US DEALERS

Federal requirements, explained for dealers.

Guides for US dealership operators on the federal rules that govern used vehicle retail — what applies, what does not, and where the operational failure points actually are. Written by the team at Dealer by Design Inc.

Federal compliance

The rules that apply to dealers nationwide — what is enforced, what each one actually requires, and what no longer applies.

The FTC Used Car Rule and Buyers Guide

Who must comply, how and where the Buyers Guide is posted, As Is versus Implied Warranties Only, the Spanish-language requirement, and what the buyer receives at the sale.

The FTC Safeguards Rule

Financing makes your store a financial institution. The nine required elements, the MFA and encryption mandates, the 30-day breach clock, and what the under-5,000 exception really covers.

IRS Form 8300: Cash Over $10,000

What counts as cash, how related transactions aggregate, the 15-day clock, the customer statement due January 31, and the e-filing mandate.

The CARS Rule Is Not in Effect

Vacated by the Fifth Circuit in January 2025 and withdrawn from the rulebook in February 2026 — the actual status, and which federal requirements still govern.

Dealership operations

Process guides that apply on either side of the border. Regulatory detail in these is Canadian and labeled as such; the operational substance is not jurisdiction-specific.

The Vehicle Delivery Process

From sold to hand-off — pre-delivery preparation, delivery day, and the follow-up stage most stores skip.

We-Owe Forms and Outstanding Items

What belongs on a we-owe, how a you-owe differs, and how to keep open items from aging out of everyone's memory.

Dealership Reconditioning

The recon pipeline, where units lose days, and how cycle time turns into holding cost.

The Dealership F&I Process

What happens between "I'll take it" and keys in hand — credit application, lender selection, product presentation, and funding.

Comparing markets

READY HUB is built by a Canadian company, and much of our library covers Canadian provincial requirements in depth. Where the two systems differ we say so explicitly rather than leaving a US reader to assume a Canadian rule applies — or the reverse.

Canada: OMVIC Mandatory Disclosures

Ontario puts disclosure in the contract rather than on a window form, and treats as-is very differently from the Buyers Guide model.

Spot Delivery: Canada vs the US

Why the American "yo-yo financing" framing assumes a right to unwind that Ontario law does not provide.

Dealership operations software

READY HUB coordinates reconditioning, sold-vehicle delivery, and everything still owed on a deal — tracked with clear ownership and status, visible across Sales, Parts, Service, and F&I.

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