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Why Do Dealerships Put Stickers on Cars | Explained

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Most cars displayed for sale at dealerships have one dealer sticker placed somewhere on their exterior. Dealer stickers, also known as dealership decals, on cars serve as a means of decoration and promotion for dealerships.

These stickers could be regular branding stickers or custom stickers bearing vehicle information like safety ratings, vehicle specifications, and more. Why do dealerships put stickers on cars? This article answers this question and also provides tips on how to remove dealer stickers from cars.

Why Do Dealerships Put Stickers On Cars?

Some of the reasons why dealerships put stickers on cars are:

  • Branding.
  • Price details.
  • Safety information.
  • Vehicle specifications.

Dealership decals are used for branding.

One of the main reasons why dealerships put stickers on cars is for branding purposes. This is how it works. When a consumer purchases a reliable car and leaves the dealer sticker on the vehicle, other people will want to reach out to that dealership to purchase good, reliable vehicles too. You can see it as free advertising, and it works.

Dealerships include their logos and names on their stickers simply as a form of advertising. It works because:

  • The sticker shows everyone where the vehicle was purchased.
  • It also makes it easier for consumers to remember where the vehicle was purchased.
  • It makes it easier for consumers to give recommendations to others whenever necessary.

Dealership decals provide price information

Dealerships put dealer stickers on cars to display the fair market value of vehicles to buyers as they glance through several vehicles looking for the best one to purchase. Also on a dealer sticker for cars, you may find information on available discounts and specials, and you may find financing offers available to buyers.

Having this information displayed helps consumers easily locate vehicles that can easily fit into their budget and meet their needs. It also helps them compare different cars available at the dealership resulting in higher sales rates for the dealership.

READ ALSO: When Are Used Car Prices Going Down In 2023?

Dealership stickers provide safety information

Safety systems and information about a vehicle in the dealership are attached to the sticker to inform consumers and car buyers about the safety features available in that vehicle. These systems are put in place to protect the driver and the car’s occupants whenever there is a crash or accident.

Dealership stickers provide safety information

Dealers provide this information on dealership stickers so that consumers may be aware of the safety features in place for their protection.

Dealership stickers show vehicle specifications

Dealerships put stickers on cars to display some information about the vehicle. Some of the vehicle specifications that may be included on a dealership sticker include:

  • Year.
  • Make.
  • Model.
  • Options.
  • Trim levels.
  • Engine specifications, and a few more details.

With this, you can pick the best vehicle for yourself and your family.

Be aware that there is a difference between a window sticker and a dealership sticker. Window stickers or Monroney labels contain much more information about a vehicle, and they are most often not personalized with the dealership’s name and/or logo. A window sticker, or “Monroney sticker,” obtained with the VIN number of a vehicle, displays the following information:

  • Vehicle specifications.
  • Manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
  • Equipment and optional features.
  • Fuel economy.
  • Interior features.
  • Exterior features.
  • safety and security features.
  • NHTSA safety ratings.
  • Vehicle Identification Number.
  • Warranty information.
  • Emissions ratings.

You can easily get a window sticker for any vehicle with its VIN number. All you need to do is navigate to the PremiumVIN window sticker lookup tool and enter your VIN number. Your window sticker will be immediately generated and mailed to you. We also offer custom window stickers for classic and modern vehicles for dealerships to promote the dealership’s ratings and increase sales rate.

Can you ask a dealer to remove a sticker?

Yes, you can ask a dealer to remove the dealer sticker from your vehicle if you are not comfortable with it. However, there are some policies in place that may prevent dealers from doing so. In such situations, you may have to get it off yourself. How? The next section explains the steps you can take to remove a dealer sticker from your vehicle.

READ ALSO: How to Check Mileage on Mercedes Benz: Step-By-Step Guide

How to remove the dealer sticker from a car?


After customers purchase vehicles, they frequently have the dealer stickers removed from their vehicles. Removing the dealership branding from a car requires:

  • A heat gun or hair dryer.
  • An extension cord.
  • A plastic razor blade or plastic ID card.
  • A clean cloth.
  • An adhesive remover.

How to remove the dealer sticker from a car

Step 1: Wash your car

Carrying out this procedure with a dirty vehicle makes it really tough. Dirt and sediments on your vehicle can reduce the efficiency of the process, and even worse, they may leave small scratches on your new car.

Step 2: Heat up the sticker

To easily remove the dealer sticker from a car, you must heat up the sticker. Here, you may need an extension cord if there are no power outlets near the vehicle. It is recommended that you use a heat gun on low settings for this process. If the heat used in this process is too much, you may end up destroying your vehicle’s paint.

A hair dryer is recommended mostly here because it provides just enough heat for the process and melts off the adhesive without ruining the vehicle’s paint. Heat up the dealership sticker for about 30 seconds and turn off the heat.

Step 3: Lift the edges of the sticker

With the plastic razor blade or plastic ID card, gently lift the edges of the dealer sticker. Begin from one end and gently work your way through to the other end. If you notice any resistance, apply heat again and repeat the process. Do this carefully until the sticker comes off completely.

Step 4: Clean the area

It is possible that the adhesive will come off with the sticker, but in some cases, some adhesive may remain on the vehicle. In that case, you would need an adhesive remover. Simply spray the adhesive remover on the car, let it sit for a few seconds, and wipe it off with a clean cloth. With that, you must have successfully removed the dealer sticker and any residue from your car.

Final Words

Overall, dealer stickers are attached to vehicles at the dealerships where they are put up for display. These stickers can be used for a variety of purposes, including branding, displaying price and safety information, and even displaying vehicle specifications. These stickers are extremely useful in a dealership, but most car owners do not fancy them and may want to remove them. This article explains why dealerships place stickers on cars and provides a detailed outline of how to remove the dealer sticker from a vehicle.

Picture of Joses Peter

Joses Peter

Joses Peter is a seasoned writer with a portfolio of 100+ blog posts and two published papers. Currently, she contributes as a professional writer in the automotive industry, with a great passion for technology and automobiles. This passion keeps her constantly learning and translating complex tech concepts into accessible content.

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