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SB 766 restocking fee calculator (California used-car 3-day cancel)
Quick answer
A California dealer can charge a buyer who cancels under the 3-day right 1.5% of the sale price, at least $200 and at most $600, plus $1 per mile over 250 (max $150), per Civ. Code §1784.31(g). Enter the price and miles below to get the maximum fee.
Last verified October 13, 2026 against the official text. Not legal advice.
Optional advanced input. The dealer keeps this instead of the 1.5% fee, capped at the 1.5% amount.
SB 766 restocking fee formula
The maximum restocking fee is the 1.5% component (min $200, max $600) plus a mileage component of $1 per mile over 250 (max $150), per Cal. Civ. Code §1784.31(g):
- Price component, §1784.31(g)(1)(A): 1.5% × sale price, not less than $200 and not more than $600.
- Or shipping alternative, §1784.31(g)(1)(B): if the dealer charged a shipping fee, it may instead keep its actual shipping cost, up to the amount in step 1, and must refund any balance it charged above that.
- Mileage component, §1784.31(g)(2): if driven over 250 miles, $1 × (miles − 250), not more than $150.
- Maximum fee = step 1 (or step 2) + step 3.
Two limits from §1784.43: the right to cancel only covers used vehicles sold or leased at retail for $50,000 or less, and it ends once the car has been driven more than 400 miles after signing. The dealer cannot charge for the right itself; if a refund is owed, the fee is deducted from the refund. Examples: a $12,000 car driven 100 miles → $200 (1.5% is $180, so the $200 minimum applies). A $30,000 car driven 320 miles → $450 + $70 = $520. A $45,000 car driven 400 miles → $600 + $150 = $750.
Need the dealer notices?
The California used-car 3-day cancel notice kit ($49, one-time) includes the fill-in “3-Day Right to Cancel Used Car Purchase or Lease” disclosure with all nine §1784.43(b) points, the 36-point wall sign wording from Veh. Code §11709.2, the §1784.43(e) first-page warning, an add-ons checklist and a sales log, with official sources listed.
Full SB 766 3-day right to cancel page (key facts, wall sign, FAQ) →
Frequently asked questions
How much is the SB 766 restocking fee?
Under Cal. Civ. Code §1784.31(g)(1)(A), 1.5% of the vehicle’s sale price, but not less than $200 and not more than $600. If the car has been driven over 250 miles, §1784.31(g)(2) lets the dealer also charge $1 for each mile over 250, up to $150. The highest possible total is $750.
What is the shipping-fee alternative?
If the dealer charged the buyer a shipping fee for transporting the vehicle, §1784.31(g)(1)(B) lets it keep the shipping cost it actually incurred instead of the 1.5% fee, but never more than the 1.5% amount (min $200, max $600). The dealer must refund the balance between what it charged and what it keeps. The mileage charge can still be added.
Can the buyer cancel after 400 miles?
No. Under §1784.43(a)(1)(B), the right to cancel does not apply if the vehicle has been driven more than 400 miles between signing and the attempt to cancel. That is why the mileage charge tops out at $150 (miles 251 to 400).
Can the dealer charge for the right to cancel itself?
No. §1784.43(b)(4) says the dealer cannot charge for the right to cancel, but may charge a restocking fee, and the disclosure must describe how both components are calculated. If a refund is owed, the fee is deducted from it (§1784.43(a)(2)).
Is this legal advice?
No. This calculator is a general arithmetic helper based on the public fee formula. It does not decide whether a sale qualifies, what the “sale price” is in your contract, or whether a fee was properly disclosed. Check the current official text or ask a licensed attorney.
Official sources
- Cal. Civ. Code §1784.31 (definitions: restocking fee (g), three-day (i), used vehicle (k)), California Legislative Information
- Cal. Civ. Code §1784.43 (three-day right to cancel), California Legislative Information
- Cal. Veh. Code §11709.2 (36-point wall sign, SB 766 Sec. 9 version operative October 1, 2026)
- Cal. Civ. Code §§1784.20–1784.28 (CARS Act general provisions; operative October 1, 2026)
- California DMV, OLIN 2026-10: Implementation of the CARS Act (SB 766) (PDF)
Law text checked against the official sources above on October 13, 2026. General information, not legal advice; laws and rules change, so check the current official text before you rely on it.
Who wrote this and how it was checked
Written and maintained by Astor Ventures. We publish template kits and free helpers built from public law; we are not a law firm, and no attorney has reviewed this page.
- Last verified: , against Cal. Civ. Code §1784.31(g) and §1784.43 on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.
- Found an error? Email [email protected].