Know the line. Know your steps.
Every state draws a line between selling your own cars and dealing without a license — and the websites that answer "how many cars can I sell?" contradict each other, sometimes on the same page of results. DealerSteps compiles the answer state by state from the statutes and state agencies themselves, cites every figure, and dates it. Then we show you the legal path over the line: the right license, the real Year-1 cost, and the step order.
The question everyone asks first
It depends on your state — the limits run from a couple of cars a year to a dozen, and about a dozen states publish no number at all and judge your intent instead. Start with the eight biggest dealer states, or open the full 50-state index.
| State | Private-sale limit | Penalty for unlicensed dealing |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | Up to 4 cars a year | Misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $5,000, which may be t… |
| Florida | Up to 2 cars a year | Violation of § 320.27 is a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in §§ … |
| California | No fixed number — intent test | Not stated in the cited source. Penalties for unlicensed dealing are set in California's d… |
| Ohio | Up to 5 cars a year | Minor misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum $100 fine for a first violation; a subsequent v… |
| Illinois | Up to 4 cars a year | Not stated in the cited source. Penalties for unlicensed dealing are set in Illinois's dea… |
| Georgia | Up to 4 cars a year | Not stated in the cited source. Penalties for unlicensed dealing are set in Georgia's deal… |
| North Carolina | Up to 4 cars a year | Civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation (§ 20-287(c)) and/or a Class 1 misdemeanor (§ … |
| New York | Up to 5 cars a year | Civil penalty of $1,000, reducible to $500 if the person registers as a dealer within the … |
Every figure above is cited to its state source on the state's own page, with the date it was checked. Where we could not verify a number against a primary state source, the page says so instead of guessing.
Why this site exists
The roundup pages copy each other — one major SERP shows Texas at both 4 and 5 cars. We compile from Transportation Codes, DMV pages, and attorneys general, and we print the citation next to the number.
We sell one navigation product, not a course, not a bond, not insurance. Where a state requires an approved pre-licensing course, our checkers route you to the state's own approved providers. We have no course to steer you into.
The headline fee is never the cost. Our path checker adds the state fees, the actual course price range, and the bond premium — the number beginners misunderstand most — and shows every line.
New to the whole question? Read the guides: why the license is the key to dealer auctions, how the dealer bond actually works, and what to do if you may already be over your state's line.
One payment, yours to keep. The Playbook is a navigation guide — it is not the state-approved course (where your state requires one, it walks you to the approved providers).
Every state
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
Straight answers
No — and we will never present it as one. DealerSteps is an independent navigation guide. In states that mandate a pre-licensing course, only state-approved providers count, and our checkers and pages point you to your state's official approved-provider list. The Playbook covers everything around the course: the packet, the lot, the bond, the auctions, and your first 90 days.
No. The bond amount is the coverage limit, not what you pay. You pay an annual premium — commonly 1–3% of the bond amount with decent credit. Our bond basics guide walks through it.
Because they copy each other and rarely re-check the statute. Rules also genuinely change — Ohio tripled its dealer bond on April 1, 2026, and most pages still print the old figure. We cite the primary source and the date on every state page.
For retail, almost never — states require an established place of business that gets inspected. The famous exception is a wholesale-only license in states like California, where an office (including a home office) can qualify. The path checker shows which model your state allows.