Bodywork repair & painting

Bodywork repair and painting: prices in Australia

Updated 31 October 2026

In Australia, a scratch or bumper scuff repair usually costs from about A$300 to A$800, a single painted panel such as a door or wing A$450 to A$1,200, and a full respray between about A$1,700 and A$4,500 depending on the car. Moderate smash repairs commonly run A$1,500 to A$3,000. To get a quote for your car in your city, describe the damage in a request on BlaBlaPrice.

Licences and qualifications

In Western Australia, a Motor Vehicle Repair Business Licence covers painting or treating the surfaces of motor vehicles. Applicants must be at least 18 and hold a national police certificate. Recognition of prior learning for body repair and refinishing is listed at about A$330 including GST, so ask whether your repairer holds the qualifications for the work. Rules vary by state, so check where the repairer works.

Ask for a clear quote

Ask for an itemised quote that lists parts, paint and labour, and the hourly labour rate. A respray quote should show the paint colour code and the panels included. Ask whether the price covers clear coat and how the colour will be matched to your car.

Mobile repair or a workshop

Mobile repairers fix scratches, bumper scuffs and alloy wheels at your home or workplace, which is often the cheaper option for small jobs. Full resprays and smash repairs usually need a workshop, so ask whether the work is done on site or sent out.

Season and booking

October is spring here, and summer runs from December to February. Paint needs dry, mild conditions, so a respray is often easier to book in spring or early autumn than in the wet winter months of June to August. Ask how long the car will be off the road before you book.

What to write in the request

Give the make, model and year of the car, the part or panel that is damaged and the extent of the damage. Add the paint colour code, your city or area, the deadline and your budget. Photos help repairers judge the damage, so add them if you have them.

Describe the damage in your own words in a chat on BlaBlaPrice and add photos if you have them. BlaBlaPrice's AI reads the request, asks for missing details and looks through repairers' websites and price lists in Australia, then shows the prices and businesses it found. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice reply in the chat with their own offer. Your contacts stay hidden until you choose to exchange them. For related work, see Car & motorcycle servicing.