Free template
Mechanic work order template
The record of one job from the customer’s signature to the car handed back, on one printable page.
This mechanic work order template puts the repair authorization first: what the customer agreed to, the most they agreed to spend, and how to reach them before you go over it, all signed before a bolt comes out. Under it sits the job itself, written the way technicians are trained to write it, complaint, cause and correction, with the odometer in and out, the parts used, the labor time and your notes.
Fill it in on screen and print it, save it as a PDF, or print it blank for the clipboard in the van. Every field is empty: the limits and the wording are your decisions, not ours.
Your printer, or "Save as PDF" in the print dialog. Only the work order prints.
Work order and repair authorization
Job
Customer and vehicle
Authorization, before any work
I authorize the work described above, up to the amount written, and agree that any work beyond it needs my approval first. I understand the vehicle is worked on at the service address above.
Complaint, cause, correction
| Part and part number | Qty | Supplied by (shop or customer) |
|---|---|---|
| Task | Start | Finish | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
Mechanic notes
Or keep the work order on your phone, with the signature and the photos on the same job.
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Signature first, wrench second
The order of the sheet is the order of the job. A work order whose signature is collected at the end, when the car is fixed and the bill is a surprise, is a receipt with a dispute attached. Collected at the start, it is the customer agreeing to a defined piece of work at a defined maximum.
The authorized up to line is the one that saves arguments. It turns "I never said you could do that" into a number both of you wrote down. When the job grows past it, stop, call the number on the next line, and write the new amount and the time of the call on the sheet.
For what the authorization wording should cover and why, read how to write a repair authorization that holds up. Rules on written authorization for auto repair differ by state, so treat this sheet as a starting point, not legal advice.
Complaint, cause, correction
Three short blocks, written in that order, tell the whole story of a repair to anyone who reads it later: a customer, a warranty desk, a buyer of the car, or you, a year from now. The complaint is what the customer said, in their words, even when their words are wrong. The cause is what you found and how you confirmed it. The correction is what you did.
Writing the cause properly is the part that gets skipped and the part that matters most. "Replaced alternator" is a correction. "Charging voltage low at idle, alternator output tested below spec" is a cause, and it is what makes the correction look like a diagnosis rather than a guess.
Odometer, parts and who supplied them
The odometer in and out tie the job to a point in the car’s life, which matters for any part with a mileage warranty and for spotting a car that was driven between visits. On a mobile job it also shows the car did not go anywhere while it was in your care.
The parts table asks who supplied each part. A part the customer brought is still a part you fitted, and when it fails the first question is whose it was. The customer supplied parts policy guide covers what to agree before you fit one, and the comeback and warranty guide covers what happens when one comes back.
Mechanic notes are next month’s work
Pad thickness, a weeping seal, a tire wearing on one edge: anything you saw and did not fix goes in the notes with the measurement. It is the most valuable line on the sheet over time, because it is the work you will be asked back for, and the record that you said so.
When the job is done, the work order becomes the invoice. Carry the labor and parts across to the mobile mechanic invoice template, and if the job started from a quote, the auto repair estimate template is where those lines were first approved.
Questions about this template
What is the difference between a work order and an invoice?
A work order is the record of the job: what the customer authorized, what was wrong, what was done and what was used. An invoice is the bill that follows it. Many mechanics keep both, and the work order is what the invoice is built from.
What does complaint, cause, correction mean on a work order?
Complaint is what the customer reported. Cause is what the mechanic found and how it was confirmed. Correction is the repair that was done. Written in that order, the three make a repair record anyone can follow.
Does a customer need to sign a work order before the repair?
Signing before work starts is the safe practice, and some states set written authorization rules for auto repair. Check your state agency for the rules that apply to you; this template is not legal advice.
Why record the odometer in and out?
It ties the repair to the car’s mileage for any part warranty and for service history, and it shows whether the car was driven while it was in your care.
Is this mechanic work order template free?
Yes, with no sign up. Type into it on the page or print it blank, and save it as a PDF from your browser’s print dialog.
Keep the work order in Fixty instead of on a clipboard
Starter $99/mo · Growth $149/mo · 14 days free on both plans. Cancel anytime.