Bodywork repair & painting

Bodywork repair and painting in Canada: prices and rules

Updated 4 November 2026

Car bodywork repair and painting in Canada usually costs CA$150 to CA$600 for a minor scratch or scuff, CA$500 to CA$1,500 for a full panel repaint, and CA$800 to CA$2,000 or more for a bumper replacement. These are approximate prices from body shops' websites, November 2026. For a quote that fits your car, describe the damage in a request on BlaBlaPrice.

Certification and licences

Auto body repairer certification is compulsory in Ontario and Alberta, and Alberta also requires a repair licence, with the right technician for each type of work. In Toronto, a body shop pays a licence fee of CA$288.31 on approval, and CA$521.33 in total with the application fee. Ask the shop which certificate its painter holds before you agree on the job.

Season and painting weather

It is November, and winter runs from December to February in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa. Outdoor paint work depends on the weather, so ask whether the paint is applied indoors during the cold months. Book the paint work before the December cold rather than after the first snow, so the car is ready before the holidays.

How the job is quoted

Repairs are quoted per panel or per job. Ask whether the price covers parts, primer, paint and labour, whether the colour is matched to your car's paint code, and whether tax is added. Dent repair without repainting is often cheaper than a conventional repair: paintless dent repair runs about CA$150 to CA$500 in Winnipeg, while a conventional dent repair is about CA$300 to CA$1,200.

What to write in your request

Give the car make and model, the type of damage (scratch, dent, cracked bumper or panel), the size of the area, and the paint colour or paint code if you know it. Say whether you want new parts or used, your city or area, your deadline, and your budget in CA$.

BlaBlaPrice is free for buyers. Describe the damage in your own words in a chat, add photos if you have them, and BlaBlaPrice's AI asks for the missing details and looks through body shop price lists in your city. Repair shops registered on BlaBlaPrice reply in the chat with their price, timing and terms, and your contact details stay hidden until you choose to share them. Start from the request field on the home page, or see car and motorcycle servicing for other work on the car.