An auto body repair estimate form is the itemized document that lists every part, labor operation, material, and fee needed to restore a collision-damaged vehicle, and filling one out correctly means capturing the vehicle and claim identifiers at the top, breaking the repair into priced line items in the middle, and getting the owner’s signature before the form goes to the insurer. Done well, it keeps the shop, the owner, and the adjuster working from the same number. Done sloppily, it stalls the job.
What Goes at the Top of the Form
The header is identification data. Get a digit wrong here and the insurer can’t match the estimate to an open claim.
- Vehicle owner’s full legal name, street address, phone, and email.
- Vehicle year, make, model, trim, color, and the seventeen-character VIN from the dashboard or driver-side door jamb. Parts databases pull components off the VIN, so one wrong digit means wrong parts.
- License plate number and current mileage. Mileage affects actual cash value if the claim later approaches a total loss.
- Insurance carrier, policy number, claim number, adjuster name, and adjuster contact. Without the claim number the insurer has nothing to attach the estimate to.
- Date of loss. The insurer uses it to confirm coverage was active that day.
If the person dropping off the car isn’t the owner, write the contact person on a separate line. Skip that and you’ll be chasing an authorization signature later when hidden damage turns up.
The Parts Section and Why Source Labels Matter
Each damaged component gets its own line with a description, part number, source, and price. The source designation is the piece that causes the most trouble when it’s missing. Every part needs to be marked OEM (original equipment manufacturer), aftermarket, used, reconditioned, or rebuilt. A majority of states require this disclosure on the written estimate before any work begins, and leaving it off can void the repair authorization in some jurisdictions.
OEM parts come from the vehicle’s manufacturer and match factory specifications. Aftermarket crash parts come from third-party makers and tend to cost less, though fit and finish can vary. Used parts come from salvage vehicles. An insurer may specify aftermarket or used parts to control cost, but the estimate has to label them so the owner knows what’s being installed.
If an insurer specifies non-OEM parts and the vehicle is still under its original manufacturer warranty, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act limits what the manufacturer can do: it cannot void the warranty simply because an aftermarket part was installed, unless it proves that specific part caused the failure.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 2302 – Rules Governing Contents of Warranties
For pricing, the three major collision estimating platforms (CCC ONE, Mitchell, and Audatex) pull list prices from integrated parts catalogs automatically. On a blank template, get prices from the dealer parts department or an aftermarket supplier and note which source you used on each line.
Labor Broken Out by Category
Labor on a collision estimate is never a single flat number. Different work carries different hourly rates, and the form has to reflect that. The standard categories are:
- Body repair: dent work, panel replacement, welding.
- Structural or frame repair: pulling and straightening the unibody or frame.
- Paint preparation and refinishing.
- Mechanical: suspension, alignment, electrical.
Each category gets its own hourly rate because the skill, equipment, and liability are different. Body and paint rates in different markets commonly run from roughly $100 to $190 per hour, with structural and aluminum-certified work at the higher end.
Labor times come from industry estimating guides built into platforms like CCC ONE and Mitchell. The databases publish the expected time to remove, replace, or repair each component on a specific vehicle. Those times are a starting point. The guides themselves describe their figures as estimates that the repairer must verify against the actual damage on the vehicle. If a technician has to work around an adjacent panel the guide assumed was already off, the extra time goes on the estimate as a manual entry.
For each labor line, write the category, the hourly rate, the hours assigned, and the extended total.
Paint and Materials
Paint and materials sit on their own line, separate from paint labor hours, and the calculation method matters because this is one of the most frequently questioned charges on an estimate. The standard approach multiplies total refinish labor hours by a per-hour materials rate. Eight refinish hours at a $40 materials rate reads as $320.
CCC ONE calculates paint supplies by multiplying paint labor hours by a supplies rate set in the user’s profile.2CCC Intelligent Solutions. Paint Labor Hours and Paint Supplies Mitchell’s Refinish Materials Calculator combines average times, material costs, and product quantities, calculating the total from refinish, blend, and sand-and-buff units on the estimate.3Mitchell International. Refinish Materials Calculator Procedures Working from a blank template, list the materials rate, the hours it applies to, and the total. Transparency on this line keeps it from looking like padding.
