FSDRadarA purchased package shows on the car's Software screen as "Full Self-Driving Capability" with no end date, appears as a purchase in the seller's Tesla app, and often on the original order. A subscription shows a monthly charge and a renewal date in the app, and owners report a renewal or expiry date on the car's screen. A trial has a fixed end date.
If the car was first delivered after February 14, 2026 (except for an order placed before then), it cannot have US FSD bought outright; whatever you see is a subscription or a trial.
Three ways a car can show FSD
Purchased. Until February 14, 2026, US owners could pay once, either when ordering the car or later in the Tesla app. Tesla's support page says a buyer of such a car "will receive the vehicle with FSD (Supervised)" unless the owner moved it to another Tesla (Tesla FSD support page, June 2026 capture).
Subscription. A monthly plan on the owner's Tesla account. Tesla: "If the previous owner subscribed to FSD (Supervised), you will need to subscribe using your own Tesla Account." Since February 14, 2026 this is the only way to get FSD (Supervised) from Tesla in the US, at $99 a month as of September 2026 (Tesla support, FSD subscriptions).
Trial. A free period that Tesla gives new owners (Tesla's new-owner trial page), buyers of its Certified Pre-Owned cars (one month, per Drive Tesla Canada, August 2026) and owners during promotions. It ends by itself.
There is a fourth, rarer case: Luxe Package FSD on 2026 Model S and Model X and some Cyberbeast trucks. It came with the car, was never bought separately, and for packages ordered after February 14, 2026 it ends at sale (Tesla Luxe Package terms). See Does FSD transfer?
The signs, side by side
| Where to look | Purchased | Subscription | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car: Controls > Software | "Full Self-Driving Capability" included package, no date | FSD shown, with a renewal or expiry date reported by owners | FSD shown, with an end date |
| Seller's Tesla app, Upgrades | Shown as purchased for this car | Monthly price, next billing date, option to cancel | Trial end date |
| Order or invoice | Priced "Full Self-Driving Capability" line (if bought at order) | Nothing | Nothing, or a trial mention |
| When first delivered | Any time up to early 2026 | Any time | New, or recently resold by Tesla |
| After you buy | Stays | Gone; subscribe yourself | Gone at the end date |
The screen sign comes from owners, not from a Tesla document: a bought package reads "Included Package", while a subscription "displays on the car's screen with an 'Auto renewal' or 'expiration' date" (Tesla Motors Club owners' thread). Tesla changes its screens with software updates, so treat a missing date as encouraging rather than conclusive, and back it up with the app.
A common trap: the car's FSD computer is also called "Full Self-Driving Computer" on some screens. That is hardware. Every recent Tesla has one, whether or not anyone paid for the software.
The dates that settle it
Some cases can be decided by the calendar alone:
- First delivered after February 14, 2026: in the US the one-time purchase had ended, so FSD on such a car is a subscription or trial, unless it came through the transfer program or an order placed before the cut-off. Ask.
- Tesla's last transfer window: cars delivered by March 31, 2026 could receive FSD from the owner's previous Tesla (Electrek, March 2026). Such a car has owned FSD with no FSD line on its own order, so the app screenshot is the key document.
- Luxe Package order date: after February 14, 2026 means the FSD ends at sale.
Enhanced Autopilot: the in-between case
Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) was a cheaper package. It stays with the car like purchased FSD. Tesla reportedly cut the FSD (Supervised) subscription for EAP cars to $49 a month from January 29, 2026 (Not a Tesla App; we have not seen it on a Tesla page). So an EAP car that shows FSD is almost always an EAP car with a subscription on top: the EAP is yours, the FSD is not.
What the difference costs you
The subscription price is the simplest way to put a number on it. At Tesla's US price of $99 a month (as of September 2026), keeping FSD (Supervised) on a car without it costs:
| Years you keep the car | Subscription total at $99/month | At $49/month (EAP cars) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,188 | $588 |
| 3 | $3,564 | $1,764 |
| 5 | $5,940 | $2,940 |
That is simple arithmetic on today's price. Tesla has changed FSD pricing many times (price history) and has said the subscription price will rise as the software improves, so the real figure could be higher or lower. You also only pay for the months you want it. What this means for what to pay for a car is in How much is FSD worth on a used Tesla?
If the seller only has a subscription
That is not a reason to walk away from a good car. It just changes what the car is worth to you. A few practical points:
- Price the car as a car without FSD. Compare it with similar cars that have no FSD, not with cars that have it owned. A seller who priced in "FSD" for a subscription is asking you to pay for something that leaves with them.
- Plan your own subscription. You can subscribe from the car's screen or your Tesla app once the car is on your account (Tesla support). You can stop and restart it, so you only pay for the months you want it, for example a road trip.
- Check the hardware first. A subscription on an HW3 car gets the reduced "v14 Lite" version as of September 2026. If you want the main version, you need an AI4 car (see HW3 vs HW4).
- Keep looking in parallel. Owned-FSD cars do come up, often without FSD in the listing title. If owned FSD matters to you, it can be worth waiting for one; see where to find a used Tesla with FSD.
The same logic applies to a trial. A car that Tesla resells with one month of FSD (Supervised) is a car without owned FSD, plus a free month.
Questions buyers ask
How can I tell if a used Tesla's FSD is a subscription?
Ask the seller for a screenshot of Upgrades in their Tesla app: a subscription shows a monthly price and a renewal date. On the car's Software screen, owners report that a subscription shows a renewal or expiry date, while purchased FSD is listed as an included package with no date.
Does an FSD subscription transfer when the car is sold?
No. Tesla's support page says that if the previous owner subscribed, the buyer "will need to subscribe using your own Tesla Account". The subscription belongs to the seller's account.
Can I cancel the seller's subscription and keep FSD?
No. When the seller removes the car from their account, their subscription ends. You can start your own, at $99 a month in the US as of September 2026.
Is a car listed with "FSD" by a dealer always purchased FSD?
No. Listing fields and descriptions are written by the seller, and a car that showed FSD on the day it was photographed may have had a subscription or trial. We have seen a listing with FSD ticked in the features and "(Subscription)" in the description. Treat the listing as a claim to check.
FSD Radar is independent and not affiliated with Tesla, Inc. Facts in this guide are dated where they change often; we re-check Tesla's support pages regularly. Spotted something out of date? Email info@fsdradar.com.