California dealer groups,and how much of each one is really here
California holds 1,686 dealership rooftops in our data. Filter the 1,432 groups we track to the ones operating in the state, then count the entries in a group's operating-state list to see whether California is the whole business or one slice of it. 5 credits unlocks the rollup.
How do I find dealer groups operating in California?
Set operating_state to CA and you get every tracked group with at least one California rooftop, because operating geography on a group is rolled up from its member stores. The more useful move comes next: count the entries in that group's operating_states list. One entry means a California-only operator whose entire business is exposed to this state's mix and rules; a dozen entries means a national group where California is a slice, and where a state-specific pitch has to survive a national buying committee. That difference is the point of this page for anyone selling something tied to California specifically - charging infrastructure, energy, compliance tooling, or any programme whose economics change with powertrain mix. California carries 1,686 rooftops and 19,770 verified contacts in our data, with Ford the most-franchised OEM in the state. The operating-state list, rooftop count, franchise footprint and combined inventory are free; 5 credits unlocks the headcounts, tenure, provider mix and member roster.
Count the states, not just the stores
operating_states is free and it is a list. Its length is the fastest read on whether a group is a California operator or a national one with California exposure, and it answers that before you have spent anything on the record.
A powertrain mix that moves under the portfolio
CNCDA reports hybrids at a record 22.1% share while ZEV registrations fell 24.8% in the first half of 2026. A group whose rooftops are concentrated here absorbs that swing across the whole business; a national group absorbs it in one region. The operating-state list tells you which one you are pitching.
Ford leads the franchise mix here
Ford is the most-franchised OEM across California rooftops. Because the group record carries the franchises held across the entire portfolio for free, you can find the operators who carry a brand statewide rather than guessing from the store signage in one metro.
Provider mix reads as replatform risk
distinct_providers, top_provider and provider_mix unlock with the record and show whether the group runs one website stack across its stores or several. In a state where a group is often mid-consolidation, a fragmented mix is the opening for anything sold as standardization.
Compliance & sourcing
California is the state where B2B contact data sits inside a consumer-privacy statute, but a dealer group record is not contact data: it holds counts, not people, so there is nothing in the row for an access, deletion or opt-out request to attach to. Those obligations arrive when you join the group roster to Contacts and start holding records about named individuals in California. Treat the group layer as the targeting step and the Contacts layer as the regulated one. Our side: rollups are built from public and dealer sources, rebuilt from a daily export, and licensed for your own use under our terms of service, not sold and not for resale.
Industry context
Independent research on this segment, from the primary sources. We don't publish these figures — we read them off the publisher's own page, and last checked every one on .
California New Car Dealers Association · Q2 2026, published July 20, 2026
California Auto Outlook
California registered 864,848 new light vehicles in the first half of 2026, down 7.7%, while hybrids hit a record 22.1% share and ZEV registrations fell 24.8%.
Quarterly, built on Experian Automotive registration data.
Read it at California New Car Dealers AssociationHaig Partners · Q3 2025
The Haig Report
Publicly traded auto retail groups averaged $2,534 in F&I gross profit per vehicle retailed in Q3 2025, up 5.2% year over year and approaching record highs.
Quarterly, free to read.
Read it at Haig Partners
Frequently asked questions
How do I find dealer groups with dealerships in California?
Filter operating_state to CA. A group's operating states are rolled up from its member rooftops, so the result includes every tracked group with at least one California store, whether the parent company is based in the state or not. California has 1,686 rooftops in our coverage.
How do I tell a California-only group from a national one?
Read the operating_states list on the record - it is free. A single entry means every rooftop the group owns is in California. Several entries mean California is one part of a wider portfolio, which usually changes who signs, how a state-specific offer is evaluated, and whether your pricing has to work outside California too.
What does a California group record show about technology?
After purchase, the record carries distinct_providers, top_provider and the full provider_mix - a per-provider breakdown formatted as provider:count across the group's rooftops. That shows whether the portfolio is standardized on one website platform or split across several, which is the difference between one integration conversation and one per store.
How much does California dealer group data cost?
5 credits per group from the shared credit balance, with the name, rooftop count, franchise footprint, combined inventory and operating states free to browse first. Plans start at $99/month for 150 credits, a $0.99 trial gets you 20 credits, and credits never expire.
Try Hermes Data for $0.99
Self-serve access to the automotive data your business runs on. The $0.99 trial gives you 20 credits to spend across Contacts, Dealers, and Dealer Groups. Then auto-upgrade to Starter ($99/mo) — or cancel any time.
Contacts, Dealers, and Dealer Groups are all self-serve on one credit wallet — spend your trial credits on any of them. Vehicle Listings is live too, on its own API subscription (separate from the credit wallet). Explore Listings.