What are typical mobile detailing prices in 2026?
Customers pay $144 to $254 on average for mobile car detailing, according to Thumbtack’s mobile detailing price data (updated April 2026). A basic service can be as low as $95, and a comprehensive high-end detail runs $390 or more. Thumbtack names vehicle size, condition, package, location and add-ons as the factors behind the price.
That national band is a sanity check, not a price list. It blends quick interior-and-exterior services with full details, and says nothing about paint correction or coatings, which are priced from hours. Treat it like this:
- Below $144: maintenance washes and light interior services for clients you already know.
- $144 to $254: the full detail on a car or small SUV in normal condition; the job most new clients book first.
- $254 to $390 and up: large vehicles, heavy pet hair or sand, and exterior work with a paint sealant.
- Well above that: paint correction and ceramic coatings, quoted per car after an inspection.
This page is the price list. Setting up the rig, chemicals and the first customers is covered in how to start a mobile detailing business.
A car detailing price list by package
Sell four or five named packages with a clear scope and a starting price for a sedan, then apply the size multiplier. The prices below are hypothetical starting points, built from the time each package takes one experienced detailer and checked against Thumbtack’s national range. Time your own work and adjust.
| Package | What is included | Time, one detailer (estimate) | Sedan starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance wash | Hand wash, wheels, quick interior vacuum and wipe, glass | 45 to 75 minutes | $60 to $90 |
| Interior detail | Full vacuum, carpet and seat shampoo or extraction, plastics, leather clean and condition, glass | 2 to 3 hours | $140 to $200 |
| Exterior detail | Wash, iron and tar decontamination, clay bar, sealant or wax, tires, trim | 2 to 3 hours | $130 to $190 |
| Full detail | Interior and exterior packages together | 4 to 5 hours | $220 to $320 |
| One-step paint correction | Machine polish to remove light swirls, then sealant | 5 to 8 hours | Quoted per car, often $400 and up |
| Ceramic coating | Decontamination, correction, panel prep, coating, cure time | 1 to 2 days | Quoted per car after inspection |
The full detail is priced below the interior plus exterior because you set up once. Paint correction and coatings are hours times your shop rate plus product, and the correction stage decides most of the time; inspect the paint before you quote, and never quote a coating from a photo. Coatings are sensitive to rain, dust and direct sun while they cure, so follow the product’s instructions; a coating job may belong in a garage, not a driveway, and the client should know that when booking.
How much more should you charge for an SUV, truck or van?
Charge by size tier with a multiplier on the sedan price, then add a condition surcharge after photos. Larger vehicles take more time and product, which Thumbtack lists as one of the main price factors.
| Tier | Examples | Multiplier | Full detail at a $260 sedan price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coupe, sedan, small hatchback | 1.0 | $260 |
| 2 | Small SUV, crossover, midsize pickup | 1.15 to 1.25 | $300 to $325 |
| 3 | Three-row SUV, minivan, full-size crew cab | 1.3 to 1.5 | $340 to $390 |
| 4 | Passenger and cargo vans, lifted trucks, RVs | Quote by the hour | Inspect first |
Condition surcharges
- Pet hair: flat $40 to $90 or by the half hour; hair woven into carpet can double interior time.
- Sand, mud, heavy soil: $30 to $75.
- Biohazards (vomit, mold, bodily fluids): quoted separately, with gloves and the right disinfectant, or declined.
Ask for four photos when the client books: driver seat, rear seat, cargo area, one side of the paint. It turns surprise surcharges into a price the client agreed to before you arrive.
Should mobile detailers charge a travel fee?
Yes, beyond a free zone. Every mile has a real cost (76 cents at the IRS rate) and every minute of driving is a minute you are not paid for, so set a radius where the price is the price, then charge per mile or a flat zone fee past it.
Work out the cost of a drive
The IRS standard rate is 76 cents a business mile for July to December 2026, which covers fuel, wear and depreciation in one number. A 30-mile round trip is $23 of vehicle cost. Add 40 minutes of your time at $25 an hour and the drive costs about $40 before you open a bottle.
Three common structures
| Structure | Example | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Free zone plus per mile | Free within 15 miles, then $1.50 a mile one way | Rural and spread-out suburbs |
| Zone fees | Zone A free, zone B $20, zone C $40 | Cities where you can draw zones by ZIP code |
| Minimum ticket | $120 minimum per visit, no travel fee | Dense areas where trips are short |
The better fix is routing. Book the same neighborhood on the same day, offer a discount for a second car at the same address, and sell office parks and apartment complexes where four cars in one lot cost one drive.
How do water and power change your pricing?
Price every job as if you bring your own water and power, then treat the client’s spigot and outlet as a saving, not a requirement. Thumbtack notes that mobile detailers often need access to water and electricity, and that difficult access can lead to surcharges.
