What Do I Need To start A Car Detailing Business
5 steps
Table Of Contents:
1. Start With a Business Plan
2. Mobile Detailing Equipment List
3. Detail Rig
4.Obtain Necessary Licenses & Insurance
5. Free Marketing V.s Paid Marketing
1. Business Plan
- Choose Your Services – Decide if you’ll offer basic washes, interior detailing, waxing, ceramic coating, etc.
- Target Market – Identify your ideal customers (e.g., busy professionals, fleet owners, or car enthusiasts). I call it the who what and where. think of your ideal customer, here’s a couple examples.
Target Your Market
- busy working professional– could be at the office all day and needs it done at his/her office location, or can only have it done after they get home from work. Or they could be a real estate agent that works from home and has a pretty flexible schedule during the week, and wants their car routinely washed every week.
- busy stay at home mom/ dad– you’ll need to work around there scheduling, this scenario may include working around kid drop off from school and after school activities, this type of vehicle is most likely a little dirtier with kids and pets in occupying the vehicle more often, eating and bringing in and out equipment, bags, dirty sport cleats. this type of client usually requires a full interior detailing rather than just a maintenance detail.
- fleet business accounts– any business with multiple vehicles that need to be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. these are usually work vans or work trucks. This too can be a lucrative route, the majority of the time the vehicles will be at the same location, steady reliable workflow, an area that can provide scaling the business. These type of details are more so maintenance type of services, which means lower pricing and the company’s that you work with usually want a lower discounted price.
- car lovers and enthusiast– willing to spend more money in exchange for high quality work. Extremely meticulous when it comes to there vehicles, they want to protect and preserve there investment, these clients usually choose packages that will protect the exterior and interior of there vehicles, services like paint polishing, waxing and ceramic coating. Higher ticket items
Pricing and legal structure
Pricing Strategy – look up other detailers in your area, try not to be at the lower end of pricing, but at the same time you can’t exactly charge top tier pricing when first starting out. when I first started out I priced my packages right in the middle compared to other detailers, as your skill level starts to improve you can always adjust your prices on an annual basis.
- Legal Structure- decide whether you will form a LLC, S-Corp, Sole Proprietorship etc.
- Operations- staffing, scheduling, how you will you purchase equipment
- Financing- will you be taking out a loan?, have you saved money, do you have an Investor
and lastly put together an executive summary of the business, ex. what type of detailing, will you be mobile or shop based, are you offering anything special like window film, PPF, wraps. State your goals and objectives, short term and long term goals.
*bonus tip, detailing is a physically demanding job, it’s key to stay fit and healthy. I recommend starting a regular stretching routine focused on staying limber in your lower back and hamstrings, I come from a physical therapy background, and you’ll drastically decrease the chance of injury if you stay flexible 😉
Car Detailing Equipment list
You don’t need to buy everything at once. Start with the basics and upgrade as you grow. Eventually you will find what works best for you and your business, your car detailing equipment will slowly start to grow over months and years.
chances are if you’re wanting to start a mobile detailing business, you probably already have some detailing supplies of your own. its ok to start with that, here’s a list of supplies for just starting out
Basic car detailing Equipment (~$300-$600)
-Buckets, microfiber towels, wash mitts, and drying towels
-Car wash soap, wax, tire shine, and interior cleaner
-Portable vacuum, bigger isn’t always better, when I was first vacuum shopping, I wanted the biggest vacuum I could find, I went with the 10 gallon ridgid shop vac, it turns out I didn’t need that power, not only did it take up way too much space in my already packed van, it was pain in the but taking that behemoth of a shop vac in and out of the van, that vacuum now collects dust in the corner of my garage. I ended up buying the 4 gal RIDGID WET DRY VACUUM and never looked back, its super compact and light weight, and the suction is powerful enough for any detailing job.
- -Spray bottles and detailing brushes, you can either purchase dedicated spray bottles with the brand and chemical already printed and branded, or you can buy a general spray bottle and label yourself, I like home depot bottles personally.
- -Waterless wash solution (if you don’t have a water tank) OPTIMUM NO RINSE allows you to wash your vehicle without the need of a hose or a pressure washer, I’ll link a video HERE
- -pressure washer and garden hose
- -most of these supplies can be purchased at home depot or your nearest detail store, you can also find everything you need on Amazon, I’ll include a link at the end of the blog of the tools that I currently use in both of my detailing vans
Mid-Tier Car Detailing Equipment (~$1,000-$3,000)
- Pressure washer and foam cannon
- Generator, ” gas, Inverter or battery“
- Steam cleaner for deep interior cleaning
- Dual-action polisher for paint correction
- water tank, I would recommend at least 40 gal and at most 100 gal, remember a gal of water weighs 8lbs, so double check the weight capacity of the whichever vehicle you choose to outfit.
heated carpet extractor MYTEE S300H this mytee s300h is hands down the best extractor that I’ve used so. The heating element only takes a couple minutes to heat up, great suction power, the 1gal tank capacity reduces the amount of refills that you would normally have to deal with other brands, it compact and only weighs 26 lbs. I own 3 and extremely satisfied with all 3.
