National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)

What National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) does

The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1917 and headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, that serves as the collective representative body for franchised new-car and -truck dealerships in the United States. NADA represents more than 16,000 franchised new-car dealers through its core NADA division and an additional 3,300+ franchised medium- and heavy-duty truck dealers through its wholly owned American Truck Dealers (ATD) division, which was established in 1970 and holds nearly 5,600 separate franchises. The organization delivers value across four operational pillars: federal and state advocacy (public policy priorities, legislative affairs, regulatory affairs, NADA PAC), education and consulting (NADA Academy, ATD Academy, 20 Group peer learning, in-dealership consulting), research and data (NADA Data, NADA Market Beat, ATD Data, ATD Truck Beat, Dealership Workforce Studies, NADA Analytics Dashboard), and member benefits (NADA Insurance underwritten by New York Life and administered by Forrest T. Jones, NADA Retirement Program through Empower, NADA Vault).

NADA's operating model is a hybrid membership-and-services platform. Membership dues are scaled by dealership sales volume and rooftop count, supplemented by transactional revenue from the annual NADA Show and ATD Show, fees from education programs (e.g., ATD Academy at $14,995 per program, certificate programs at $2,890), recurring subscriptions for ATD 20 Group ($245–$480/month per rooftop), professional services fees for in-dealership consulting ($3,450/day for members, $4,200/day for non-members), and managed-services revenue share from affinity partners in insurance and retirement. The association reaches members through a multi-channel engagement model that includes daily/weekly newsletters (NADA Headlines, ATD Insider), the Dealer Driven podcast, social media, webinars, regional events (NADA Washington Conference, ATD Legislative Fly-In), and coordination with more than 100 state and metro dealer associations through ATAE.

The broader franchised dealer ecosystem that NADA represents employs over 1.1 million people across approximately 18,000 local U.S. dealerships, generated $156 billion in service and parts sales in 2024 from 270+ million repair orders, and has invested more than $200 billion in local communities. Average annual compensation at dealerships is $69,718 and over 99% of franchised dealerships offer health insurance plans, underscoring the workforce scale and economic footprint of the constituency NADA represents.

Name

National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)

Legal name

National Automobile Dealers Association

Website

https://nada.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

NADA is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1917 that represents more than 16,000 franchised new-car dealers and 3,300+ franchised truck dealers, providing federal advocacy, education, research, and member benefit services including insurance and retirement programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from franchised new-car dealers (16,000+ members) and ATD truck dealers (3,300+ members), based on dealership sales volume and rooftop location.
2. Event Registration: Revenue from NADA Show, ATD Show, and various educational events and conferences for automotive dealers.
3. Education Programs: Fees for NADA Academy, ATD Academy, 20 Group programs, in-dealership consulting, online courses, and certificate programs.
4. Insurance Products: NADA Insurance program offering group life insurance products underwritten by New York Life, with administrative services provided through Forrest T. Jones & Company.
5. Retirement Plans: NADA Retirement Program from Empower providing 401(k) plans and fiduciary services to dealer members.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

NADA is a nonprofit trade association that serves and represents more than 16,000 franchised new-car dealers and 3,300+ commercial truck dealers through four core offerings: federal and state advocacy on franchise law, EV and trade policy; education programs including NADA Academy, ATD Academy, and 20 Group peer learning; industry research and benchmarking products such as NADA Data and the Dealership Workforce Study; and member benefits including group insurance and 401(k) retirement programs.

Product overview

NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) is a trade association serving franchised new-car and -truck dealers. It operates through a platform-plus-services model centered on advocacy, education, research, and member benefits. The core products include annual events (NADA Show and ATD Show), education programs (NADA Academy, ATD Academy, 20 Group peer learning, In-Dealership Consulting), market research (NADA Market Beat, ATD Data, ATD Truck Beat, Dealership Workforce Studies), and member benefits (NADA Retirement Program with Empower, NADA Insurance with New York Life). Additional offerings include content/media (Dealer Driven Podcast, NADA Headlines newsletter, ATD Insider), consumer resources (Know Before You Buy Guide), legal resources (State Franchise Law Compendium), charitable programs (NADA Foundation, Vehicles for Change), and emerging technology considerations (over-the-air updates). ATD (American Truck Dealers), a division of NADA, provides specialized programs for commercial truck dealers. The association also coordinates through ATAE (Automotive Trade Association Executives) representing state and metro dealer associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NADA Show: The auto industry event of the year featuring exhibitions, educational workshops, and networking opportunities for dealers.
• ATD Show
• NADA Academy
• ATD Academy
• Dealer Driven
• NADA Market Beat
• ATD Data
• ATD Truck Beat
• NADA Data

