Auto Body Technician job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Automotive Body and Related Repairers

O*NET-SOC 49-3021.00

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$54,890

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Automotive Body and Related Repairers (O*NET-SOC 49-3021.00). O*NET 31.0 lists this title, written “Autobody Technician”, for this occupation only (evidence: O*NET job-incumbent data). Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools. importance 4.5 of 5
2. Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling. importance 4.5 of 5
3. Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools. importance 4.5 of 5
4. Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders. importance 4.4 of 5
5. Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take. importance 4.3 of 5
6. Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint. importance 4.3 of 5
7. Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components. importance 4.2 of 5
8. Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers. importance 4.2 of 5
9. Cut and tape plastic separating film to outside repair areas to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure and remove tape and wash surfaces after repairs are complete. importance 4.2 of 5
10. Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed. importance 4.1 of 5
11. Fill small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder. importance 4.1 of 5
12. Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment. importance 4.1 of 5
13. Remove small pits and dimples in body metal, using pick hammers and punches. importance 4.1 of 5
14. Remove upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment, and trim to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders. importance 4.1 of 5
15. Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas. importance 4.1 of 5
16. Fit and secure windows, vinyl roofs, and metal trim to vehicle bodies, using caulking guns, adhesive brushes, and mallets. importance 4.1 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Getting Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment and Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Read specifications or confer with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles.
• Cut openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows, using templates and power shears or chisels.
• Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears.

Knowledge areas: Mechanical, Customer and Personal Service, Production and Processing and Mathematics.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Automotive and Accounting Software by R*KOM Invoice Writer. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists long-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

The most common answer among auto body technicians surveyed by O*NET is a high school diploma or equivalent (42%).

Job title: Auto Body Technician
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Auto Body Technician to repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
- Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.
- Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
- Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
- Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
- Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
- Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.
- Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in repairing, troubleshooting and operations monitoring
- Working knowledge of Mechanical and Customer and Personal Service
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For Automotive Body and Related Repairers, the median annual wage was $54,890 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $26.39. BLS estimates about 149,310 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Automotive Body and Related Repairers to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,600 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real auto body technician posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only auto body technician work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (repairing and troubleshooting): a real situation, what you did and what changed.