, clear liens, pay safely and close a private sale without losing your money.7 min · free preview Buying & ownership · ChecklistThe dealership visit checklist: before you go, on the lot, at the deskA printable, stage-by-stage checklist for your dealership visit: what to settle at home, what to check on the lot and test drive, and what must be true before you sign.4 min · free preview

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The 6 things that decide your trade-in value
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Upload the dealer’s worksheet or buyer’s order and a FMYCAR advisor validates every line (price, trade, fees, rate, term, add-ons) and tells you exactly what to fix before you sign. Typical clients find $800–$3,000 of markup, fees and products they didn’t need; typical, not guaranteed, and if the deal is clean we tell you to sign.

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Upload the paperworkPhotos or a PDF of the worksheet, buyer’s order or finance quote, from the dealership if you’re there now.
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