Products and services

• NADA Show Annual convention providing education, expo, networking, and franchise meetings for the franchised new-car dealer industry (Las Vegas 2026, Orlando 2027).
• ATD Show Best-in-class annual event for commercial truck dealers featuring manufacturer meetings, dealer education, and networking.
• NADA Education and Consulting Premier educational opportunities, in-depth training, and consulting services for franchised new-car dealers including Academy, 20 Group peer learning, and in-dealership consulting.
• ATD Academy Six-week intensive training program for commercial truck dealership leaders covering financial management, parts management, service management, truck inventory, sales, and business leadership.
• NADA 20 Group Peer learning groups where new-car dealers learn from industry best practices supported by world-class consultants.
• ATD 20 Group Peer learning groups for commercial truck dealers offering OEM-specific financial comparisons and performance benchmarking.
• In-Dealership Consulting On-site consultant visits to assess dealership operations, identify opportunities, and implement best practices.
• NADA Data Annual financial profiles of new-car dealerships including service, parts sales, and operational metrics.
• NADA Market Beat Monthly market analysis providing light vehicle SAAR (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate) and sales data.
• NADA Dealership Workforce Study Research on workforce trends including salaries, benefits, retention, and turnover rates for new-car dealerships.
• ATD Data Annual financial profile report of franchised new medium- and heavy-duty truck dealerships.
• ATD Truck Beat Quarterly report on new medium- and heavy-duty truck sales in the United States.
• ATD Dealership Workforce Study Annual study covering compensation, benefits, turnover, retention, hiring, and demographics trends for truck dealerships.
• NADA Insurance Group insurance programs including term life, employer-paid group life, and individual employee coverage underwritten by New York Life and administered by Forrest T. Jones & Company.
• NADA Retirement Program 401(k) retirement plan program offered through Empower Retirement with fiduciary services and financial wellness tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1.1 million people employed by member dealerships nationwide
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Vehicles for ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Expanded partnership through Keys to Independence program to assist low-income families in gaining access to reliable transportation. Highlights community impact dealers can achieve while improving mobility for families seeking economic and social advancement.
• New York Life Insurance CompanycoreOthers · 1 May 2026Underwriter of NADA Insurance group life insurance products. New York Life provides exclusively rated life insurance products for dealer owners, managers, employees, and families with over 60 years of partnership history.
• Forrest T. Jones & Company (FTJ)minorOthers · 1 May 2026New program administrator handling all administrative services for NADA Insurance policies effective May 1, 2026.
• Northwood UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2026Education partnership offering tuition discounts and scholarships to NADA dealer members and their families for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Provides undergraduate tuition at $350/credit hour, 20% MBA tuition scholarship, and up to $36,000 in on-campus awards over four years. Aims to develop future automotive retail leadership.
• Ally FinancialcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 February 2026Exclusive sponsor of TIME Dealer of the Year award for 15 consecutive years. Ally provides charitable grants to the winner and all nominees at the annual NADA Show recognition ceremony.
• Empower RetirementcoreOthersNADA affinity relationship providing members competitive, turnkey 401(k) retirement solutions designed for dealers and employees. As second-largest retirement services provider in US, Empower offers high-quality plans with competitive fees and fiduciary support.
• Automotive Trade Association Executives (ATAE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNADA works closely with ATAE, representing executives of more than 100 state and metro franchised new car dealer associations in the U.S. and Canada. ATAE provides NADA access to state-level dealer networks and coordinates grassroots advocacy.
• American Truck Dealers (ATD)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorATD is a division of NADA representing franchised medium- and heavy-duty truck dealers with nearly 5,600 franchises. ATD provides specialized programs and services to its 3,300+ members.
• UPSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerATD members access new and improved flat rate pricing through UPS discounts program.
• Baker TillyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaker Tilly's dealership advisory services podcast featured NADA's Dan Ingber discussing regulatory trends affecting franchise dealers, including direct-to-consumer sales, EV transition policies, and federal oversight.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cox Automotive: Major commercial services provider to the auto retail ecosystem (Manheim auctions, Dealertrack, Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book). Operates adjacent to NADA's dealer constituency and is a partial substitute for some NADA Data benchmarking and remarketing services.
• Alliance for Automotive Innovation: Lobbying organization representing U.S. vehicle manufacturers and technology companies. While NADA represents dealers, this group represents OEMs — the upstream counterpart with overlapping interests around EV policy, CAFE, and trade but often opposed positions on direct-sales franchise protections.
• SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association): Trade association for the automotive specialty-equipment and aftermarket industry. Shares NADA's automotive focus and operates a large convention (SEMA Show), but represents parts manufacturers and改装 suppliers rather than franchised dealers.

Direct peers

• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): Trade association for home builders that shares NADA's franchised-distributor advocacy model. Both organizations defend a franchise-network business model against direct-sales disruption and run major industry conventions plus extensive regulatory engagement.
• American Bankers Association (ABA): Major U.S. banking trade association with similar membership-subscription, advocacy, education, and conference-driven revenue mix. Both organizations rely on federal regulatory defense and run large-scale events plus proprietary research products.
• National Restaurant Association: Large U.S. trade association serving a fragmented small-business membership base. Comparable in operating model — recurring dues, large convention, educational credentials, and federal advocacy — though applied to restaurants rather than auto dealers.
• Auto Care Association: Trade association representing the automotive aftermarket, with comparable advocacy, education, and conference operations. Both associations serve auto-related business constituencies with overlapping political priorities around vehicle data, right-to-repair, and EV transition.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): Largest U.S. manufacturing trade association, comparable in scale and advocacy-driven operating model. Both organizations use political advocacy, industry data, and member education as core offerings and represent U.S. industrial constituencies.
• American Trucking Associations (ATA): National trade association for the U.S. trucking industry with strong overlap on truck-dealer (ATD) issues including emissions, fuel economy, and supply chain. Both organizations represent adjacent nodes of the commercial-vehicle value chain with shared regulatory priorities.
• National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD): Trade association specifically for minority-owned franchised auto dealers. Operates an essentially identical business model — advocacy, education, dealer recognition awards, and OEM partnerships — but with a narrower demographic focus than NADA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NADAUpdate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NADAUpdate
• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nada
• Instagraminstagram.com/nada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)