Idaho dealer license types
Which Idaho Dealer License Do You Actually Need?
Idaho sets out several classes of license. A used-car business holds one of two of them — the dealer's license or the wholesale dealer's license — and licenses any salespeople it hires.
The short answer
A dealer's license lets you sell to the public, and owners can act as salespeople under it. A wholesale dealer's license lets you sell used vehicles only to Idaho dealers. A vehicle salesman's license is for the people who sell for a dealership. Every owner or responsible party of a newly established used-vehicle or wholesale dealership takes the 8-hour prelicensing class either way.
The three licenses most people need to know
| License | What it allows | Bond | ICAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dealer | Selling or exchanging new and used vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, snow machines, travel trailers, truck campers and motor homes. Owners may act as salespeople. | $20,000 ($10,000 if motorcycle and powersports only) | $300 with the initial application and at each renewal |
| Wholesale dealer | Wholesaling used vehicles to Idaho vehicle dealers | $40,000 | Exempt |
| Vehicle salesman | Acting as a vehicle salesman for a licensed dealership | None | None |
Dealer's license
A dealer's license covers the business of selling or exchanging new and used vehicles of most kinds. It also lets licensees who are owners or part owners of the business act as vehicle salesmen, so an owner does not need a separate salesman license. On form ITD 3171 the owner ID card is $0.00.
Selling new vehicles takes more: ITD's dealer page requires a letter of franchise approval from the manufacturer for each type of new vehicle sold.
Wholesale dealer's license
The law limits a wholesale dealer to wholesaling used vehicles to Idaho vehicle dealers. A wholesale dealer still needs a principal place of business, but is exempt from the display area and the room to repair vehicles. The bond is higher, $40,000, and the dealer does not pay into ICAR. The law also bars a wholesaler from putting dealer plates on vehicles for personal use.
Vehicle salesman's license
Anyone who sells for a dealership needs a salesman license. Idaho's dealer rules say dealers will not allow a person to act as a salesperson on their behalf unless the person holds a valid salesperson license. The application is form ITD 3171.
- The fee is $36.00 for a full-time or part-time salesperson with an Idaho driver's license or ID card, per ITD 3171.
- A salesperson without an Idaho driver's license or ID card pays $26.00 on the ITD 3171, then $10.00 for the photo at the county sheriff's DMV office: same total, two steps.
- A copy of the signed and submitted ITD 3171 acts as the temporary salesperson license for 60 days.
- Full-time means 30 hours or more per week; part-time means less than 30.
- The sponsoring dealer certifies that a background check found the applicant suitable and that the applicant is an employee over 18.
- The license is valid for three years, as long as employment stays with the sponsoring dealership and that dealership keeps a valid license.
Salespeople do not take the prelicensing class. The law exempts applicants for a full-time or part-time salesman's license from the education requirement.
The other classes
Idaho law also lists a vehicle manufacturer's license, a distributor or factory branch license, and a representative's license. ITD's form for a manufacturer license is ITD 3172. These are outside what a used-car business needs.
Who takes the class
ITD's dealer page says all owners of a newly established used-vehicle or wholesale dealership take the 8-hour prelicensing class and pass a closed-book written examination before applying, and franchised dealers are exempt. See the Idaho dealer license test.
Common questions
Do I need a salesman license if I own the dealership?
No. A dealer's license lets owners or part owners act as vehicle salesmen.
Can a wholesale dealer sell to the public?
No. A wholesale dealer's license covers wholesaling used vehicles to Idaho vehicle dealers.
Is a wholesale license cheaper?
The ITD application fee is the same, but the wholesale bond is $40,000 instead of $20,000, and wholesale dealers do not pay the $300 ICAR fee.
Do my salespeople take the 8-hour class?
No. The law exempts salesman license applicants. The class is for every owner or responsible party of a new used-vehicle or wholesale dealership.
How long is a salesman license good for?
Three years from the date of issue.
Keep reading
The 8-hour class Idaho requires
Online, in English and Spanish, on your phone. 12 months of access.
Enroll now See the class