On December 29, 2025, Alaska Attorney General Stephen Cox announced a sweeping settlement with a prominent dealer group resolving allegations that multiple Alaska dealerships charged document fees that were not included in advertised vehicle prices. Coming less than a year after Alaska regulators took similar action against an Anchorage dealership, this enforcement underscores an unmistakable trend: state attorneys general—including Republican AGs in red states—are actively policing vehicle advertising practices, particularly around fees.
For dealers nationwide, this is no longer an isolated compliance story. It is a pattern.
Background on the Most Recent Settlement
According to the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance filed with the Anchorage Superior Court, Alaska’s Department of Law investigated whether the group’s dealerships operating in the state charged document fees without including those fees in advertised vehicle prices since January 3, 2019. The investigation also examined certain new vehicle advertisements listing MSRP where the dealership’s actual offering price exceeded MSRP in some instances.
Under Alaska law (AS 45.25.440), dealers must include all non-governmental fees (such as document fees) in the advertised price of a vehicle. Advertising one price online and charging a higher price at the dealership is also prohibited.
While the State acknowledged that only a relatively small percentage of dealer group’s sales were noncompliant, the scope of the issue was significant enough that hundreds of consumers may have been affected. The settlement requires the group to:
- Pay $300,000 in civil penalties and costs to the State
- Conduct consumer restitution going back nearly six years
- Implement mandatory advertising audits and training requirements
- Submit to ongoing oversight by the Attorney General’s Office
Why This Case Matters to Your Dealership
1. Enforcement Is Expanding—Not Contracting
This settlement is especially notable because it follows closely on the heels of Alaska’s earlier enforcement action against an Anchorage dealership for the same core issue: document fees excluded from advertised prices. Two enforcement actions, within roughly one year, in the same state, under different administrations, should erase any lingering doubt about enforcement priorities.
For dealers, the takeaway is simple: state regulators are not backing off. In fact, they appear increasingly willing to pursue larger dealer groups and longer lookback periods when advertising compliance breaks down.
2. Red States Are Not Sitting on the Sidelines
Like the earlier Anchorage case, this settlement was brought by a Republican attorney general in a reliably red state.
Some dealers assumed that recent political shifts or the Fifth Circuit’s decision striking down the FTC’s CARS Rule would cool enforcement activity. Alaska’s actions demonstrate the opposite. Consumer protection enforcement in auto retail is not a partisan issue, and Republican AGs remain fully engaged when they believe pricing practices are misleading.
3. Advertising “MSRP” Is Not a Safe Harbor
The recent settlement also addresses a second, often-overlooked risk area: advertising vehicles at MSRP when the dealership’s actual offering price is higher.
Under the settlement, the Alaska dealers must now clearly and conspicuously disclose when a price is merely MSRP and not the dealership’s actual asking price, including specific formatting and disclaimer requirements.
For dealers, the lesson is straightforward: calling a price “MSRP” does not, by itself, prevent an advertisement from being misleading. Regulators are examining the overall presentation of pricing and whether it creates a false impression, not merely the label attached to a number.
Practical Steps Dealers Should Take Now
To reduce exposure in this environment, dealers should:
- Review every online price display, including third-party platforms
- Confirm that advertised prices include all fees required to be included in the advertised price (and that the dealer’s website or advertisement does not contain disclosures suggesting otherwise)
- Audit how MSRP is used and disclosed in vehicle listings
- Train sales, marketing, and management teams on state-specific requirements
- Document advertising compliance efforts and corrective actions
As Alaska has now shown twice in a single year, regulators are not waiting for widespread consumer harm before acting.
How ComplyAuto Can Help
This recent settlement is a reminder that advertising compliance failures—especially fee-related failures—can trigger years of lookback, significant penalties, and operational disruption.
ComplyAuto Guardian helps dealers get ahead of these risks. Our AI-powered platform continuously scans dealership websites for state and federal compliance issues, flags pricing and fee inconsistencies, and provides actionable guidance before regulators get involved.
In today’s enforcement climate, proactive compliance is no longer optional, it’s essential. ComplyAuto Guardian helps ensure your advertising practices match what regulators expect, not what enforcement actions later demand.