NEW-JERSEY · automotive-tech
NJ Auto Body Repair Facility License
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission — Business Licensing ServicesScope of Work
New Jersey requires every auto body repair facility to be licensed by the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) Business Licensing Services. The license is a facility credential rather than an individual technician credential — New Jersey does not license individual auto mechanics or body technicians. The auto body license tier covers full-service collision repair, including welding, refinishing (paint), and frame work. A separate Limited Auto Body license is available for shops that meet all full-service requirements except spray painting, where the shop has a written subcontracting agreement with a full-service licensed facility. Source: NJ MVC Auto Body Repair License (https://www.nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodylic.htm).
Facility and Place of Business
Each applicant must have an established place of business at the time the license is issued. The facility must have an exterior sign, a suitable office, and conform to municipal land-use and zoning requirements. The shop must be inspected by MVC investigators after a complete application is received. Source: NJ MVC Auto Body Repair License (https://www.nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodylic.htm).
Insurance Requirements
Full-service auto body facilities must maintain garage liability or equivalent commercial general liability insurance of at least $300,000 (or a $300,000 letter of credit), and garage keepers' liability insurance of at least $50,000 (or a $50,000 letter of credit). Source: NJ MVC Auto Body Repair License (https://www.nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodylic.htm).
Equipment
The facility must have an auto body repair facility reference source for estimating repair costs, equipment to safely raise and support vehicles, a metal inert gas (MIG) welder, an enclosed refinishing area conforming to safety and environmental regulations, and the means to supply fresh air to workers within the spray area. Source: NJ MVC Auto Body Repair License (https://www.nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodylic.htm).
Fee
Auto Body license renewal fee is $350 (covering Auto Body Limited, Full Service, Sublet, and Heavy Duty Endorsement). Source: NJ MVC Auto Body Repair License (https://www.nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodylic.htm).
Apprenticeship and Endorsements
NJ also issues Auto Body Repair License Endorsements (https://www.nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodyend.htm) for additional categories of body work. The endorsements are added to the facility license and travel with the shop, not the individual technician.
Note on Scope
NJ readers seeking an individual auto-tech career path will work under a licensed auto body facility (or, for mechanical repair, an unlicensed shop — NJ does not license general mechanical repair shops the same way it licenses body shops). The closest individual-level credential pathway is the NJDEP Emission Repair Technician (ERT) certification, which is licensed separately. Source: NJ MVC Business Licensing Services FAQ (https://www.nj.gov/mvc/business/blsfaq.htm).
Verified May 1, 2026 · compiled from public sources, verify current rules with New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission — Business Licensing Services before acting