HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a vehicle recovery & breakdown in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A vehicle recovery & breakdown in Ireland costs €80–€350 per callout, typically around €150. 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.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a vehicle recovery & breakdown in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers vehicle recovery & breakdown work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — fuel Delivery — running out of fuel can happen to anyone, and many recovery services offer fuel delivery to get you back on the road.
- How does distance to be towed change the price?The area sets the going rate as much as the job does. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does type of vehicle change the price?Servicing and replacing equipment is built into every quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does time of day change the price?Most of this work is priced by the hour. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Flat Tyre Assistance — flat tyre assistance is a common service included in vehicle recovery — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a vehicle recovery & breakdown 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 →
A good answer: No register covers vehicle recovery & breakdown work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — fuel Delivery — running out of fuel can happen to anyone, and many recovery services offer fuel delivery to get you back on the road.
A good answer: The area sets the going rate as much as the job does. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Servicing and replacing equipment is built into every quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Most of this work is priced by the hour. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Flat Tyre Assistance — flat tyre assistance is a common service included in vehicle recovery — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a vehicle recovery & breakdown job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody — jump Starts — many breakdown services provide jump start assistance for vehicles with dead batteries.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the vehicle recovery & breakdown starts, and an itemised invoice after — towing Services — vehicle recovery often includes towing services for cars that are unable to drive due to breakdowns or accidents.
Getting the quote right
- Distance to be towed — the area sets the going rate as much as the job does.
- Type of vehicle — servicing and replacing equipment is built into every quote.
- Time of day — most of this work is priced by the hour.
- Complexity of the issue — providers quote this separately because it varies so much.
- 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: distance to be towed — the area sets the going rate as much as the job does
- They will not talk about it: type of vehicle — servicing and replacing equipment is built into every quote
- They will not talk about it: time of day — most of this work is priced by the hour
- A price for the vehicle recovery & breakdown 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 vehicle recovery & breakdown has begun
What a vehicle recovery & breakdown costs: €80–€350 per callout
The figures are for the job, per callout, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Roadside assistance and Towing services each carry their own band. Vehicle Recovery & Breakdown 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
Vehicle recovery & breakdowns 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.
- Look firstDistance to be towed — the area sets the going rate as much as the job does — that is what the vehicle recovery & breakdown is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneType of vehicle — servicing and replacing equipment is built into every quote — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfTime of day — most of this work is priced by the hour — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of the issue — providers quote this separately because it varies so much — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the vehicle recovery & breakdown is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, check that the technician follows safety protocols to protect both you and your vehicle.
- Towing Services
- Vehicle recovery often includes towing services for cars that are unable to drive due to breakdowns or accidents.
- Jump Starts
- Many breakdown services provide jump start assistance for vehicles with dead batteries.
- Flat Tyre Assistance
- Flat tyre assistance is a common service included in vehicle recovery.
- Fuel Delivery
- Running out of fuel can happen to anyone, and many recovery services offer fuel delivery to get you back on the road.
- Roadside Assistance
- This involves minor repairs on-site, such as changing a flat tyre or jump-starting a battery.
- Lockout Services
- Assisting drivers who have locked their keys inside the vehicle, enabling access without damage.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a vehicle recovery & breakdown: questions people ask
The cost of vehicle recovery can vary based on several factors, including the distance to be towed, the type of vehicle, and the time of day. Emergency or after-hours services typically incur higher fees due to increased demand.
The duration of a vehicle recovery service can range from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the location and the complexity of the situation. Factors such as traffic conditions and the availability of the recovery vehicle also play a role.
In most cases, general vehicle recovery professionals are trained to handle common breakdown situations. However, if your vehicle requires specialised services, such as electrical or structural repairs, a qualified specialist may be necessary.
Yes, many vehicle recovery services offer emergency or same-day assistance, especially for urgent cases. It's advisable to check with the service provider regarding their availability and response times for emergencies.
Yes, many vehicle recovery services allow you to book multiple related jobs, such as towing and flat tyre assistance, in a single request. This can streamline the process and potentially save on costs.
Services that are often out of scope for vehicle recovery include extensive mechanical repairs, bodywork, and parts replacement. Recovery professionals focus on getting your vehicle to a safe location rather than performing repairs on-site.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in vehicles & transport
Vehicle recovery & breakdowns near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — MOTOR VEHICLES - REPAIRS (Certain repair and related services) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only