To start a paintless dent repair business you need hands-on PDR training, a tool set, the right insurance and licenses, and a way to find customers — and you can launch mobile for roughly $5,000 to $25,000. PDR is one of the lower-overhead automotive trades because there is no paint booth, no chemicals, and no shop required to begin. The skill is the real cost; the gear is cheap by comparison.
We run our own service companies and build the websites and marketing other owners use to get found. So this guide covers the operations honestly — and is clear about the one part where we help and the parts where you don't need us yet.
Get trained. A reputable PDR course is one to three weeks and $1,500–$10,000. This is the investment that matters — skill is what you sell.
Buy the tools. Rods, glue-pull tabs, a slide hammer, and a proper PDR light or reflection board — $1,000–$6,000 to start, expandable as you grow.
Set up the business. LLC, EIN, business license, general liability insurance, and garage-keepers coverage if you'll hold vehicles. Open a business bank account.
Line up wholesale work. Dealers and used-car lots give you steady, predictable volume while your retail name grows. Walk in with a photo portfolio.
Get found by retail customers — a Business Profile, reviews, and a simple site with before-and-after photos and booking.
That's a real launch under $11,000 in year one. A typical door-ding job bills $75–$200 and hail work far more, so the math closes quickly once you have steady wholesale and a few retail calls a week.
We build websites and SEO, and we'll tell you straight when that isn't your priority:
Come to us when you want retail demand on tap: a site that ranks, captures after-hours leads, and shows your work. That's the moment a $249/mo site pays for itself.
When you're ready for retail, our Start Getting Leads plan is $249/mo — a hand-built site with AI lead capture and hosting, with a free working demo in 48 hours and no contract. Step up to Grow in Google at $597/mo for the monthly SEO engine. Read PDR SEO, auto body shop SEO, and the start-a-business guides hub. Curious about demand? Is local SEO worth it covers it.
We don't post stock testimonials. On a 15-minute call we screen-share the real dashboards behind our own businesses — live leads, rankings, and the exact page that produced each one. See the proof →
$5,000–$25,000 for most mobile starts. Training $1,500–$10,000, tools $1,000–$6,000, plus insurance, LLC, and a website.
No specialized trade license usually, since there's no paint. You do need a business license, an LLC or sole prop, liability insurance, and garage-keepers coverage if you store vehicles.
Dealers for steady wholesale, a Google Business Profile and local SEO for retail, and hail chasing during storm season.
Send your shop name and city — we'll build a working demo with before-and-after galleries and easy booking, within 48 hours. Free, no card.
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