Optional
You can decline it.
Ask what it is
Coating or protection plan.
Compare
Against independent shops.
In this guide 5 sections
It’s optional, and you can say no
The FTC’s consumer alert lists paint coatings among the add-ons dealers can’t charge for without your consent. Its staff guidance says a dealer may offer protection packages but can’t present one as required, claim an installed one can’t be removed, or misstate its cost. Ask for the price without it, and check the printed contract before you sign.
The FTC has acted on this. In 2024 it and Arizona settled with Coulter Motor for $2.6 million over add-ons, including paint coatings, charged without authorization. In 2026 Alaska’s attorney general settled with Swickard dealerships over undisclosed add-ons that included ceramic coating.
What happened to the CARS Rule
The FTC’s CARS Rule would have set federal add-on rules for dealers. The Fifth Circuit vacated it in January 2025, and the FTC withdrew it in February 2026. The FTC Act’s general ban on deceptive and unfair practices still applies, which is what the cases above rely on.
California: the CARS Act
From October 1, 2026, California’s CARS Act (SB 766) requires dealers to tell buyers, out loud and in writing, that add-ons are optional, and bars selling add-ons that give no benefit. It covers retail sales and leases of vehicles under 10,000 pounds and gives used-car buyers a three-day cancellation right on cars up to $50,000. Check your own state’s attorney general for rules where you live.
What dealer packages usually are
Some dealer “paint protection” is a coating from a known brand applied by a local installer; some is an appearance protection plan, which is closer to a service contract. Zurich Shield, sold through dealers, publishes coverage for weather fading, bird droppings, tree sap, road salt and similar damage, with the affected area treated. PermaPlate asks owners to reapply its renewer or a wax about every six months to keep coverage.
Read which one you are buying. A plan that repairs damage is different from a coating that only promises not to fail.
What to ask before you sign
- Which product is it, by brand and name, and how many layers?
- Who applies it, where, and how long does the car spend with them?
- Is the paint polished first, or only washed?
- Is it a product warranty or a protection plan, and who stands behind it?
- What does it require of you: inspections, approved washes, reapplications?
- What does it cost on its own, in writing?
Professional installation
Ask shops what’s in the price
Find installers near you, then ask about the exact product, the prep and which surfaces get coated.
Sources
Product claims come from the manufacturers’ own instructions, linked below. Prices come from shops’ published price lists.
- FTC: Dealers can’t charge for add-ons you don’t wantConsumer alert, August 2024.
- FTC staff: auto pricing transparency FAQsStaff views on add-ons and protection packages.
- FTC and Arizona v. Coulter MotorA $2.6 million settlement over unauthorized add-ons.
- Alaska Attorney General: Swickard settlementUndisclosed add-ons, including ceramic coating.
- Fifth Circuit: NADA v. FTC (2025)The opinion vacating the FTC’s CARS Rule.
- FTC: withdrawal of the CARS Rule (2026)Federal Register document 2026-02866.
- California DMV: CARS Act memoWhat SB 766 requires of dealers from October 1, 2026.
- Zurich Shield: environmental protection plansA dealer-sold appearance plan’s published coverage.
- PermaPlate: questionsCare required and how the product warranty works.
