Index
Intro
Motor vehicle body repairers repair and restore damaged motor vehicle body parts and interior finishing; repaint body surfaces; and repair and/or replace automotive glass. They are employed by automobile dealerships, automobile body repair shops and automobile appraisal centres. This unit group also includes metal repairers who repair defective automobile body parts and damage to the bodies of newly assembled cars. They are employed by motor vehicle manufacturers.
The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
With experience, motor vehicle body repair and automotive painter tradespersons may progress to supervisory positions.
Metal repairers employed in motor vehicle manufacturing may progress to motor vehicle repairer positions through an apprenticeship program, or, with experience, they may progress to supervisory positions in motor vehicle manufacturing.
Main Duties
Workers in this unit group perform some or all of the following duties:
- Review damage report and estimates of repair cost and plan work to be performed
- Repair and replace front end components, body components, doors and frame and underbody components
- Hammer out dents, buckles and other defects using blocks and hammers
- Operate soldering equipment or use plastic filler to fill holes, dents and seams
- Remove damaged fenders, panels and grills using wrenches and cutting torch and bolt or weld replacement parts into place
- Straighten bent frames using frame and underbody pulling and anchoring equipment
- File, grind and sand repaired body surfaces using hand and power tools
- Mask and tape auto body surfaces in preparation for painting
- Mix paint, blend and match colors
- Apply primers and repaint surfaces using brush or spray guns
- Repair and replace glass components such as windshields, windows and sunroofs
- Repair or replace interior components, such as seat frame assembly, carpets and floorboard insulation
- Inspect repaired vehicles and test drive vehicles for proper handling.
Employment Requirements
Motor vehicle body repairers
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to four-year motor vehicle body repair apprenticeship program
or
A combination of over three years of work experience in the motor vehicle body repair trade and completion of a high school or college automotive body repair program is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. - Trade certification for motor vehicle body repair (metal and paint) is compulsory in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Auto body repairer and painter certification is compulsory in Quebec and auto body repairer certification is compulsory in Ontario and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified motor vehicle body repairers (metal and paint) upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Automotive painters
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a two- to three-year automotive painter apprenticeship program
or
A combination of one year of work experience in the automotive painter trade and completion of a high school or college automotive painting program is usually required for automotive painter trade certification. - Automotive painter certification is compulsory in Alberta and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified automotive painters upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Automotive glass installers and repairers
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Auto glass industry certification is usually required.
- Apprenticeship training and trade certification for automotive glass technicians is available, but voluntary, in Alberta and British Columbia.
Metal repairers, motor vehicle manufacturing
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- One to two years of on-the-job training are provided.
All Titles
- antique car restorer, body
- antique vehicle restorer, body
- apprentice painter – motor vehicle repair
- apprentice painter, motor vehicles
- auto glass installer
- autobody mechanic
- autobody repairerautobody repairman, autobody repairwoman, automobile body repairman, automobile body repairwoman, automotive body repairman, automotive body repairwoman, body repairman, motor vehicles, body repairwoman, motor vehicles, motor vehicle body repairman, motor vehicle body repairwoman
- autobody technician
- autobody technician – collision
- autobody technician – refinishing
- autobody worker
- automobile body repairman/woman
- automobile damage repair estimator
- automobile polisher-sander – motor vehicle repair
- automotive body mechanic
- automotive body painter
- automotive body repairer
- automotive body repairer-painterautomotive body repairman-painter, automotive body repairwoman-painter
- automotive body technician
- automotive glass technician
- automotive painter – motor vehicle repair
- automotive painter apprentice
- automotive painting and refinishing technician
- body and fender repairer – automobilebody and fender repairman – automobile, body and fender repairwoman – automobile
- body and fender repairman/woman – automobile
- body repairer apprentice, motor vehiclesbody repairman apprentice, motor vehicles, body repairwoman apprentice, motor vehicles, motor vehicle body repairman apprentice, motor vehicle body repairwoman apprentice
- body repairer, motor vehicles
- collision repair technician
- damage repair estimator, automobile
- dent remover and repairer – automobiledent remover and repairman – automobile, dent remover and repairwoman – automobile
- dingman/woman – autobodydingman – autobody, dingwoman – autobody
- journeyman/woman motor vehicle body repairerjourneyman motor vehicle body repairer, journeywoman motor vehicle body repairer
- metal finish and touch-up repairer – motor vehicle manufacturingmetal finish and touch-up repairman – motor vehicle manufacturing, metal finish and touch-up repairwoman – motor vehicle manufacturing
- metal finisher – motor vehicle manufacturing
- metal repairer – motor vehicle manufacturingmetal repairman – motor vehicle manufacturing, metal repairwoman – motor vehicle manufacturing
- metal upgrader – motor vehicle manufacturing
- motor repair vehicle painter apprentice
- motor vehicle body finisher
- motor vehicle body repairer
- motor vehicle body repairer – collisionmotor vehicle body repairman – collision, motor vehicle body repairwoman – collision
- motor vehicle body repairer – metal and paintmotor vehicle body repairman – metal and paint, motor vehicle body repairwoman – metal and paint
- motor vehicle body repairer – refinishingmotor vehicle body repairman – refinishing, motor vehicle body repairwoman – refinishing
- motor vehicle body repairer apprentice
- motor vehicle body repair-painter
- motor vehicle body technician
- motor vehicle body technician – truck
- motor vehicle painter – motor vehicle repair
- painter – motor vehicle repair
- painter, automobiles – motor vehicle repair
- painter, motor vehicles – motor vehicle repair
- repair shop estimator, automotive
- used car renovator
Exclusions
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (7321)
- Painters – motor vehicle manufacturing (See 9536 Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators)
- Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling (9221)
- Supervisors of motor vehicle body repairers and automotive painters (See 7301 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades)