How To Start a Car Detailing Business in 9 Steps

If you have an eye for detail, a passion for the automotive industry, and a can-do attitude, car detailing could be the right small business idea for you. And, with market research firm IBISWorld predicting 2025 revenue for the car wash/auto detailing industry to hit $18.6 billion with continued growth through 2030, it could be a great time to get out your scrub brushes and mini-vacs.

Running a car detailing business can be straightforward and lucrative. The steps in this guide will show you how to start a car detailing business, enabling you to get up and running with your own business.

What does auto detailing include?

Auto detailing is more than your standard car wash, although that’s included in detailing services, too. Car detailers essentially attempt to restore a vehicle to its original or most pristine condition. That can mean everything from vacuuming the crumbs from the nooks and crannies of the interior to making the exterior shine with paint protection film.

Exterior detailing usually includes a hand wash, scrubbing the wheels, fenders, and hubcaps; cleaning dirt out of crevices in the body of the vehicle; and polishing the body with a clay bar. Often, exterior detailing is finished with hand drying and adding a protective coating to the paint. It may also include specialty services like paint correction, headlight restoration, and engine bay detailing.

Interior detailing usually includes thoroughly vacuuming, cleaning the floor mats, spot cleaning the roof lining, dusting every smooth surface, removing dirt from hard-to-reach areas, cleaning the interior of the windows and windshields, and cleaning the seats, cupholders, and dashboard. It may also include specialty services like leather or fabric repair, cigarette burn removal, and odor removal.

Types of car detailing businesses

There are two main types of car detailing businesses. Small business owners offering mobile auto detailing services drive their own cars or work vehicles to customers’ homes or workplaces. Those with detailing shops, on the other hand, serve customers from a fixed physical location. Both business types can offer general or specialized detailing services, which might focus on luxury vehicles, a specific type of car, or a particular type of restoration.

How to start a car detailing business in 9 steps

1. Develop your car detailing skills and expertise
2. Research the market
3. Create a business plan
4. Determine the right business structure
5. Ensure you have the right paperwork
6. Put together a financial plan
7. Purchase the appropriate auto detailing equipment
8. Price your car detailing services
9. Make a marketing plan

Here are nine essential steps to starting your auto detailing business:

1. Develop your car detailing skills and expertise

To give your business the best chance of success, you’ll want to provide top-notch detailing services. That means developing your skills in the area with hands-on experience. Car detailing requires patience and an eye for, well, the details, as well as knowledge of cleaning tools, techniques, and vehicle surfaces. Consider taking a car detailing apprenticeship at a local shop (informally ask if you can work in exchange for learning) or completing an auto detailing certification course.

2. Research the market

Market research is an important part of starting any small business and a good strategy for reaching the greatest number of potential customers. You’ll want to conduct market research to determine:

• Who is your target market? Identify if you’d like to focus on everyday commuters, families, car enthusiasts, or all of the above. Determine which type of customer is most prevalent in the area to see whether your target market is big enough to support your business.

• What are other car detailers doing? Conduct a competitive analysis to see what services your rivals offer, how they’re advertising, and what they’re charging.

• Is there a gap in the market? Is a certain customer segment not being served by other car detailers, or is there a shortage of a particular specialty service? Starting a business that fills a hole in the market is a great strategy for success.

• What’s the going rate in your local market? In addition to competitor websites, you can check platforms like Angi and Thumbtack to determine average car detailing rates in your area.

3. Create a business plan

Now that you know the ins and outs of detailing cars and the market in your area, it’s time to make a business plan. A business plan can help keep you on track as you start up and serve as a guide for any lenders and investors you approach for funding. Here’s what to include in your business plan:

• Executive summary. This section is your one-page overview of the entire plan. Even though this section comes first in the plan, consider writing your executive summary last after you’ve gathered all the pertinent information.

• Company overview. Clarify in simple language what your business offers and what will set it apart from competitors.

• Market analysis. A market research report on who your competitors are and where there’s an opportunity to do better than them.

• Marketing plan. The road map for getting the word out about your business, your prices, and who you’re trying to reach.

• Financial plan. This includes detailing your projected expenses and revenue, how much you’ll need to get started, and plans for seeking external financing.

4. Determine the right business structure

Deciding how you want to structure your business is an important first step to formalizing your business plan. Depending on how quickly and easily you want to get started, and your risk tolerance, there are multiple business structures you can choose from. Common options include setting up a limited liability companies (LLC), which keeps your business and personal assets separate, or a sole proprietorship, where there is no legal distinction between you and your business.

5. Ensure you have the right paperwork

Once you’ve established your business entity, register the business through your state’s secretary of state office or business division. Often, you’ll also need a business license through your local municipality. Check your state and city’s requirements to ensure you have the correct licenses for your area.

Since auto detailers work with expensive, large, and complex machinery, you’ll want to make sure you have comprehensive business insurance to cover you, your employees, and the business in case anything goes awry.

Depending on where you’re operating your business, you may also need environmental permits due to the wastewater generated when you own a car wash business. Check your state environmental agency’s website for details.

6. Put together a financial plan

Compile documents on your projected revenue and expenses, and the capital you have on hand or plan to seek. If you’re looking for funds to invest in supplies and startup costs, you may consider financing options like taking out a loan, seeking investors, or opening a new line of credit. Consider your financial projections and whether you’ll be able to make payments in a timely manner before seeking external funding. A financial consultant can help you learn more about the best options for your business.

7. Purchase the appropriate auto detailing equipment

To get started with basic detailing, you’ll need supplies, including:

• Detailing brushes

• Pressure washer

• Shop vacuum

• Garden hose

• pH-balanced auto shampoo

• Wash mitt

• Microfiber towels

• Detailing spray

• Spray bottles

• Bucket

• Paint protectant

• Glass cleaner

• Tire shine

It’s a good idea to start with just basic auto detailing equipment. Then, once you’ve proven that your business is viable and you have enough customers, you can purchase specialized tools such as:

• Steam cleaner

• Foam cannon

• Extraction machine to deep-clean fabric

• Leather conditioner

• Rotary buffer to polish out scratches and oxidation without damaging paint

• Polishing attachments

• Degreasers

• Cutting and polishing compounds for surface polishing

• Clay bar and lubricant to remove what normal washing can’t

You may also need other equipment and supplies, depending on whether you’re running a brick-and-mortar location or operating a mobile car detailing business out of a personal vehicle. In the latter case, consider starting with your own car and leveling up as your business grows.

Lastly, purchase any hardware or software you’ll need to take payments and accept appointments, such as point-of-sale (POS) software or appointment booking apps.

8. Price your car detailing services

There are many factors you need to consider when building out your pricing strategy. Your market research should have provided insights into what other car detailing businesses are charging in your area. That’s a great place to start as you set your own prices. Also consider:

• Fixed costs per hour. This includes all startup costs from equipment purchases to business registration fees, certifications, licensures, and insurance. Add all those up and divide by the number of hours you’re going to work.

• Variable costs per hour. Base that hourly rate on what you found in your market research, then add up variables like cost of gas, replenishable supplies like soap, and transaction fees for booking and payment.

• Packages or tiers. As you gain experience with your auto detailing business, you’ll start to get a sense of what your variable costs are for each kind of job, as well as how long each job takes you. Once you know that, you can accurately price packages or tiers of services and change up your offerings to grow into a more successful business.

9. Make a marketing plan 

A business that no one knows about will do you little good. You’ll need to invest in a marketing plan to get the word out about your business.

Start by setting up your own business website. Your website should clearly advertise your services and pricing, testimonials, hours of operation, business address if you have a physical location, and include an easy way to book an appointment. When using a website builder like Shopify, you’re able to integrate appointment-booking apps directly into your site, so customers can easily schedule time with you. The more professional and polished your website looks, the more legitimacy your business will earn.

You can also advertise your business on service platforms like Thumbtack and Angi, review websites like Yelp, and social networks like Facebook and NextDoor.

One of the highest-value, lowest-cost marketing strategies, though, is word of mouth. If you go above and beyond to provide excellent customer service, your services will begin to sell themselves. You can encourage satisfied customers to spread the word by offering discounts for bringing in new customers, and create a points system or loyalty program to motivate existing clients to return.