Run the business side of your wrench work
Pricing, labor rates, licensing, insurance and marketing for mobile mechanics and 1-5 bay shops. No made-up stats. Every number links to its source (BLS, IRS, state regulators, published surveys).
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Build your mobile mechanic labor rate from your real costs (pay, insurance, vehicle, software, tools) and billable hours, then sanity-check it against shop survey data.
Auto Repair Labor Rates in 2026: What Shops Actually Charge2026 labor rate data from a 700-shop survey and a 10,000-shop benchmark, posted vs effective labor rate, and how to use the numbers for your own rate.
Mobile Mechanic Insurance: Garage Liability vs Garagekeepers vs Commercial AutoWhich insurance policies a mobile mechanic actually needs, what garagekeepers covers that general liability doesn't, and what to ask your agent.
Tekmetric vs Shopmonkey vs AutoLeap: 2026 Pricing Compared for Small ShopsPublished 2026 prices for Tekmetric, Shopmonkey and AutoLeap, what each tier includes, and how a 1-3 bay shop or mobile mechanic should choose.
Do You Need a License to Be a Mobile Mechanic? California, New York and Michigan RulesState registration rules for mobile auto repair: California BAR ARD registration, New York DMV repair shop registration, Michigan facility registration and mechanic certification.
LLC vs Sole Proprietor for a Mobile Mechanic (and When You Need an EIN)What the SBA and IRS say about sole proprietorships, single-member LLCs and EINs, and how it plays out for a mobile mechanic or small shop.