What CDK Dealers Need To Know About the California CARS Act

California dealerships have less than a month to prepare for one of the most significant regulatory changes to automotive retail in recent years. Effective Oct. 1, 2026, the California Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Act (SB 766) introduces new requirements that impact nearly every stage of the vehicle sales process, from advertising and pricing disclosures to add-on sales, recordkeeping and vehicle delivery.

Dealers will need to ensure pricing information is presented consistently, provide additional transparency around add-ons and payment options, maintain extensive compliance records, and adapt to new consumer protections, including a three-day right to cancel for many used vehicle transactions.

Key operational changes include:

• New requirements for displaying a vehicle’s total price in advertisements and written customer communications
• Increased scrutiny of add-ons, including disclosure and customer benefit requirements
• Additional disclosures when presenting monthly payment options
• New timelines for paying vehicle protection product providers
• A statutory right to cancel for qualifying used vehicle purchases
• Expanded recordkeeping requirements, including advertising, communications and transaction documentation

To help dealers prepare, CDK has developed updates to existing forms and documents designed to support compliance while minimizing disruption to dealership workflows.

Download the full report to learn how the CARS Act will affect your dealership operations, review the specific compliance requirements, and see the document and form changes CDK is implementing to help dealers navigate the transition.