How to become a vehicle paint technician

Official title: Vehicle paint technicians

Also called: Paint worker, Paint sprayer, Vehicle wrapper, Paint technician, Car paint sprayer, Paint shop worker, Vehicle refinisher, Paint shop operator, Paint-work repairer, Vehicle paint sprayer, Refinishing technician, Car painter

Vehicle paint technicians prepare, repair and refinish vehicle surfaces using modern paint systems, coatings, wraps and associated technologies to restore or enhance vehicle appearance, protection and functionality.

Main tasks

• Applies masking material to protect areas not to be coated and removes any external fixtures
• Consults vehicle colour code, chooses appropriate paint or mixes paint to achieve desired consistency and colour
• Uses hand or electrostatic spray gun to coat surfaces, adjusting nozzle and pressure valves of the gun as required
• Applies vinyl stickers and wraps to the bodywork of vehicles
• Removes masking materials and refits external fittings after completion of spraying
• Cleans and maintains spray equipment, protective clothing and spraying booth

How to become one

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

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Vehicle damage paint technician (level 3). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0448.
• Apprenticeship (England): Vehicle damage panel technician (level 3). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0403.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £34,531 a year
• About 16,500 people work in this job now, and about 15,600 are projected by 2035. (-5.6%)

Related jobs

• Boat and ship builders and repairers
• Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians
• Vehicle body builders and repairers
• 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 paint technician?

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

How much does a vehicle paint technician earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £34,531 a year (Office for National Statistics).

Is a vehicle paint technician a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 16,500 to about 15,600 people (Department for Education).

Sources

• 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
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03