Maryland law expands online car price disclosure

By AI, Created 8:41 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – Governor Wes Moore signed the Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act into law in Annapolis on May 26, giving Maryland dealers more room to explain online pricing limits tied to manufacturer rules. The change is meant to help shoppers see when a posted price may not reflect the lowest available deal.

Why it matters: - The law is designed to make online vehicle pricing clearer for the 95% of car buyers who use the internet during the shopping process. - Dealers can now tell shoppers when a listed online price is limited by manufacturer rules and may not be the lowest available price. - The change aims to reduce confusion and support more transparent car-buying decisions.

What happened: - Governor Wes Moore signed the Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act, or HB 306, into law on May 26 in Annapolis. - Fitzgerald Auto Malls welcomed the signing and framed the law as a step toward greater transparency in vehicle pricing. - Delegate Lily Qi of Montgomery County’s District 15 sponsored the bill.

The details: - The law honors Jack Fitzgerald, founder of Fitzgerald Auto Malls and a longtime automotive retailer who advocated for clearer vehicle pricing. - Manufacturer policies known as Minimum Allowable Advertised Price, or MAAP, set the lowest price a dealer can advertise online, even when the dealer is willing to sell for less. - Before HB 306, dealers were restricted from explaining that pricing gap to consumers online. - HB 306 does not change pricing. - HB 306 does not eliminate MAAP. - The law allows dealers to disclose when a posted price reflects MAAP restrictions and to say a lower price may be available. - The law complements existing consumer protection rules by supporting clear and truthful pricing. - Rob Smith, president of Fitzgerald Auto Malls, said the law helps dealers give customers clear information up front online, where customers are actually shopping.

Between the lines: - The legislation does not attack manufacturer pricing controls directly. - Instead, the law creates more room for disclosure, which may narrow the gap between advertised prices and what consumers can actually negotiate. - That could make online listings more useful without forcing a broader change to dealer-manufacturer pricing policies.

What’s next: - Maryland dealers can begin using the new disclosure framework to explain MAAP-related pricing limits online. - Consumers should see more straightforward price explanations on dealer websites as the law is implemented. - Fitzgerald Auto Malls is likely to continue promoting its posted-pricing approach as a model for transparency.