Collision Repair & Motor Vehicle Careers in Ohio

Licenses covered

• Collision Repair Operator
• Auto Body Technician
• Shop Owner

Motor Vehicle Repair Board by the numbers

These figures are ours, not the board's — we computed them from the full State of Ohio licence file so you can see this board in context rather than one record at a time. Data as of September 2026.

Almost every licence this board has on record — 100% of 10 — is currently active. That is unusual, and it generally means the board issues a small, closely managed population of credentials rather than decades of accumulated lapsed records. Verify anyway: active is the only status that confirms someone may practise today.

Most common licence types

0% of this board's licences carry a recorded board action (0 of 10), against about 1.6% across all Ohio professions. A board action covers everything from an administrative consent agreement to revocation, and it is cumulative over a licence's whole life — see how we measured that before reading much into it.

Computed by OhioLicenseCheck from the State of Ohio eLicense dataset (issued licences only; application records excluded). Refreshed daily.

Why choose this path

• Persistent technician shortage means strong wages and signing bonuses
• Certifications (I-CAR, ASE, OEM) raise pay step by step — no degree required
• ADAS calibration and EV repair are lucrative new specialties
• Shop ownership is a proven path for experienced technicians
• Insurance work provides steady volume regardless of the economy

Path to the license

1. 1

   Train through career-tech or community college

   Ohio’s CTCs and community colleges run collision programs; manufacturer-sponsored tracks add OEM credentials.

2. 2

   Stack industry certifications

   I-CAR levels and ASE collision certifications are the pay ladder; OEM certifications (especially EV) command premiums.

3. 3

   Work in a registered operation — or register your own

   Ohio’s Motor Vehicle Repair Board registration is the state credential for collision businesses; verify any employer, and register properly when you open your own shop.

4. 4

   Specialize upward

   Estimating, ADAS calibration, and shop management are the highest-paying branches.

Pay and outlook

BLS pegs auto body technicians’ national median near $50,000, but Ohio flat-rate technicians with certifications commonly out-earn that — $60,000–75,000 is realistic for productive certified techs, and master techs at busy shops exceed it. Estimators and shop managers occupy the next tier.

Vehicle complexity is raising both the skill bar and the wage for those who clear it.

Where Ohioans train

Schools listed are well-known examples, not endorsements — always compare accreditation, cost, and outcomes.

Official links & resources

• Ohio Motor Vehicle Repair Board (via eLicense)
• I-CAR
• BLS Outlook: Automotive Body Repairers