Auto Repair Estimate Template
A free estimate for mechanics and auto shops. Write what the customer told you and what you found, price the parts and labor, and record when they said yes.
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View full pageWhat's on this estimate
- Your shop details and logo
- Estimate number, date, valid-until date and work order number
- Customer and vehicle, with VIN, plate and mileage
- "What's wrong": what the customer told you, and what you found
- Parts and labor tables, priced the same way as the invoice
- Shop supplies, other fees, sales tax and the estimated total
- "Approve this work": in person, by phone or by text, with the time, and a line to sign
How to fill it in
- Add your shop details and logo, then save it as your master copy.
- Write the customer's words in "You told us", and your diagnosis in "We found". Keep it plain: the customer has to understand what they're paying for.
- Price the parts and labor. Use the same part numbers you'll put on the invoice.
- Set a valid-until date. 30 days is common, because part prices change.
- Send it or hand it over. When the customer says yes, tick how and write the time.
When you find more work
It happens: the car is on the lift and something else is worn or broken. Call or text the customer before you do the extra work, and write down what they approved, how much and when.
In the sample, the shop finds a cracked serpentine belt, the customer approves $111.46 by text, and the invoice comes to the $937.52 estimate plus the belt: $1,048.98. The work order has an approvals log for this.
Questions
- Do I need the customer's signature?
- A signature is the clearest record. Many shops also take a yes by phone or text, so the form has a place to note how and when the customer approved. Some states have their own rules for repair estimates and approvals. Check your state's consumer protection or motor vehicle office.
- How long should an estimate be good for?
- Usually 30 days. Part prices move, so a shorter window is fine if your suppliers change prices often.
- Can I use it for body shop estimates?
- Yes, for customer-pay work. Put body and paint work in the labor table and materials in the parts table. Insurance claims usually go through the insurer's own estimating system, so this form isn't built for that.
- Is this the same as a quote?
- Close. An estimate is your best price for the work you can see now, and the form says you'll ask before doing anything that isn't on it.