Verified state-by-state licensing reference for mobile mechanics. Every cell cited to a primary state-agency source. Eleven errors in the most commonly cited online articles flagged inline below.
Despite what most "best mobile mechanic" articles claim, only 9 states + DC require state-level mechanical-repair licensing for general repair work — but in those states the bar is real (zoning sign-off, surety bonds up to $10K, individual mechanic certification, biennial renewals). In the other ~40 states, there's no state license, but city/county requirements, federal EPA 609 for AC work, written-estimate statutes, and consumer-disclosure laws still apply universally.
All 50 states + DC. Filter by name. Every fee and source cited. Cells marked "see app" are flagged for live re-verification because the agency publishes the value in a downloadable form we couldn't extract a single number from this session.
| State | State License? | Issuing Body | License Name | Fee | Renewal | Bond/Ins | Mobile-OK? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | (county only) | — | $50–150 county | varies | No | Yes | alabama.gov ↗ |
| Alaska | No | AK Dept. of Commerce | State business license | $50 | Biennial | No | Yes | commerce.alaska.gov ↗ |
| Arizona | No | (local; ADEQ permits) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | azdeq.gov ↗ |
| Arkansas | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| California | Required | Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) | Automotive Repair Dealer (ARD) registration | $200 per location | Annual | No bond; smog-check separate | Yes — explicit | bar.ca.gov ↗ |
| Colorado | Limited | CO DMV (abandoned-vehicle work only) | Repair Shop Registration (DR2098) | see app | varies | — | Yes (general) | dmv.colorado.gov ↗ |
| Connecticut | Required | CT DMV | Repairer's License (Form K-7) | $340 biennial | Biennial | Surety bond (K-158) + zoning + police | Difficult | portal.ct.gov ↗ |
| Delaware | No | DE Division of Revenue | General business license | $75/yr | Annual | No | Yes | revenue.delaware.gov ↗ |
| DC (District of Columbia) | Required | DC DLCP | BBL — Auto Repair endorsement | $99 (2-yr) BBL | 2 or 4-yr | GL typically required | Yes | dlcp.dc.gov ↗ |
| Florida | Required | FDACS | Motor Vehicle Repair Registration | $50/$150/$300 by employee count | Biennial | None state-level | Yes — explicit | fdacs.gov ↗ |
| Georgia | Limited | (local; emissions for I/M) | — | local only | varies | No state-level | Yes | — |
| Hawaii | Required | DCCA Motor Vehicle Repair Industry Board | Repair Dealer (RD) + Mechanic (MR) | see app | Biennial · Jun 30 odd yrs | None statewide | Yes | cca.hawaii.gov ↗ |
| Idaho | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Illinois | Rebuilders only | IL Sec. of State (rebuilders) | Repairer/Rebuilder (VSD-690) | see app | Annual | For rebuilders | Yes (general) | ilsos.gov ↗ |
| Indiana | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Iowa | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Kansas | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Kentucky | No | (county occupational) | — | county only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Louisiana | No | (parish; LMVC = dealers only) | — | parish only | varies | No | Yes | lmvc.la.gov ↗ |
| Maine | Inspectors only | ME State Police | Inspection Mechanic Certificate | see app | varies | No general bond | Yes (general) | maine.gov ↗ |
| Maryland | County (Montgomery+) | (state none; MoCo OCP) | MVR Certificate of Registration | county fee | 1 then 3-yr | None state-level | Yes | montgomerycountymd.gov ↗ |
| Massachusetts | Required | MA Division of Standards (DOS) | Motor Vehicle Repair Shop License (G.L. c. 100A) | $450 | Every 3 yr | $10,000 surety bond | Yes — registered location expected | mass.gov ↗ |
| Michigan | Required | MI Secretary of State | Repair Facility Reg + Mechanic Cert | Sliding by gross revenue | Annual | No state bond; mechanic cert req'd | Yes — "Mobile Repair Facility" category | michigan.gov ↗ |
| Minnesota | City-level | (Minneapolis, St. Paul, etc.) | City Garage License | ~$100–500 | Annual | varies | Yes | minneapolismn.gov ↗ |
| Mississippi | No | (county privilege) | — | county only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Missouri | Inspectors only | MO State Highway Patrol | — | — | — | No general bond | Yes (general) | dnr.mo.gov ↗ |
| Montana | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Nebraska | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Nevada | Business license + NRS 597 | NV Sec. of State | State Business License + GBOR | $200/yr | Annual | No bond | Yes | nvsos.gov ↗ |
