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What is a window sticker (Monroney label)?

A window sticker is the label a carmaker must fix to the windshield or side window of a new car before it is delivered to a dealer. Federal law, 15 U.S.C. 1232, lists what the label must show. It is also called the Monroney label.

What the law says the label must show

The rule is section 1232 of Title 15 of the United States Code. The maker must enter each of these on the label, clearly and correctly:

How big the safety section must be

The law sets a size for the safety ratings. They must be legible and prominent, and cover at least 8 percent of the label, or an area at least 4½ inches long and 3½ inches high.

Who must post it, and when

The duty is on the manufacturer. The label goes on before the car is delivered to a dealer. For a new model that reaches dealers before its introduction date, it must be on by that date. The law counts importers as manufacturers too.

The rule is written for new automobiles. The law defines a new automobile as one whose title has never passed to an ultimate purchaser, meaning the first person who buys it in good faith for a purpose other than resale.

The penalty for removing or changing it

A maker that willfully leaves the label off, willfully fails to fill it in clearly and legibly, or makes a false entry on it, can be fined up to $1,000. Each car counts as its own offense.

Anyone who willfully removes, alters or makes the label unreadable before the car is delivered to its first buyer can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to one year, or both. That penalty is written for the time before delivery to the first buyer. The law makes one exception: a maker may relabel a car it has rerouted, bought back or taken back.

Where the name comes from

The law is the Automobile Information Disclosure Act, Public Law 85-506, enacted on July 7, 1958. Mazda's own explainer says the labels are commonly called Monroney labels, after the Oklahoma senator who sponsored the act.

What these sections do not cover

Fuel economy. Sections 1231 to 1233, as read here, do not mention it. Mazda's explainer says the law has been amended over the years to require fuel efficiency ratings, and Ford's support page lists them among a sticker's contents. We have not read the rule that requires them.

Copies. Nothing in these sections tells a maker to hand out a copy of the label later. That may be why the answer changes from one make to the next. Of the makers we have checked, some let you view one online for new cars only, some point to a paid replacement, some offer a specification lookup, and for some we found no page at all.

Why people look for one years later

A window sticker lists a car's options with the maker's suggested prices. People who buy or sell a used car look for it to see which options the car left the factory with. If you only need the equipment and not the prices, a maker's free VIN tool may be enough.

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Sources

Checked November 13, 2026 against the sources above. This page describes the law in plain words. It is not legal advice. This site is independent. It is not affiliated with, authorized by or endorsed by any carmaker.