How to become an auto mechanic
Answer
To become an auto mechanic, most people complete a 6-month to 2-year automotive technology program at a community college or technical school and then learn on the job; some start as lube techs with only a high school diploma. Most states do not license mechanics, but you need EPA Section 609 certification to work on car air conditioning, and ASE certification, earned after 2 years of experience for the car tests, is the main industry credential.
- Total time
- 2-3 years to ASE certification
- Fastest path: About 6 months to 1 year
- Minimum education
- High school diploma or equivalent; most employers prefer a postsecondary certificate or associate degree in automotive technology
- Exam or license
- EPA Section 609 motor vehicle air conditioning certification, through an EPA-approved program
- + 2 more · Not licensed in most states (ASE certification optional); a few states, such as Hawaii, license mechanics or register repair shops; EPA Section 609 certification is required to service vehicle air conditioning
- Typical cost
- $4.6K–$9.6K
- Tuition and fees before aid
Median pay once qualified: $50,620 a year ($24.34 an hour), BLS OEWS, May 2025. See auto mechanic pay in every state.
Steps to become an auto mechanic
6 steps
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1Take auto shop, electronics and math in high school
Time: 4 years (high school)Sources 1, 5
Automotive classes, small-engine shop, electronics, computer courses and practical math all prepare you for a training program. Some high schools and career centers run automotive programs where students can take ASE Entry-Level tests before graduating. Working on your own car or a family member's, or helping at a local shop on weekends, teaches you the names of parts and tools, which makes the first months of school easier.
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2Complete an automotive technology program
Time: 6 months to 2 yearsCost: $4,467/yr median public in-state tuition (certificate)Sources 1, 5, 4, 7
Community colleges and technical schools offer certificates and associate degrees that mix classroom theory with time in a shop lab. Expect courses in engine repair, brakes, steering and suspension, electrical systems, engine performance, heating and air conditioning, and increasingly hybrid and electric vehicles. Programs accredited by the ASE Education Foundation meet industry standards and count toward ASE's experience requirement. Carmaker and dealer co-op programs, which train on one brand and pair class with paid dealership work, count for even more.
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3Get EPA Section 609 certification
Time: A few hoursCost: Varies by providerSources 6
Federal rules require anyone who repairs or services a motor vehicle air conditioning system for pay to be certified under Section 609 of the Clean Air Act. EPA approves the training and testing programs, which include ASE, MACS and ESCO Institute, among others. Many automotive programs build the 609 test into the curriculum. Employers will expect it before you touch refrigerant.
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4Start in a shop and build experience
Time: 1-2 yearsCost: Paid workSources 1, 4
New technicians often start doing oil changes, tires, inspections and brake jobs, then move up to diagnosis and drivetrain work as they prove themselves. Ask to work alongside a senior technician, and take any manufacturer or parts-supplier training offered. Start building your own tool set gradually. Keep records of where and when you worked, because ASE must review and approve your work experience before it issues certificates.
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5Earn ASE certifications
Time: One test at a time, over months or yearsCost: $34 registration per order + $62 per test (2026)Sources 3, 4, 2, 9
ASE's car tests run from A1 Engine Repair through A8 Engine Performance, plus A9 for light diesel and G1 for maintenance and light repair. You can take the tests at Prometric centers before you have the experience, but ASE issues certificates only after 2 years of hands-on work for A1-A9, or 1 year for G1. Passing A1 through A8 makes you an ASE Master Automobile Technician.
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6Specialize and keep certifications current
Time: Ongoing; renew every 5 yearsCost: Recertification capped at $220 per order (2026)Sources 2, 3, 4, 9
ASE credentials last five years, and Master status lapses if any required certification expires. Experienced technicians add the L1 Advanced Engine Performance test (3 years of experience required) or the L3 hybrid/electric vehicle test, and dealership techs pursue manufacturer certification levels. Specializing in diagnosis, transmissions, electrical work or EVs is how most mechanics move into the higher-paying jobs.