Detailing Rig
I suggest starting out with what you already drive, I first started out using my wifes SUV, then eventually my truck and then finally saved up to purchase these 2 mini vans below, as long as it will carry your detailing equipment, that’s all that matters. Eventually I’ll purchase a newer van, but I’ll run these 2 vans into the ground until then. Most importantly make sure that you have your logo and phone number posted on your vehicle for free advertising.
Licenses and Insurance
Check local business licensing requirements.
Get general liability insurance (~$50–$100/month).
Create a simple business structure (LLC or sole proprietorship).
Open a free Business checking account at your bank
make sure to get your car detailing equipment covered under your insurance asell, that’s your livelihood and thousands of dollars in equipment
Free Marketing
- Social Media: Use Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to showcase before-and-after pictures, you can start posting on your personal accounts, but you eventually want to create separate accounts with your business name, this will help you create your own brand, when you post videos you want to try and provide how to videos to educate your audience, always think of different ways to help your audience and how to give rather than ask and take.
- Google My Business: Set up a free profile to appear in local searches. Creating a google my business page should be 1st on you list. this will help potential clients find you within your city limits, google my business is also where you want clients to leave reviews!
- Word-of-Mouth & Referrals: Offer discounts for referrals.
- Business Cards & Flyers: after every detail I suggest passing out door hangers 10-15 houses to the left and right of the location that you’re at, it only take 10-15 min tops
Paid Marketing
Once you’ve saved up a good amount of emergency funds and you feel like you’ve generated a decent amount of recurring cash flows. You may want to look into paid Ads through your chosen social media platform FB, IG, TIK TOK, just remember to track your ROI “return on investment”. There’s plenty of marketing agency’s willing to work with a mobile detail company. Just do your research on creditable agency’s.
Personally I’ve never gone down the paid ads route or used a marketing agency. What I can speak on, is having a SEO company take over all your SEO needs for your website and google presence. SEO “search engine optimization”. This is what helps your website rank when someone googles ” mobile detailer near me” or mobile detailing orange county. try googling ‘mobile detailing orange county” chances are my detailing company JLKDETAILING with come up either 1st or 2nd. This is where you want to be when someone in your city or county is searching for a detail company.
Networking Groups
Networking groups are also a great way to market yourself, some of your local networking groups could be free to join or they could require monthly dues, either way this is a great way to get in front of other small business and entrepreneurs, the goal of the networking group is to pass along referrals within the group and outside of the group. If you’re someone that is super shy and dreads the thought of public speaking, this is a really great way to break out of your shell. I highly recommend it, I’m personally apart of a networking group called OC LETIP
Bonus Tip #2
Start ASAP, don’t overthink the process, make a small list of to do’s everyday to push you closer to your goals. keep your list small 3-5 things. people try get everything done at once. Starting a business is a long term game, stay consistent and patient
check out the tools I use everyday to run my detailing business, I’ll have a direct link below
let me know about other topics that you would want me to talk about in the comments. if you have any questions about how to start and run a successful mobile detailing business feel free to email me at lenny@jlkdetailing.com
Q &A
1. What are the startup costs for a mobile car detailing business?
Startup costs vary based on equipment, products, and marketing. On average, you can start with $2,000 to $10,000, covering a vehicle, cleaning supplies, insurance, and branding.
2. Do I need a business license for mobile car detailing?
Yes, most states and local governments require a business license and liability insurance, check your local laws and regulations
3. What equipment do I need to start mobile detailing?
Basic essentials include:
- A pressure washer and water tank
- Vacuum cleaner for interiors
- Microfiber towels, brushes, and applicators
- cleaning products
- Wax, polish, and protective coatings
4. How do I find my first customers?
- friends and family
- Use social media marketing (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)
- List your business on Google My Business
- Partner with local businesses for referrals
- Distribute flyers and cards to nearby communities
5. How much should I charge for mobile detailing services?
Pricing depends on services and location, but a basic range is:
- express details: $75-$125
- Full interior detailing: $180–$250
- Complete detailing package: $275–$400+
Offering tiered packages helps attract different types of customers.
6. Do I need insurance for a mobile detailing business?
Yes! Business insurance covers accidents, damages, and liability. Consider:
- General liability insurance (protects against customer claims)
- Commercial auto insurance (if using a company vehicle)
- Equipment insurance (for expensive detailing tools)
7. What are the biggest challenges in mobile detailing?
- Weather-dependent work (rainy days can slow business)
- staying driven and disciplined everyday
- Managing behind the scene tasks (payroll, vehicle maintenance)
- Building a loyal customer base
8. How can I grow my mobile detailing business?
- Offer membership plans or subscriptions
- Upsell services like ceramic coating or headlight restoration
- Hire employees to expand service areas
- Invest in SEO and local online marketing