| New Hampshire | No | (town) | — | town only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| New Jersey | Body only | NJ MVC + NJ DEP (ERT) | Auto Body Facility + ERT cert | Auto Body ~$312–$700 | Biennial | Auto Body: yes | Yes for general mech | nj.gov/mvc ↗ |
| New Mexico | Verify | NM MVD (claim unconfirmed) | — | — | — | — | Yes | mvd.newmexico.gov ↗ |
| New York | Required | NY DMV (Article 12-A) | Motor Vehicle Repair Shop Registration | $10 + $150 per location | Biennial | None default | Special cert + DMV inspection | dmv.ny.gov ↗ |
| North Carolina | Specialty (verify) | NC DMV (claim unverified) | Specialty cert | see app | — | No | Yes | ncdot.gov ↗ |
| North Dakota | No | (city) | — | city only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Ohio | Body / collision only | OH Motor Vehicle Repair Board | Repair Registration (collision) | see eLicense | — | No state-wide bond | Yes — "mobile auto repair" category | elicense.ohio.gov ↗ |
| Oklahoma | No | (city) | — | city only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Oregon | Emissions tech only | OR DEQ | Certified Emission Repair Tech | — | — | No | Yes | oregon.gov/deq ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | Inspection station only | PennDOT | Safety / Emissions Inspection | varies | 5-yr cert | Station bond varies | Yes (general) | hub.business.pa.gov ↗ |
| Rhode Island | Body only | RI DBR | Motor Vehicle Body License (A/B) | $300/yr ($900/3-yr) | 3-yr | Yes (DBR rules) | Yes for general mech | dbr.ri.gov ↗ |
| South Carolina | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| South Dakota | No | (local) | — | local only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Tennessee | No | (county business tax) | — | county only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Texas | No | (TX SOS for entity; local) | — | local only | — | No state-level (WC opt-out state) | Yes | txdmv.gov ↗ |
| Utah | Emissions inspector only | UT counties (I/M) | County emissions inspector cert | varies | varies | No | Yes | mved.utah.gov ↗ |
| Vermont | No | (town) | — | town only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Virginia | Inspector only | VA State Police | Safety Inspector License | see app | — | No state bond | Yes (general) | law.lis.virginia.gov ↗ |
| Washington | No (RCW 46.71 disclosures) | WA Dept. of Revenue (UBI) | — | $90 (initial business license) | Annual | No state bond | Yes | leg.wa.gov ↗ |
| West Virginia | No | (municipal) | — | municipal only | varies | No | Yes | — |
| Wisconsin | No (ATCP 132 disclosures) | WI DATCP | — | — | — | No | Yes | datcp.wi.gov ↗ |
| Wyoming | No | (city) | — | city only | varies | No | Yes | — |
Verified 2026-04-27. Highlighted rows have state-level licensing requirements. Cells reading "see app" or "verify" indicate the agency publishes the value in a downloadable form we couldn't extract a single number from this session — the linked source is the live application page.
Ten jurisdictions where state-level mechanic or repair-business licensing is required. Each card has the issuing body, exact license name, fee, renewal cycle, bond/insurance, mobile-allowed status, and a primary-source URL.
A Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Automotive Repair Dealer (ARD) registration is required to diagnose, service, or repair vehicles for compensation. Mobile, referral, and sublet repair services are explicitly included. Home address can serve as the established place of business — pure mobile is permitted. Common myth: CA does not require a $25K bond for ARDs. That bond is for new-car dealers, not repair dealers. Smog Check is a separately licensed track if you do emissions work.
Statute: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §9880 et seq. · Source: bar.ca.gov/licensing-ard · Verified 2026-04-27
CT DMV Repairer's License (Form K-7). Renewable biennially at $340 plus a $100 late fee if missed. Requires a surety bond (Form K-158), zoning approval, and police sign-off. Pure mobile is functionally hard to license — the DMV expects an inspectable physical place of business.
Statute: CGS §14-52 · Source: portal.ct.gov K-36 procedure · Verified 2026-04-27
DC DLCP issues a Basic Business License with an "Auto Repair" endorsement under the Consumer Goods category. Base BBL is $99 for two years or $198 for four; the endorsement adds incremental fees that vary by category. GL insurance typically required as a condition. Mobile permitted.
Source: dlcp.dc.gov/node/1618741 · Verified 2026-04-27 · Note: exact endorsement fee on top of base BBL not extracted in this session — verify on the live DLCP application page before filing.
