Free template
Auto repair estimate template
A one page estimate that gets a clear yes or no on every line before you pick up a wrench. Fill it in here or print it blank.
This auto repair estimate template is laid out the way a mobile mechanic actually quotes: what the customer reported, what the diagnosis found, then each recommended repair on its own line with labor hours, labor, parts and a box for the customer to approve or decline it. The diagnostic fee stands on its own line, the estimate carries a date it is valid until, and the customer signs for the lines they approved.
Type into the fields and print it, or save it as a PDF from the print dialog. Nothing is filled in for you: the rates, the fee and the validity window are yours to set.
Your printer, or "Save as PDF" in the print dialog. Only the estimate prints.
Repair estimate
From
Customer
Vehicle
| Service | Labor hours | Labor | Parts | Line total | Approve / decline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Diagnostic fee
- Labor subtotal
- Parts subtotal
- Fees and supplies
- Estimated tax
- Estimate total
Terms
This is an estimate, not a final bill. If the work turns out to need more than what is approved here, the customer is asked before any additional work is done. Prices hold until the date above; parts prices can change after it.
Or text this estimate and let the customer approve it line by line on their phone.
Starter $99/mo · Growth $149/mo · 14 days free on both plans. Cancel anytime.
Why every repair gets its own line and its own box
An estimate written as one number invites one answer, and the answer to a big number is often no. Split into lines, the same estimate lets the customer say yes to the brakes today and no to the fluid flush until payday. You keep the job instead of losing all of it.
The approve and decline column also protects you. When the customer later asks why the noise is still there, the signed sheet shows they declined the part that would have fixed it. Write the declined lines on the estimate anyway: they are next month’s work, and the record of having recommended them.
A declined line is not a dead line. The guide on following up on an estimate a customer ignored covers when and how to raise it again.
The diagnostic fee belongs on the estimate
Finding the fault is work, and on a mobile job it is often the longest part of the visit. Putting the diagnostic fee on the estimate as its own line tells the customer it is owed whether or not they approve the repair, and the terms block says whether it is credited to the repair when they do.
Decide that credit rule once and keep it. The guide to pricing a diagnostic fee works through both approaches, and quoting before you have seen the car is its own problem, covered in how to quote a job you have not seen yet.
How long an estimate should stay valid
Parts prices move and availability moves faster. An estimate with no end date can be held up against you months later, at a price you can no longer buy the part for. The valid until line fixes that: the price holds until the date, and after it the estimate is redone.
Pick a window short enough that your parts prices will not have shifted and long enough for a customer to check with whoever they need to check with. Write it on every estimate, the same way every time.
Deposits, extra work and tax on the estimate
On a job that needs a part ordered in, a deposit line keeps you from paying for a part the customer then decides against. The guide to taking a deposit before ordering parts covers how much and when.
The printed note on the sheet is the one most worth keeping: if the job turns out to need more than the approved lines, you ask before doing it. A fresh approval for the extra work, written down, is what turns a surprise on the final bill into a conversation.
Estimated tax is a line on the estimate, not a promise. Whether labor is taxed varies by state, so check yours on the state pages or with your state revenue department before you print a rate on it.
Questions about this template
What should an auto repair estimate include?
Your business details, an estimate number and date, a date it is valid until, the customer and the service address, the vehicle with VIN and mileage, what was reported and found, each recommended repair with labor and parts, the diagnostic fee, estimated tax, the total, and the customer’s signature on the lines they approve.
Is a repair estimate legally binding?
Rules on written estimates for auto repair vary by state, and some states set specific requirements. This template is not legal advice. Check your state’s consumer protection or automotive repair agency for what applies to you.
Should I charge for a diagnosis if the customer declines the repair?
Many mechanics do, and the way to avoid a dispute is to put the diagnostic fee on the estimate as its own line, say it is owed either way, and say whether it is credited to the repair if approved.
How long should a mechanic estimate be valid?
Long enough for the customer to decide and short enough that parts prices have not moved. Pick one window, write the valid until date on every estimate, and redo the estimate after it passes.
Is this auto repair estimate template free to use?
Yes, with no sign up. Fill it in on the page or print it blank, and save it as a PDF from your browser’s print dialog.
Make this estimate in Fixty and get the approval by text
Starter $99/mo · Growth $149/mo · 14 days free on both plans. Cancel anytime.