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What to Put on an Auto Repair Invoice and Estimate (2026 Checklist)

Q: Do I need a written estimate before repairing a car?

In some states, yes. California and Michigan require a written estimate before work; Florida requires one for jobs over $150 unless the customer signs that they don't want one; New York and Virginia require one when the customer asks. Many states, including Texas and Alabama, have no such statute that we found.

Q: Does using an independent shop void a car's warranty?

No. The FTC says you don't have to use the dealer for repairs or maintenance to keep a warranty in effect, and aftermarket or recycled parts don't void it either. Keeping dated, itemized repair records helps the customer if the warranty company asks.

Published October 31, 2026 · by EZDeals4U · every rule below links to the state law or agency page it came from

Short answer

A solid repair invoice shows who (shop, registration number, customer), what car (year, make, model, VIN or plate, odometer), what was wrong and what you did, each part and each labor charge with its price, whether a part is new, used, rebuilt or reconditioned, how the customer approved the work, whether they wanted the old parts back, your warranty terms, and the totals with tax. California, Florida, New York and Michigan spell this out in law. Texas and Alabama have no such statute that we found, but the same invoice protects you there too.

The checklist

Each row is required by at least one state's law or agency. Meeting all of them is the safe default if you're not sure what your state wants.

Put this on the invoice	Required in
Shop name, address, phone	CA, NY (FL on the estimate)
Shop's state registration or facility number	CA, FL, NY, MI
Customer name and contact	NY (FL on the estimate)
Invoice date and the date the car came in	FL, NY
Vehicle year, make, model; plate and/or VIN	NY (FL on the estimate)
Odometer reading (NY: at drop-off and at invoice)	FL, NY
The problem the customer reported	NY (FL on the estimate)
The work performed, including no-charge warranty work	CA, FL
Each part, in plain words, with its price	CA, FL, NY
Part condition: new, used, rebuilt, reconditioned; body parts OEM or aftermarket	CA, FL, NY
Each labor charge	CA, FL, NY
Supplies and waste fees itemized, no generic "misc" line	CA
Subtotals, sales tax, total	CA
How extra work was approved: who, when, how	CA, NY
Guarantee terms with time and mileage	FL, NY
Replaced parts returned, not returned, or kept for a core exchange	CA, FL, NY, MI
Promised delivery date, if you gave one	NY

Sources: California BAR, Write It Right and BAR Guide to Auto Repair; Fla. Stat. 559.911; NY DMV regulations, 15 NYCRR 82.5; Michigan MCL 257.1332 and 257.1333. Checked October 31, 2026.

Estimates: when you need one, and how far you can go over

State	Written estimate	Going over without a new OK
California	Always, before any work, signed by the customer	Not allowed: any increase needs the customer's OK, recorded on the work order and invoice
Florida	Jobs over $150; the customer signs one of three choices (estimate, a dollar limit, or no estimate)	$10 or 10%, whichever is greater, up to $50
New York	When the customer asks	Not allowed above the estimate without consent
Michigan	Before starting repairs, itemizing parts and labor	10% or $50, whichever is less, unless the customer asked to be asked
Virginia	When the customer asks and the job may exceed $25	10% (20% for vehicles 25+ model years old)
Texas, Alabama	No estimate statute found	No statutory limit found

Recording the OK matters as much as getting it. California asks you to note the approver's name, phone number, date and time when someone approves extra work by phone, and to attach the email or text if that's how they said yes. New York asks for the date, time, manner and person on the invoice for an oral approval.

Sources: BAR Guide to Auto Repair; Fla. Stat. 559.905 and 559.909; 15 NYCRR 82.5; MCL 257.1332 (amended effective February 1, 2026); Va. Code 59.1-207.3; TxDMV Smart Buyer, Smart Repairs.