Any business intending to operate a motor vehicle repair shop must register with FDACS using form FDACS-10900 before offering services. Fee tiers: $50 (1–5 employees) / $150 (6–10) / $300 (11+), biennial. Florida explicitly recognizes "mobile motor vehicle repair shops" and accepts a home address as the established place of business. Non-compliance triggers fines up to $1,000 per infraction under Fla. Stat. 559.921.
Statute: Fla. Stat. §559.904 · Fla. Admin. Code 5J-12.002 · Source: fdacs.gov/Business-Services/Motor-Vehicle-Repair · Verified 2026-04-27
Hawaii is unusual in licensing both the business and every individual mechanic. The Motor Vehicle Repair Industry Board (under DCCA) issues a Motor Vehicle Repair Dealer (RD) license for the business and a Registered Mechanic (MR) license for each technician. Both renew biennially on a fixed June-30-of-odd-year cycle.
Statute: HRS Ch. 437B · Source: cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/motorrepair · Verified 2026-04-27 · Note: exact dollar fee schedule lives in HAR Ch. 87 fee table.
This is the most-misreported state in mobile-mechanic articles — most online listings mark MA as "no license required," which is wrong. The MA Division of Standards (DOS), under EOPSS, issues the Motor Vehicle Repair Shop License under G.L. c. 100A. $450 every three years, plus a $10,000 surety bond is required. DOS treats the facility as a registered location; mobile operators with no fixed location are a known problem area for the application process. Boston layers an additional $100/yr municipal license on top.
Statute: G.L. c. 100A · Source: mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-new-auto-repair-shop-license · Verified 2026-04-27
MI Secretary of State issues the Motor Vehicle Repair Facility Registration + individual Mechanic Certification by category (8 categories: engine, brakes, suspension, electrical, etc.). Fee scales with gross annual revenue (MI Repair Facility Manual Table 1-1). Michigan is the only state with an explicit "Mobile Repair Facility" registration category — pure mobile is recognized in statute.
Statute: Act 300 of 1974 (MCL 257.1301 et seq.) · Source: michigan.gov/sos/industry-services/mechanics · Verified 2026-04-27 · Table 1-1 brackets in MI Repair Facility Manual PDF.
NJ does not require a state license for general mechanical repair, but auto body work is licensed by the NJ MVC as an Auto Body Repair Facility (~$312–$700, biennial), and emission repair work requires an ERT (Emission Repair Technician) certification from NJ DEP. General mechanical mobile is permitted; auto body must be at a registered facility, not in a customer's driveway.
Statute: N.J.S.A. 39:13-2 · Source: nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodylic · Verified 2026-04-27
NY DMV Bureau of Consumer & Facility Services issues the Motor Vehicle Repair Shop Registration under VTL Article 12-A: $10 application + $150/2 yrs per location. Mobile operations are permitted, but require a "special certificate" AND an on-site DMV investigation as part of the application. NYC additionally requires a Motor Vehicle Repair Station Official Business Certificate from DCWP. The mechanic must display the registration certificate visibly when transacting business.
Statute: VTL Art. 12-A · 15 NYCRR Part 82 · Source: dmv.ny.gov/business/open-a-repair-or-body-shop · Verified 2026-04-27
RI does not require a state license for general mechanical repair, but auto body work is licensed by the RI Department of Business Regulation as a Class A or Class B Motor Vehicle Body License: $300/yr ($900 for 3 years) plus a bond per DBR rules. General mobile mechanical is permitted; body work must be at a registered location.
Source: dbr.ri.gov/real-estate-and-commercial-licensing/auto-body-licensing · Verified 2026-04-27
DMV K-7 requires zoning approval, police sign-off, surety bond, and a $340 biennial fee. The DMV expects an inspectable physical place of business — pure mobile is functionally hard to license.
ARD itself is straightforward at $200/yr, but stacked on top: smog station/inspector/repair-tech, AB-5/Prop 22 worker classification, CARB and DTSC hazardous-waste rules, county business taxes, and CA Labor Code §2802 tool reimbursement for W-2 mechanics.
$450/3-yr DOS license plus $10K surety bond plus city-level licensing (Boston $100/yr) plus the MA Right to Repair Act 2013/2020 imposing data-access compliance.
DMV registration is cheap ($150/2-yr) but mobile shops require a "special certificate" AND on-site DMV investigation. NYC adds a separate Motor Vehicle Repair Station Official Business Certificate from DCWP.
