HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire an exhaust fitter in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No law licenses exhaust fitters. Here is what to ask about the part and what the exhaust quote should list.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring an exhaust fitter in five steps

  1. Describe the noiseA blow at the front, a rattle underneath, a louder note, a smell in the cabin — and whether a warning light is on.
  2. Ask what has failedBack box, centre section, flexi joint, hanger, catalytic converter or DPF. Each is priced differently.
  3. Get the exhaust quote in writingThe part, whether original or pattern, the fittings and labour, VAT stated.
  4. Ask about seized fixingsOld bolts snap. Agree a call before any extra cutting or welding is charged.
  5. Listen before you drive offNo blow, no rattle, the car started from cold — then pay.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

The law sets no licence and no register for exhaust fitters, in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland alike. The exhaust work must be done with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and the MOT will test the result.

Agree which part is replaced, and the price, in writing first. citizensadvice.org.uk →

The exhaust at the MOT

DVSA's MOT inspection manual covers exhaust noise, the security of the silencers and the emissions control equipment, so a repair should leave it fit to pass. For a test in England, Scotland or Wales, the MOT history shows what failed or had minor problems at past tests.

Look at the car's MOT history before the visit, and ask whether the exhaust repair would pass. gov.uk →

The Motor Ombudsman accreditation

Membership of The Motor Ombudsman's codes is voluntary, so plenty of capable exhaust fitters are not in it. Where the business is accredited, the Ombudsman can rule on a dispute about the exhaust fitter once the business has had eight weeks to answer, and a final decision you accept binds it.

Look the business up on The Motor Ombudsman's Garage Finder before you book. businesses.themotorombudsman.org →

Trader status and a written quote

Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply when you deal with a trader. For an exhaust fitter, settle the price up front: where none was agreed you need pay only a reasonable sum, and Citizens Advice says a garage may keep the vehicle over a disputed bill but not sell it.

Check the trader badge on the Locufy profile and keep the quote message. citizensadvice.org.uk →

VAT

Exhaust parts and fitting are standard-rated at 20%. Exhaust fitters with more than £90,000 of taxable turnover must register for VAT, charge it, and itemise it on every quote and invoice.

Ask the exhaust centre for its VAT number and whether the price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“Which part of the exhaust has failed?”

A good answer: A named section and the reason — rusted through, a broken hanger, a failed flexi.

“Can it be repaired, or must the exhaust section be replaced?”

A good answer: An honest answer: a small blow can sometimes be welded; a rotten box cannot.

“Is the exhaust part original or pattern?”

A good answer: Either can be fine. The brand and the guarantee should be stated.

“Will the exhaust pass the MOT afterwards?”

A good answer: Yes, with any other faults they spotted mentioned.

“Is the catalytic converter or DPF involved?”

A good answer: If so, why they think so — codes, a back-pressure test — before a costly part is ordered.

“What guarantee do you give on the exhaust?”

A good answer: In writing, on the part and the fitting.

“How long will it take?”

A good answer: Half an hour for a clamp or hanger; a few hours for a section with seized fixings.

Getting the quote right

  • The exhaust section or part named, original or pattern
  • Clamps, gaskets and hangers included
  • Labour fixed, with any cutting or welding for seized fixings agreed in advance
  • The exhaust centre's VAT number, with VAT under part and fitting
  • The guarantee on the part
  • Who actually attends to the exhaust, and whether they are employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • A catalytic converter diagnosed by ear alone
  • A full system quoted when only the back box has failed
  • Extra cutting or welding added without asking
  • No test start from cold before handover
  • No invoice listing the part
LOW
£30
TYPICAL
£150
HIGH
£600

What an exhaust fitter costs: £30–£600 per job

Exhaust work is priced per job — the section or part, fittings and labour — with a catalytic converter or DPF priced on its own. Exhaust Repair 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

Exhaust fitters 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. InspectCar on the ramp, the whole exhaust checked for leaks, rust and broken hangers.
  2. AgreeThe failed part and the price confirmed in writing.
  3. RemoveThe old section cut or unbolted; seized fixings dealt with as agreed.
  4. FitNew section, gaskets and clamps fitted and aligned, hangers renewed.
  5. TestEngine started and run, joints checked for leaks, any warning light checked.

Back box
The rear silencer, the part that fails most often.
Centre section
The pipe and silencer in the middle of the exhaust.
Flexi joint
A braided flexible pipe near the engine that absorbs movement.
Catalytic converter
The part that cleans exhaust gases; expensive, and checked at the MOT.
DPF
Diesel particulate filter — traps soot on diesel cars.
Pattern part
A part made by another manufacturer to fit, not the car maker's own.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoicePart, brand and mileage listed, kept with the service history and the MOT papers.
Listen from coldA blow often shows up when the exhaust is cold. Raise it in the first days.
Check the guaranteeOn the part and the fitting, in writing.
Your reviewSay what was done and how it turned out; under four stars, the garage first gets the chance to make it right.

STEP 1Tell the fitter, in writingSay what is wrong with the exhaust since the repair and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a trader must work with reasonable care and skill, and put faulty work right.
STEP 2Let Locufy follow it upRate the exhaust fitter under four stars and Locufy asks if you want the garage to have the chance to fix it before the review is published; we follow it through.
STEP 3The Motor Ombudsman or Trading StandardsIf the garage is accredited to The Motor Ombudsman, it can decide the dispute once the business has had eight weeks to reply. If not, take the exhaust fitter complaint to the consumer helpline, which can pass it to Trading Standards: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeA claim over an exhaust fitter can go to the small claims track in the county court up to £10,000 in England and Wales, to simple procedure in the sheriff court up to £5,000 in Scotland, or to the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland — no solicitor needed.

Hiring an exhaust fitter: questions people ask

No. No UK nation licenses exhaust fitters or mechanics. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 still requires the work to be done with reasonable care and skill.

An itemised invoice naming the part, its brand, the labour and the guarantee. There is no certificate; the MOT tests the exhaust each year.

Not in itself. A pattern part is made by another manufacturer to fit; the fit, the brand and the guarantee tell you more than the badge.

Most people pay between £30 and £600 per job; £150 is the typical figure. The exhaust repair price guide shows what changes it, and a search above lists exhaust fitters nearby.

A small blow is not an emergency, but it grows, and a loud exhaust or a warning light can mean an MOT fail. Get it looked at soon.

Go back to the fitter in writing. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can require faulty work to be done again at their cost, or a price reduction.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Car ServicingHow to hire: MOT / NCT ServiceHow to hire: Car DiagnosticsHow to hire: Engine RepairHow to hire: Mobile MechanicHow to hire: Brake RepairHow to hire: Clutch RepairHow to hire: Tyre RepairAll 701 hiring guides →

Exhaust fitters near you

Exhaust fitters in LondonExhaust fitters in ManchesterExhaust fitters in BirminghamExhaust fitters in GlasgowExhaust fitters in BelfastAll exhaust fitters on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Citizens Advice — problems with a car repair
  2. The Motor Ombudsman — Garage Finder
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. gov.uk — MOT inspection manual: nuisance (noise and emissions)
  5. gov.uk — check the MOT history of a vehicle
  6. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  7. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  8. nidirect — small claims process
  9. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  10. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register