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Stealpad › Cars › Paint protection

Dealer paint protection is optional

Paint protection is a coating or sealant package a dealer sells with the car. On a California dealer quote it is a dealer charge, not a government fee, so it is optional. Optional dealer product.

Paint protection is optional. Ask for it to come off the price. A dealer may not charge for an add-on you would not benefit from, and pricing and add-on disclosures must be clear and conspicuous.

Source: California's CARS Act (SB 766, Stats. 2025 ch. 354), checked October 25, 2026.

The words to send the dealer

Please remove the paint protection.

Check your whole quote

Paste the dealer's email or type the lines. Every line is marked required, negotiable or optional under California rules, with the message to send back.

No quote handy? Try a sample:

Free. No account. We don't keep your photo.

Questions

Do I have to buy paint protection?

No. It is an optional dealer product, not a government charge.

What if it is part of a "protection package"?

Packages of add-ons are optional too. Ask what is in it if you want any part of it, and ask for the rest to come off.

Can a dealer charge for an add-on I do not benefit from?

A dealer may not charge for an add-on you would not benefit from, and pricing and add-on disclosures must be clear and conspicuous. (California's CARS Act (SB 766, Stats. 2025 ch. 354), in effect since October 1, 2026.)

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