At a glance
- Every deal
- Buyer's order, Buyers Guide (used), odometer, title, OFAC result
- Financed deals
- Contract, privacy notice, credit notices, ID check
- Cash deals
- Form 8300 when cash is more than $10,000
- Keep
- Up to 10 years (OFAC)
On this page
The deal jacket checklist
| Document | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's order or bill of sale | Every deal | State law; the record of the sale |
| FTC Buyers Guide (Spanish too if the sale was in Spanish) | Every used car | 16 CFR Part 455 |
| Odometer disclosure statement | Most sales | Federal odometer rules |
| Title and registration papers | Every deal | State law |
| OFAC search result | Every deal | OFAC requires no specific screening method; screening is how dealers avoid prohibited deals. |
| ID check and Red Flags checklist | Financed deals | 16 CFR Part 681 |
| Credit application and authorization | Financed deals | 12 CFR 1002.12 |
| Signed retail installment contract | Financed deals | Truth in Lending; state law |
| Privacy notice, with proof it was given | Financed deals | 16 CFR Part 313 |
| Risk-based pricing or credit score disclosure notice | When you are the original creditor | 12 CFR 1022.72 / 16 CFR 640.4(b) |
| Adverse action notice | Declined or countered applications | 12 CFR 1002.9 |
| Add-on menu and signed consents | When add-ons are sold | FTC Act section 5; FTC pricing FAQs |
| Form 8300 copy and cash log | Cash of more than $10,000 | 26 CFR 1.6050I-1 |
| California CARS Act records | California dealers | SB 766 |
Why the jacket matters
When a lender buys back a contract, a buyer complains or a regulator asks, the deal jacket is your evidence. A missing signature or notice is the most common way a good deal becomes a problem. Check each jacket before it goes to the office, not months later.
Protect it like the data it holds
A deal jacket holds exactly the customer information the Safeguards Rule protects. Keep paper jackets in a locked room or cabinet, scan them into a system with MFA and encryption, and shred them on schedule. How long to keep each record.
Check every jacket with AI
CarShots Compliance's deal file check reads every page of an uploaded deal file and lists what's missing: the Buyers Guide, privacy notice, OFAC record, ID check, signed contract and credit notice, Form 8300 when cash passed $10,000, plus missing signatures and dates. Essentials includes 10 checks a month and Plus 100. Files are deleted after 30 days unless you keep them.
Rules checked and limits
Rules checked October 31, 2026. We read every rule on this page in the eCFR or on the agency's own site, and each is linked in the sources below. We re-check them every quarter.
Templates and tools, not legal advice. CarShots is software, not a law firm. For a question about your own dealership, ask your attorney or your state dealer association.