How long it takes to become an auto mechanic
Education options
| Option | Length | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive technology certificate | 6 months to 1 year | Community colleges, technical schools and high school career centers | The quickest way into a shop. Look for an ASE Education Foundation-accredited program so the training counts toward ASE's experience requirement. |
| Associate degree in automotive technology | About 2 years | Community colleges | Deeper electrical and diagnostic training plus general education. A good fit if you want to move toward diagnostic, shop foreman or service management roles. |
| Manufacturer-sponsored program | About 2 years | Community colleges partnered with carmakers and their dealers | Alternates classes with paid work at a sponsoring dealership and focuses on one brand. Suits people who want a dealership career. |
| On-the-job training or apprenticeship | 2 years or more | Dealerships, independent shops and fleets | Possible with only a high school diploma, usually starting as a lube tech or helper. Slower, but you earn from day one. |
Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings
| Field and credential (College Scorecard) | Programs | Tuition, public (in-state, per year) | Tuition, private (per year) | Median federal loan debt | Graduates’ median earnings after 4 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians, undergraduate certificate | 944 | $4,467 | $16,757 | $10,819 | $51,586 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians, associate's degree | 650 | $4,536 | $18,556 | $12,000 | $58,424 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.
Licensing, exams and certification
Most states do not license individual auto mechanics, so in most of the country you can work in a shop without a state credential. The one federal requirement is EPA Section 609 certification for anyone who services motor vehicle air conditioning for pay, which you get by passing a test from an EPA-approved program.
The industry's main credential is voluntary ASE certification. ASE's car and light truck series runs A1 through A9 plus G1; each test costs $62 plus a $34 registration fee per order in 2026, taken at Prometric centers. Certificates require hands-on experience, 2 years for the A tests and 1 year for G1, with credit for accredited schooling. Credentials expire after five years, and recertification for any number of tests is capped at $220 per order.
A few states do require a state credential to repair vehicles for pay. Hawaii, for example, licenses mechanics only in the areas where they hold ASE certification and registers repair shops. Check what applies where you live with the CareerOneStop License Finder.
| Exam or credential | Issued by | Required? | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 609 MVAC technician certification6 | EPA-approved training programs (for example ASE, MACS, ESCO Institute) | Required | See issuer |
| ASE certification tests A1-A9, G13,4 | National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) | Optional | $62 per test plus $34 registration per order (as of 2026) |
| ASE Master Automobile Technician (A1-A8)2 | National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) | Optional | See issuer |
| ASE L1 Advanced Engine Performance Specialist3,4 | National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) | Optional | $124 plus $34 registration (as of 2026) |
| ASE Entry-Level certification (students)5 | ASE (tests developed by ASE, delivered through schools in the ASE Education Foundation program) | Optional | See issuer |
Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.
Skills and qualities that matter
- Electrical diagnosis
- Most hard problems on modern cars are wiring, sensor or module faults, and reading a wiring diagram with a meter in hand is what separates top techs from parts swappers.
- Scan tool and software use
- Trouble codes, live data, service information and module programming all run through laptops and scan tools now.
- Mechanical skill
- You still have to remove and reinstall heavy, tightly packed components without breaking bolts or clips.
- Efficiency
- Under flat-rate pay, a technician who diagnoses correctly the first time and works cleanly earns more hours in the same day.
- Explaining repairs
- Service advisors and customers rely on your notes to understand why a repair is needed and what it will cost.
O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: critical thinking, active listening, monitoring, speaking, active learning.
