FSDRadarOn the car, open Controls > Software and look for "Full Self-Driving Capability" as an included package. That tells you FSD (Supervised) is switched on today. It does not tell you whether it was bought outright (stays with the car) or is the seller's subscription or a trial (ends when the car is sold).
To know which, ask the seller for a screenshot of the Upgrades screen in their Tesla app, or the original order or invoice showing Full Self-Driving Capability as a paid option, and check the car's history for anything that could have removed it.
Why "has FSD" is the wrong question in 2026
Until early 2026 you could pay Tesla once for Full Self-Driving and it stayed with the car. Tesla ended that in the US on February 14, 2026. Its support page now offers FSD (Supervised) as a subscription only: "You can subscribe to FSD (Supervised) for $99 USD per month" (Tesla support, FSD page, June 2026 capture; Tesla's live page is at tesla.com/support/fsd). The last one-time price was $8,000.
So a used Tesla can show FSD (Supervised) for three very different reasons:
- It was bought outright by an earlier owner. This is the one that normally passes to you.
- The seller subscribes. The subscription belongs to their Tesla account and ends when the car changes hands.
- It is a trial. Tesla gives short trials to new owners and on the cars it resells itself. These end on their own date.
Tesla's own rule for buyers is short. If the previous owner "purchased FSD (Supervised) outright and is not transferring it to a new vehicle, you will receive the vehicle with FSD (Supervised)." If they subscribed, "you will need to subscribe using your own Tesla Account" (same Tesla page). The whole job, then, is telling a purchase apart from everything else. We cover the rule in detail in Does FSD transfer to a new owner?
Check 1: the car's Software screen
Tesla tells owners to check it this way: "Select 'Controls' > 'Software.' Check to see if your vehicle has 'Full Self Driving Capability' in your included package." (Tesla support, FSD page, December 2025 and later captures.) In the car, or in a photo from the seller, look for:
- "Full Self-Driving Capability" listed as an included package. Owners report that a bought package reads as "Included Package", while a subscription shows a renewal or expiration date on the same screen (Tesla Motors Club owners' thread). A date is a strong sign it is not owned.
- "Enhanced Autopilot" instead of FSD. That is a different, cheaper package that also stays with the car. Owners of EAP cars can add FSD (Supervised) for $49 a month, according to Not a Tesla App (price reported from January 29, 2026).
- "Full Self-Driving Computer" alone. That is the name of the hardware, not proof the software was bought. The software line is what counts.
- The VIN on the same screen. If a seller sends a photo, the VIN shown should match the listing, or the photo could be of another car.
Why the screen is not enough: an outright purchase, a subscription and a trial all switch the same software on. A clean screen with no date is encouraging, but it is still one piece of evidence, taken on one day.
Check 2: the seller's Tesla app
The Tesla app is where owners manage subscriptions. Tesla's instructions for subscribers point to Upgrades > Manage in the app (Tesla support, FSD subscriptions). Ask the seller for a screenshot of that area. You are looking for one of two things:
- FSD (Supervised) shown as a purchased upgrade for this car, or
- an active subscription with a monthly price and a renewal date.
A seller who owns FSD outright can usually show this in a minute. A seller who says "it has FSD" but will not show the app has not answered the question. It is a fair request, and we list more of them in questions to ask a seller.
Check 3: the order, invoice or window sticker
If FSD was bought when the car was ordered, it appears on the paperwork as a priced option called Full Self-Driving Capability (the price changed many times, from $5,000 in 2019 to a peak of $15,000 in 2022 and $8,000 from April 2024, per Not a Tesla App's price history). A purchase made later in the app will not be on the original paperwork, which is why the app screenshot matters too.
Paperwork proves what was bought, not what is on the car today. Two things can happen after the order:
- The owner moved FSD to a new Tesla. Tesla ran several transfer windows between 2023 and March 31, 2026. A car that gave its FSD away "will only have access to basic Autopilot features" (Tesla FSD transfer page, 2025 capture).
- Tesla removed it. This has happened on some cars that passed through Tesla or an auction (check 4).
So paperwork plus a current screen that agrees is much stronger than either one alone.
Check 4: where the car has been
How the car reached the seller matters as much as how it was first sold:
- Private seller, first or second owner: the normal case. Tesla's rule above applies.
- Tesla itself is selling it: Tesla's own listing decides. Tesla's Certified Pre-Owned cars come with "one month of Full Self-Driving (Supervised)" (Drive Tesla Canada, August 14, 2026), and Foundation Series Cybertrucks that originally came with FSD appeared in Tesla's used inventory without it, with a 3-month trial instead (Drive Tesla Canada, June 2026).
- Tesla owned it between owners (lease return, trade-in, buyback, Tesla auction): FSD may have been added or removed by Tesla. Ask for the history report and look for Tesla as a previous owner or seller.
- Salvage or rebuilt title, or bought at auction: Find My Electric reports "mixed reports" of paid features being deactivated on salvaged cars (Find My Electric, updated July 29, 2026). Treat FSD on these cars as unconfirmed until it is active on your account.
- A 2026 Model S or Model X, or a Cyberbeast: these may have FSD from the Luxe Package, which ends at sale if the package was ordered after February 14, 2026 (Tesla Luxe Package terms). Ask for the order date.
Check 5: the computer in the car
Hardware does not change who owns FSD, but it changes what you get. Open Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information and read the Autopilot computer line (how to find it). As of September 2026, HW3 cars run a reduced "v14 Lite" version of FSD (Supervised) and AI4 (HW4) cars run Tesla's main version. Older HW2 and HW2.5 cars need a computer upgrade before FSD runs at all. The full picture is in HW3 vs HW4 (AI4).
What a listing can and cannot tell you
Listings are where most buyers first see "FSD", and they are the least reliable source:
| Evidence | What it shows | What it cannot show |
|---|---|---|
| "FSD" in the title or a checkbox | That the seller claims it | Anything else. Sellers often tick FSD for a subscription. |
| Photo of the Software screen | FSD (Supervised) on at the time of the photo | Owned vs subscription vs trial, unless a date is visible |
| App Upgrades screenshot | Purchased or subscribed, as of that day | Anything that happens after the screenshot |
| Order, invoice, window sticker | FSD bought with the car | A later transfer away or removal |
| Tesla's record for the VIN | What was on the car as recorded by Tesla | Some later changes; see option codes |
No single row settles it. Two independent pieces that agree, one about who paid and one about the car today, is the standard we use at FSD Radar, and it is a sensible one for any buyer.
Before you pay
- Screen photo or in-person look at Controls > Software, with the VIN visible
- No renewal or expiration date next to FSD
- App Upgrades screenshot showing FSD purchased for this VIN
- Order, invoice or sticker, if the seller has it
- History report checked for Tesla ownership, auction or salvage
- For a 2026 Model S or X or a Cyberbeast: the Luxe Package order date
- Autopilot computer line read (HW3 or AI4)
- If you are paying extra for FSD, put "FSD (Supervised) purchased and included" in writing on the bill of sale
After the sale, add the car to your own Tesla account and check the Software screen again straight away. If something is wrong, you want to know while the seller still answers the phone.
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.