What Is a Window Sticker (Monroney Label)?
A window sticker is the printed label attached to a new vehicle before it is sold at a U.S. dealership. It is also called the Monroney label, after the senator who sponsored the 1958 federal law that requires it. The label identifies one specific vehicle by its VIN and lists the standard equipment for its trim, the factory-installed options with their individual prices, the destination charge and the total manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). Later rules added EPA fuel economy figures, government crash-test ratings and a parts-content summary. Because it was printed for that exact vehicle, the original sticker is the most direct record of how a car or truck was equipped and priced when it was new, which is why shoppers and owners still look for it years after the paper has been peeled off the glass.
Where the name Monroney comes from
The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958 was sponsored by Senator A.S. "Mike" Monroney of Oklahoma, and the label it created has carried his name ever since. The idea was straightforward: let a shopper see the manufacturer's suggested price for the car and for each option before negotiating with the dealer. The act also makes it illegal to remove or alter the label before the vehicle is delivered to its first retail buyer, which is why new cars on a dealer lot still wear their stickers.
What is printed on the label
The 1958 act set the core price disclosure. Fuel economy, safety and parts-content sections came from later federal rules, and manufacturers add their own equipment lists and warranty summaries. A recent label typically contains:
| Section | What it shows | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle identification | Model year, make, model, trim, VIN, exterior and interior colors, engine and transmission | 1958 act, expanded by manufacturers |
| Standard equipment | Features included in the base price of that trim | Manufacturer practice |
| Optional equipment | Factory options and packages on this vehicle, each with its suggested retail price | 1958 act |
| Destination charge | Transportation charge for delivering the vehicle to the dealer | 1958 act |
| Total MSRP | Base price plus options plus destination | 1958 act |
| Dealer and assembly details | The dealer the vehicle was shipped to and where it was assembled | 1958 act |
| Fuel economy and environment | City, highway and combined mpg (MPGe and range for electric vehicles), estimated annual fuel cost, greenhouse gas and smog ratings | EPA labeling rules |
| Safety ratings | NHTSA star ratings, or "Not Rated" where a model hasn't been tested | Federal requirement added in the late 2000s |
| Parts content | Share of U.S. and Canadian parts, major foreign sources, final assembly point, country of origin of the engine and transmission | American Automobile Labeling Act (1992); sometimes a separate label beside the sticker |
| Warranty | Basic and powertrain coverage terms | Manufacturer practice; not on every label |
Layouts differ by manufacturer, and the fuel economy section was redesigned for the 2013 model year, so an older sticker can look quite different from a recent one. For a section-by-section walkthrough of a GM label, see how to read a window sticker.
What a window sticker leaves out
- The price someone actually paid. MSRP is a suggested price. Negotiated discounts, incentives, taxes, registration and dealer fees never appear on the label.
- Dealer add-ons. Many dealers post a second sheet, usually called an addendum, beside the Monroney label for accessories they installed, protection products or market adjustments. That sheet comes from the dealer, not the manufacturer.
- Anything that happened later. The sticker records the vehicle as it was shipped. Mileage, accident repairs, removed equipment and aftermarket parts are outside its scope, so it can't confirm current condition.
- Internal production detail. The label is written for buyers. Factory codes for things like emissions equipment, shipping and vehicle routing stay in the build record. Window sticker vs. build sheet explains how the two documents differ.
New-vehicle stickers versus used-car labels
The Monroney label belongs to new vehicles. Manufacturers put one on the new cars, SUVs and light trucks they ship to U.S. dealers. Heavy-duty pickups in the 2500 and 3500 classes generally aren't EPA-rated for fuel economy, so their stickers usually lack the mpg section while still carrying the price breakdown.
On a used vehicle at a dealer, the label in the window is a different document: the FTC Buyers Guide, which states whether the vehicle is sold with a warranty or "as is." It says nothing about original equipment or original price. To learn those for a used vehicle, you need the original sticker or a factory equipment record for its VIN.
Getting the original sticker for a vehicle you own or plan to buy
The paper label is usually thrown away after delivery, but the sticker can sometimes be retrieved by VIN. What this site can return depends on the brand:
- Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac: the original window sticker as a PDF when one is available for that VIN. When there is no sticker, the lookup shows the RPO build sheet, the vehicle's factory option codes with descriptions, if that record is available. Some VINs return neither.
- Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat and Alfa Romeo: the factory build sheet, a listing of installed equipment with sales codes and descriptions, when available. Original window stickers and MSRP are not returned for these brands.
- Other manufacturers are not supported.
Enter the 17-character VIN in the window sticker lookup to see which record exists for your vehicle. If you get a build sheet rather than a sticker, why a window sticker may not be available covers the usual reasons and the records that can fill the gap.