How to become a vehicle body builder or repairer

Official title: Vehicle body builders and repairers

Also called: Body maker, Car builder, Body fitter, Body builder, Van repairer, Coach builder, Frame builder, Wagon builder, Body finisher, Body repairer, Coach repairer, Smart repairer

Vehicle body builders and repairers repair and reconstruct structural and non-structural vehicle body components, including the removal, repair and refitting of mechanical, electrical and trim components, using manufacturer repair methods and technologies associated with modern vehicle construction.

Main tasks

• Diagnoses job requirements or ascertains work specifications from drawings or instructions
• Selects, cuts, shapes and assembles materials to form parts of vehicle underframe, framework and body
• Repairs damage to chassis and engine mountings using hydraulic rams, jacks and jigs
• Hammers out dents in bodywork, fills in small depressions or corroded areas in solder, plastic or other filler compound and replaces body panels using hand and power tools
• Installs and repairs interior fittings including seats, seatbelts and fascia in cars, sinks and special features in caravans and mobile shops
• Positions, secures and repairs external fittings including windows, doors, door handles, catches and roof attachments

How to become one

There are no formal academic entry requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades or an equivalent qualification. Apprenticeships at NVQ/SVQ levels 2 and 3 are also available and take between three to four years to complete. Off and on-the-job training is provided.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Accident repair technician (level 3). England. Typically 33 months. Skills England standard ST0352.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £34,999 a year The middle half earn £30,558 to £42,944.
• About 28,300 people work in this job now, and about 26,700 are projected by 2035. (-5.6%)

Related jobs

• Boat and ship builders and repairers
• Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians
• Vehicle paint technicians
• Aircraft maintenance and related trades
• Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers

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Questions people ask

How do I become a vehicle body builder or repairer?

There are no formal academic entry requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades or an equivalent qualification. Apprenticeships at NVQ/SVQ levels 2 and 3 are also available and take between three to four years to complete. Off and on-the-job training is provided.

How much does a vehicle body builder or repairer earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £34,999 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £30,558 to £42,944.

Is a vehicle body builder or repairer a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 28,300 to about 26,700 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a vehicle body builder or repairer?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Accident repair technician (level 3).

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03