What it costs and what it pays
Compare careers- Training cost
- $4.6K–$9.6K
- Before financial aid
- Time
- 2-3 years to ASE certification
- Typical path
- Median pay
- $50,620
- All US jobs: $50,980
- Payback once qualified
- No premium
- Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost
Low: 1 year x College Scorecard median public in-state tuition for vehicle maintenance certificate programs, $4,467, plus one ASE test ($34 registration + $62 test fee). High: 2 years x the associate degree median, $4,536 = $9,072, plus the eight A1-A8 tests needed for ASE Master Automobile Technician ($34 + 8 x $62 = $530). Not included: Section 609 fees, books, lab fees and hand tools, which technicians typically buy themselves and which are a significant added cost.
Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.
Where the career can lead
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Master technician or shop foreman
Earn ASE Master status (A1-A8) and manufacturer certifications, then take on the hardest diagnostics and mentor junior techs.
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Diesel mechanic$61,770 median
Many car technicians move to trucks and buses; it takes diesel engine training and often the ASE T-series tests.
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Aircraft mechanic$79,870 median
Requires FAA-approved aviation maintenance training or documented experience, then the FAA mechanic exams.
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Service advisor or service manager
Technicians with strong customer skills move to the service desk, sometimes with the ASE C1 service consultant test, and later into management.
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Shop owner
Experienced techs open their own repair shops or mobile businesses; it takes capital for equipment and business skills.
Can you become an auto mechanic online?
You cannot learn to fix cars online alone. Some theory courses, manufacturer web-based training and EPA Section 609 test prep are available online, but brakes, engines and electrical diagnosis have to be practiced in a shop with real vehicles and tools. ASE certification tests are taken at Prometric test centers, though some recertification can be done through online proctoring or the ASE Renewal App.
FAQ: becoming an auto mechanic
How long does it take to become an auto mechanic?
You can get hired as an entry-level technician after a 6-month to 1-year certificate program, or sooner as a lube tech with only a high school diploma. An associate degree takes about 2 years. Becoming an ASE-certified technician takes 2 years of hands-on experience for the A1-A9 car tests, and an ASE-accredited program counts as 1 of those years.
Do you need a license to be a mechanic?
In most states, no. A few states, such as Hawaii, require a state credential to repair vehicles for pay, so check the CareerOneStop License Finder for yours. Federal law requires EPA Section 609 certification for anyone who services vehicle air conditioning for pay. ASE certification is voluntary, but employers may require or prefer it. Hawaii also registers repair shops.
What does ASE certified mean?
It means the technician passed at least one ASE test and has documented hands-on experience, 2 years for the A-series car tests. Tests are specific: A1 covers engine repair, A5 brakes, A6 electrical systems and so on. Passing A1 through A8 earns ASE Master Automobile Technician status. Certifications expire after five years and are renewed with recertification tests or, for A1-A9, the ASE Renewal App.
Do mechanics have to buy their own tools?
Usually, yes, at least for hand tools. Employers usually own the lifts, diagnostic equipment and heavy power tools, but technicians typically bring their own wrenches, pliers, sockets, ratchets and toolbox. Students often start with a basic set and add to it over years. Ask about tool allowances and student discounts before you buy expensive items.
Is auto mechanic school worth it?
It shortens the path. Graduates usually start above lube-tech level, and finishing an ASE-accredited program counts as a year of the experience ASE certification requires. College Scorecard puts the median public in-state tuition for certificate programs at $4,467 a year. You can also learn entirely on the job, but it usually takes longer to reach diagnostic work.
Sources for this guide
Checked October 28, 2026
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026
- Registration Dates and Fees, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026
- Work Experience Requirements (form instructions), National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026
- ASE Certification Benefits, ASE Education Foundation · checked October 28, 2026
- Section 609 Technician Training and Certification Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · checked October 28, 2026
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education · checked October 28, 2026
- License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
- Test Series, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026
- Motor Vehicle Repair Mechanics and Dealers: Frequently Asked Questions (June 2026), Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing · checked October 28, 2026
Sources
Data updated October 28, 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 49-3023
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
- O*NET 31.0 Database (49-3023.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
Careers and Salaries is not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Found an error? Tell us; corrections are listed on the editorial policy page.