How to Start a Mobile Mechanic Business
We run a mobile crew across Southern California and a shop behind it. This is the order we would do it in again, from the paperwork to the first paid job, and the mistakes that cost the most.
Free plan, not a trial. No card. We look at every new shop ourselves and switch it on, usually the same day.
Seven Steps, in the Order That Saves Money
Decide what you will not do
Pick the work a driveway can handle. Brakes, batteries, starters, alternators, sensors, plugs, belts and diagnostics. Say no to work that needs a lift.
Set up the business
Form the business, get a tax number, open a business bank account, and find out what your state and city require of a repair business.
Get insured before the first job
General liability at least, and talk to an agent about cover for the customer's car while it is in your care.
Buy tools before the van
A good scan tool, a torque wrench, a jack and stands, and a battery tester earn money on day one. A wrapped van does not.
Set your prices from your costs
Work out what an hour of your time really costs, then set a call out fee and a labor rate. Our pricing guide shows the math.
Be ready to quote, invoice and answer
Have a way to send a written quote, get it approved, invoice the job and answer the calls you miss. Free software covers it.
Get found
A Google Business Profile, a simple website and reviews from your first customers. Ask every happy customer the same day.
Licenses and Registration Depend on Your State
There is no single national license for a mobile mechanic. Rules come from your state, your county and sometimes your city, and they change. Check with each before you take money for a repair.
In California, businesses that repair cars for pay register with the Bureau of Automotive Repair. Other states register repair businesses through a state board or not at all. Some cities also limit working on cars in a street or a driveway.
Ask about a sales tax permit too. Most states tax the parts you sell, and some tax labor.
- Business registration and a tax number
- State repair registration where it exists
- A sales tax permit for parts
- Local rules on working in streets and driveways
What It Costs to Start
The honest answer is it depends on the tools you already own. Most mechanics starting mobile already have hand tools. What you will likely buy is a scan tool, a way to carry everything, insurance, and the paperwork above.
Our advice is to start with the vehicle you have, a good set of tools and the cheapest professional software you can find, and upgrade the van once the jobs are paying for it.
| What to plan for | Can it wait? | |
|---|---|---|
| Business setup | Registration, tax number, bank account | No |
| Insurance | General liability, plus cover for customer cars | No |
| Scan tool | One that reads the cars you will see most | No |
| Jack, stands, torque wrench, battery tester | Safety and the work itself | No |
| Van shelving and a wrap | Nice to have | Yes |
| Shop software | Quotes, invoices and the phone | Start free |
Prices for these vary a lot by region and brand, so we have not printed guesses. Get three quotes for insurance.
Your First Thirty Days
Expect batteries, brakes, no starts and check engine lights. They are quick, they are common and they build reviews.
Quote everything in writing before a wrench comes out. A customer who signed a price does not argue about it later. Photograph every car when you arrive. It ends the argument about the scratch that was always there.
Answer every call, or text back the ones you cannot. A new mobile mechanic lives on the jobs the busy shops did not call back.
Questions About Starting Out
How much does it cost to start a mobile mechanic business?
Do you need a license to be a mobile mechanic?
Can you start a mobile mechanic business with no money?
Is a mobile mechanic business profitable?
What software does a mobile mechanic need?
More for Mobile Mechanics
- Mobile Mechanic SoftwareRun the van from your phone
- Mobile Mechanic Business PlanA plan you can fill in tonight
- How Much to Charge as a Mobile MechanicOur real prices, and the math
- Free Mobile Mechanic Invoice TemplateFill it in, print it, done
- Auto Repair Invoice SoftwareFor small and mobile shops
- Best Apps for Mobile MechanicsWhat earns a spot on your phone
- Auto Repair Shop SoftwareFree to start, built in our own shop
Ask a Mechanic Who Uses It
Not ready to sign up? Tell us how your shop runs and what your software gets wrong today. One of us will call you back, and we will tell you straight if Shop Desk is not the right fit.
- A person reads it, usually the same day
- No sales sequence and no drip emails
- We run our own shop on this software
Rather email? Write to hello@yourshopdesk.com