HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a car respray in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A car respray in Ireland costs €1,200–€5,000 per car, typically around €2,500. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a car respray in five steps

  1. Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers car respray work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — paint Application — the actual respraying involves applying high-quality automotive paint using spray guns to achieve an even coat.
  2. How does size of the vehicle change the price?More ground to cover means more time on site. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does quality of paint used change the price?The parts and products used are added to the bill. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does complexity of the job change the price?A design of your own costs more than one off the shelf. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?A typical car respray does not include mechanical repairs or interior work — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a car respray job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

NO REGISTER APPLIES TO MECHANICS IN IRELAND — anyone may repair a car. The statutory thing is the NCT, which is carried out by the national testing service and not by a garage, so a garage cannot issue one. SIMI membership is a trade association rather than a licence, and it gives you a complaints route.

Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.

What to check instead

Motor trade insurance covering your car while it is in their custody, which is separate from their public liability; A written estimate before work starts, and a call before any extra work; Whether parts are new, reconditioned or used, named on the invoice; The guarantee on parts and on labour, separately, in writing; Whether diagnosis is charged separately and whether it is credited against the repair; For a pre-purchase inspection, that the inspector is independent of the seller.

Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.

Insurance

Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.

Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.

Trader or private seller

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.

Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.

VAT

VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.

Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →

“Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?”

A good answer: No register covers car respray work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — paint Application — the actual respraying involves applying high-quality automotive paint using spray guns to achieve an even coat.

“How does size of the vehicle change the price?”

A good answer: More ground to cover means more time on site. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does quality of paint used change the price?”

A good answer: The parts and products used are added to the bill. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does complexity of the job change the price?”

A good answer: A design of your own costs more than one off the shelf. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: A typical car respray does not include mechanical repairs or interior work — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a car respray job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody — preparation Process — car respraying begins with a thorough cleaning and preparation of the vehicle's surface.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the car respray starts, and an itemised invoice after — scratch and Chip Repair — A targeted service that involves respraying small areas where scratches or chips have occurred to restore the vehicle's finish.

Getting the quote right

  • Size of the vehicle — more ground to cover means more time on site.
  • Quality of paint used — the parts and products used are added to the bill.
  • Complexity of the job — a design of your own costs more than one off the shelf.
  • Preparation Process — it decides whether the work can be done in one go.
  • In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
  • What is NOT included, named
  • Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register

Walk away if

  • They will not talk about it: size of the vehicle — more ground to cover means more time on site
  • They will not talk about it: quality of paint used — the parts and products used are added to the bill
  • They will not talk about it: complexity of the job — a design of your own costs more than one off the shelf
  • A price for the car respray before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
  • Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
  • No written quote, or one that moves once the car respray has begun
LOW
€1,200
TYPICAL
€2,500
HIGH
€5,000

What a car respray costs: €1,200–€5,000 per car

The figures are for the job, per car, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Full car respray and Partial respray each carry their own band. Car Respray price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Car resprays near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Look firstSize of the vehicle — more ground to cover means more time on site — that is what the car respray is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneQuality of paint used — the parts and products used are added to the bill — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfComplexity of the job — a design of your own costs more than one off the shelf — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherPreparation Process — it decides whether the work can be done in one go — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the car respray is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, look for professionals with relevant qualifications in automotive painting.

Preparation Process
Car respraying begins with a thorough cleaning and preparation of the vehicle's surface.
Paint Application
The actual respraying involves applying high-quality automotive paint using spray guns to achieve an even coat.
Full Car Respray
This involves applying a new coat of paint to the entire vehicle, including bodywork and panels, for a complete refresh.
Partial Respray
Focused on specific areas of the vehicle, this service is ideal for touch-ups or repairs to damaged sections.
Colour Change Respray
This service allows for a complete change of the vehicle’s colour, requiring careful preparation and application for a uniform finish.
Paint Protection Coating
This service applies a protective layer over the paint, enhancing durability and resistance to environmental factors.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — paint Application — the actual respraying involves applying high-quality automotive paint using spray guns to achieve an even coat, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the car respray has gone.
Test what was donePreparation Process — car respraying begins with a thorough cleaning and preparation of the vehicle's surface — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. scratch and Chip Repair — A targeted service that involves respraying small areas where scratches or chips have occurred to restore the vehicle's finish — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a car respray's card means something — paint Protection Coating — this service applies a protective layer over the paint, enhancing durability and resistance to environmental factors.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itThere is no register, so the route is the consumer body and, if needed, the courts.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a car respray: questions people ask

The cost of a car respray is influenced by factors such as the size of the vehicle, the quality of paint used, and the complexity of the job. Additional services like bodywork repairs or custom designs can also increase the overall price.

A standard car respray usually takes between 2 to 5 days, depending on the extent of the work and the drying times of the paint. Complex jobs may require additional time for preparation and finishing.

Same-day respraying is generally not available due to the necessary drying and curing times for paint. However, some shops may offer expedited services for an additional fee.

Yes, many auto shops allow you to book multiple services, such as bodywork repairs and respraying, together. This can sometimes lead to a discount, so it's worth discussing with the service provider.

A typical car respray does not include mechanical repairs or interior work. Services such as engine repairs, upholstery fixes, or any work unrelated to the vehicle's exterior paint are considered out of scope.

NO REGISTER APPLIES TO MECHANICS IN IRELAND — anyone may repair a car. The statutory thing is the NCT, which is carried out by the national testing service and not by a garage, so a garage cannot issue one. SIMI membership is a trade association rather than a licence, and it gives you a complaints route.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Mobile MechanicHow to hire: Car ServicingHow to hire: MOT / NCT ServiceHow to hire: Car DiagnosticsHow to hire: Clutch RepairHow to hire: Brake RepairHow to hire: Exhaust RepairHow to hire: Timing Belt ReplacementAll 701 hiring guides →

Car resprays near you

Car resprays in DublinCar resprays in CorkCar resprays in GalwayCar resprays in LimerickAll car resprays on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
  2. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  3. Courts Service — small claims
  4. Revenue — MOTOR VEHICLES - REPAIRS (Certain repair and related services) — Reduced rate
  5. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  6. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only