Both the business (RD) AND every individual mechanic (MR) must be licensed by the state Motor Vehicle Repair Industry Board. Fixed June-30-of-odd-year renewal trips up new licensees who acquire mid-cycle.
In these states, a mobile mechanic doing general mechanical (non-body, non-inspection, non-emissions) work needs only a generic state business registration. County or city licensing is still likely required, and federal EPA 609 + Magnuson-Moss obligations apply universally.
* state-level requirements other than mechanical license (business registration, NRS 597 disclosure rules, abandoned-vehicle work, etc.)
** specialty cert (inspection, emissions, rebuilders, body) but not general mechanical
*** no state license but heavy city/county licensing layer
These are the federal and consumer-protection layers that apply regardless of state license status. Many mobile mechanics learn about them after the first complaint.
EPA Section 609 (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart B) — required nationwide since 1993 for anyone servicing motor-vehicle AC for compensation. ~$20 mail-in cert through MACS or ESCO. Skipping is a federal violation. Source: epa.gov/mvac
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 USC §2301 et seq.) — independents (including mobile) have a federal right to service warrantied vehicles without voiding the manufacturer warranty. Use this in marketing; cite to skeptical customers who think only the dealer can touch their car. Source: ftc.gov
State written-estimate + parts-return statutes apply to mobile shops even when unlicensed. CA §9884.9, FL §559.905, NY VTL §398-d, VA §59.1-207.3, NV §597.490, WA RCW 46.71, WI ATCP 132. Failure to provide a written estimate before authorized work is the #1 enforcement complaint nationwide.
Storm-water / hazardous-waste at the customer's curb. Many EPA Region offices and state DEQs (CA SWRCB, OR DEQ, WA Ecology, IL EPA) treat fluid changes performed in residential driveways as a regulated activity. Spill kits, drip pans, and waste-haul records are not optional.
HOA / municipal "no commercial vehicle work" rules. Most enforcement falls on the property owner (your customer), but liability rolls back to the mechanic via indemnity clauses. Common in FL, AZ, NV, TX HOA deeds.
Sales tax on parts. Every state with sales tax requires a seller's permit / resale certificate before you can charge a customer for parts. Often missed by sole-prop mobile operators who think "labor only" but invoice parts at retail.
DOT / commercial vehicle registration. Once you cross state lines or carry tools >10K GVW, you may trigger USDOT number requirements. Run your van through fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/do-i-need-usdot-number to check.
Workers' compensation triggers. Required at the FIRST employee in WI, IL, IN, NY, NJ, PA, MA, and most other states. Texas is the unique opt-out. Common gotcha when a mobile op hires their first helper.
California Smog Check / STAR rules are entirely separate from ARD. ARD lets you do mechanical repairs; you cannot perform smog inspections without a separate station license + technician license + STAR certification. Many CA mobile operators conflate the two.
Right-to-Repair laws are expanding. Massachusetts R2R (2013, expanded 2020), New York R2R (2023), Maine R2R (2023). These give independents access to OEM diagnostic data and telematics. Cite them when an OEM tool vendor or dealer-only repair argument tries to gatekeep.
Every entry above is verified against a primary source: the state agency's own page, the underlying state statute, or the federal regulatory text. Where a primary source confirmed the existence of a license but the exact fee or renewal cycle lived in a downloadable PDF or fee schedule we couldn't extract from this session, the cell reads "see app" or "verify" with the live URL — never a fabricated number.
The previous version of this page contained 11 factual errors that have been corrected here, including: Massachusetts marked "No" (actually $450 + $10K bond required), New Jersey miscategorized (auto body IS licensed), Rhode Island miscategorized (auto body IS licensed), DC missing entirely, California fee shown as a range ($200–500) rather than the actual flat $200/yr, Florida fee shown as a range rather than the actual tiered $50/$150/$300, New York fee inflated, Connecticut fee understated, and the West Virginia "mobile shop" reference was citing a cosmetology statute, not auto.
Cells flagged for live re-verification: Hawaii fee schedule (HAR Title 16 Ch. 87), Michigan Table 1-1 sliding fee brackets, NC DMV "Automotive Service Technician" specialty license claim, NM MVD mechanic registration claim, DC auto-repair endorsement specific fee on top of base BBL, MD county-level fee dollar amounts. Linked sources are live application pages — verify before filing.
Federal layer: EPA Section 609, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, FTC enforcement on warranty interference, and FMCSA DOT registration apply in every state regardless of state-level licensing status.
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