Fees, Sublet, Towing, and Tax
Below the parts and labor sections, itemize everything else the owner will owe.
- Hazardous waste disposal. Paint waste, solvents, and contaminated materials need licensed disposal. The fee typically runs $5 to $40 depending on refinish scope.
- Storage. If the vehicle sits on the lot waiting on insurance approval or parts, many shops charge a daily rate, commonly $30 to $55. Storage charges generally need to be disclosed in writing and acknowledged by the owner before they start accruing. If the template has a storage disclosure section, fill in the daily rate and the start date. Leaving it blank and billing storage later invites a dispute.
- Sublet. Work farmed out to a specialty vendor (wheel repair, glass, ADAS recalibration) goes on its own line with the vendor name and quoted price.
- Towing. If the shop towed the car in, list it separately.
Tax goes at the bottom. Most states tax parts but not labor, though this varies. Apply the correct local rate to the taxable portion and show the math.
Getting the Form Signed
The completed estimate isn’t binding until the vehicle owner signs it. That signature authorizes the shop to order parts and begin work up to the amount listed. Without it, the shop has no legal standing in most jurisdictions to hold the vehicle or bill for completed repairs.
Electronic signatures work for this. Under the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, a contract or authorization cannot be denied legal effect solely because it was signed electronically.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 7001 – General Rule of Validity Most collision estimating platforms have built-in e-signature capture. From a paper template, get a wet signature and keep a copy.
Retain the signed estimate and work order for at least three years to satisfy the record-keeping requirements most states impose. Some states require longer retention when the repair involves a warranty or extended service contract, so check your state’s automotive repair dealer regulations.
Submitting the Form to the Insurer
Once signed, the estimate goes to the adjuster on the claim. Shops writing in CCC ONE can transmit electronically to insurers on the same platform, and most major carriers are on CCC’s network. Mitchell and Audatex have comparable submission channels. From a standalone template, email or fax the estimate to the adjuster with photos of the damage.
The adjuster reviews labor times, parts pricing, and parts types against the carrier’s guidelines. If everything lines up, the shop gets authorization to proceed. If the adjuster disputes a time, source, or rate, expect a phone call or a revised estimate back. That negotiation is normal and doesn’t mean the original estimate was wrong.
Writing a Supplement When Hidden Damage Shows Up
The initial form only covers what’s visible before disassembly. Once technicians pull damaged panels, they usually find more: bent reinforcements, cracked brackets, damaged wiring. Supplements handle this, and shops that handle them poorly end up eating costs.
When hidden damage surfaces, stop work on the affected area and document it. Photograph every new issue with enough context to show where it is on the vehicle. Write a supplemental estimate listing only the additional parts and labor beyond the original authorization. Submit it to the adjuster with the photos and wait for approval before ordering parts or performing the extra work. Proceeding without approval risks the insurer refusing to pay.
Approval times vary. Some insurers respond within hours through electronic platforms; others take several business days, especially if they want to send a re-inspector. The vehicle sits during that window, which is exactly why storage disclosure on the original form matters. The owner shouldn’t be surprised by storage charges that accumulate while everyone waits.
A Few Things the Estimate Doesn’t Decide
Three issues come up around collision estimates that aren’t actually controlled by the form you’re filling out, and it’s worth knowing where the boundary is.
Betterment deductions on wear items like tires, batteries, brake pads, and suspension components are applied by the insurer, not written into the shop’s estimate. Noting the condition of wear items during the initial inspection gives the owner ammunition if the insurer later applies an unreasonable deduction.
Total loss decisions sit with the insurer too. If a thorough, accurate estimate pushes a borderline vehicle past the carrier’s total-loss threshold, that’s the right outcome; underwriting the estimate to keep the vehicle repairable does the owner no favors when supplements will blow past the threshold anyway. Flag borderline cases to the adjuster and the owner early.
Shop choice belongs to the owner. A majority of states have laws affirming that vehicle owners can choose any licensed repair facility, regardless of insurer preferred networks. A properly written estimate from any licensed shop carries the same weight as one from a preferred facility, and the insurer is obligated to review it on its merits.