Self-contained versus using the client’s supply
- Your own tank and generator: you can work anywhere (offices, apartment lots, fleets), but you pay for the water, generator fuel and the weight on your vehicle. Put that cost into every package price.
- Client’s water and power: cheaper per job but limits where you work, and a dead outlet or no spigot turns into a lost hour. If you rely on it, ask about access at booking.
- Rinseless and waterless washes: lower water use, faster setup, and a way to work in places that ban runoff. Many detailers price these maintenance washes lower to win recurring clients.
Runoff is part of the price
Wash water carrying oil, grease and soap does not belong in a storm drain. The EPA lists oil, grease and toxic chemicals from urban runoff among nonpoint source pollutants, and many cities restrict what mobile washers may discharge. If your area requires mats, berms or water recovery, the equipment and the extra time go into your prices, and the rules are a selling point for commercial lots that cannot risk a fine. The startup guide covers the water rules in more detail.
Which add-ons should be on a detailing price list?
List add-ons with fixed prices so clients can pick them while booking. Thumbtack notes that engine bay cleaning, headlight restoration and specialized odor removal are typically priced separately from standard packages. The prices below are hypothetical starting points; time yours.
| Add-on | Starting price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Headlight restoration | $60 to $120 a pair | Sand, polish and UV coat; say how long it lasts |
| Engine bay cleaning | $40 to $80 | Cover electrical parts; low pressure only |
| Odor treatment | $50 to $150 | Find and remove the source first; ozone needs an empty, ventilated car afterward |
| Pet hair removal | $40 to $90 | Or by the half hour for heavy cases |
| Seat shampoo (single seat) | $20 to $35 | For maintenance clients between full details |
| Clay bar and sealant upgrade | $50 to $100 | Turns a wash into an exterior detail |
| Water spot removal on glass | $30 to $75 | Test a corner; etching does not come out |
| Second vehicle, same address | 10% to 15% off the second car | No extra drive, so you can afford it |
Add-ons are where your margin sits: the drive and setup are already paid by the package. Offer the two or three that fit the car you see (headlights on an older car, pet hair on the family SUV) at booking, not when you are packing up.
A worked day: three mobile jobs, costed
Here is a way to check how much to charge for car detailing against a real day, using hypothetical numbers: three jobs, one detailer, priced from the list above, then costed.
| Job | Time on the vehicle | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Full detail, midsize SUV (tier 2, 1.15 × $260) | 4.5 hours | $299 |
| Maintenance wash, sedan, monthly client | 1 hour | $75 |
| Interior detail, minivan (tier 3, 1.4 × $160) plus pet hair | 3 hours | $224 + $60 = $284 |
| Day total | 8.5 hours plus 1.25 hours driving | $658 |
What the day costs
- Labor: 9.75 hours at $18. O*NET reports a 2025 median wage of $17.23 an hour for cleaners of vehicles and equipment. If you do the work yourself, this is your pay, so keep it in: $176.
- Products and towel wear: $18 + $5 + $15 = $38.
- Vehicle: 48 miles at $0.76 = $36.
- Water, generator fuel: $12.
- Direct cost: $262, or 40% of revenue.
The remaining $396 pays overhead (garage keepers and liability insurance, equipment replacement, marketing, phone and software) and profit. Revenue per working hour is $658 ÷ 9.75 = about $67. The day falls apart in two places: a cancelled full detail (half the revenue gone) and long drives between jobs. That is why deposits and route planning matter more than squeezing $10 more out of a package. Run a full month in the profit calculator, and make sure your policy covers damage to the customer’s car; see mobile detailing insurance for garage keepers coverage.
How should you present mobile car detailing prices?
Publish starting prices by package and size tier, collect photos at booking, take a deposit on big jobs, and move every first-time client toward a maintenance plan.
- Show starting prices, not ranges. “Full detail from $260 (sedan).” Ranges look like you will pick the high end.
- Explain the tiers. A short line under the table: “SUVs and trucks +15% to 25%, minivans and three-row SUVs +30% to 50%.”
- Deposit for correction and coatings. A day-long job that cancels the night before is a lost day.
- Weather policy. Rain or extreme heat: you reschedule, no fee. Clients book more readily when they know.
- Plans. Thumbtack notes many owners get a full detail two to four times a year. Sell that as a plan: a quarterly full detail plus a maintenance wash every two to four weeks in between, at a lower price per visit for a standing slot.
Write custom quotes with the estimate template. If you want clients to pick a package, size and add-ons and book a slot online, booking software such as Broombook shows the price as they choose, keeps the card on file and sends reminders for the recurring plan; see pricing.