Old parts

California: return replaced parts if the customer asks before the work is done, and note on the invoice any part that can't be returned.
Florida: on request when the repair is authorized, the customer may inspect removed parts; parts not under a warranty or exchange program are returned.
New York: return replaced parts on timely written request; for phone-approved jobs, the law presumes the customer wants them back. Exchange and warranty parts are excepted.
Michigan: return replaced parts when the job is done (with exceptions for warranty or exchange parts and fuel containers), and tell the customer about that right on the work order or a posted sign.

The easy habit: ask "Do you want your old parts back?" on every estimate and write down the answer.

Warranties: yours and the car's

Your customers keep their factory warranty when they use you. The FTC says owners don't have to use the dealer for repairs or maintenance, and aftermarket or recycled parts don't void the warranty. The FTC also tells owners to keep repair records, so a dated, itemized invoice is something they'll thank you for.
No law makes you offer a written warranty. If you do, and it covers the parts you supply as well as your work, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act applies: it must be labeled "full" or "limited" if the product costs more than $10, with more disclosure rules above $15. A warranty on labor alone isn't covered by that Act.
Florida and New York want the guarantee's time and mileage terms on the invoice.

Sources: FTC, Auto Warranties and Auto Service Contracts; FTC, Businessperson's Guide to Federal Warranty Law.

California's extra rules

Describe each part in plain words with its condition. Mark crash parts OEM or non-OEM aftermarket. Shorthand like "R&R" isn't acceptable.
No generic "shop supplies" or "miscellaneous parts" charge; supplies are itemized and must have been on the estimate.
Show labor and parts subtotals, sales tax, any toxic-waste fee with your EPA ID number, and the total.
Keep estimates (including the related emails and texts), work orders and invoices for at least 3 years.

Source: California BAR, Write It Right (updated January 2026).

Bottom line: itemize every part and labor charge, say what condition each part is in, record the odometer, write down exactly how the customer approved the work, ask about old parts, and print your warranty terms. That covers the strictest states, and it settles most arguments before they start. This is general information; your state's repair agency or attorney general can confirm what applies to you.

Where Monkey Wrench fits

We make Monkey Wrench, so read this part with that in mind. Its estimates and repair orders capture the customer, vehicle and VIN, the concern, the odometer, each labor line, and each part with its condition (new, used, rebuilt or reconditioned) and price. The estimate prints with a signature line and "Do you want your replaced parts back?". You record each customer OK: who, how (in person, phone, text or email), when, and the amount. The invoice prints your logo, your shop registration or license number, the EPA ID on a waste fee, the warranty terms and whether parts were returned. It doesn't know your state's specific rules for you. It's Windows software for $79 once, with no monthly fee.

See Monkey Wrench, $79 onceWindows 10 & 11 · works offline · estimates, recorded customer OKs and itemized invoices

Questions

What must an auto repair invoice include?

In states with repair-shop laws (such as California, Florida and New York), the invoice generally lists the shop's name, address and registration number, the date and odometer reading, the vehicle, the work done, each part and each labor charge itemized, whether a part is used, rebuilt or reconditioned, any guarantee with its time and mileage, and the totals.

Do I need a written estimate before repairing a car?

In some states, yes. California and Michigan require one before work; Florida requires one for jobs over $150 unless the customer signs that they don't want one; New York and Virginia require one when the customer asks. We found no such statute for Texas or Alabama.

How much can a repair go over the estimate?

It depends on the state. California requires the customer's OK for any increase. Florida allows $10 or 10%, whichever is greater, up to $50. Michigan allows 10% or $50, whichever is less, unless the customer asked to be consulted. Virginia allows 10% (20% for vehicles 25 or more model years old).

Does using an independent shop void a car's warranty?

No. The FTC says owners don't have to use the dealer for repairs or maintenance to keep a warranty, and aftermarket or recycled parts don't void it either.

Published by EZDeals4U, maker of Monkey Wrench. Rules summarized from state statutes, state agency pages and the FTC, checked on 2026-10-31. Laws change; check the linked pages for your state before relying on them.