Automotive technician job description template: ASE tests, EPA Section 609, flat-rate pay, tools and dealer overtime rules
On this page
- Which automotive technician seat are you hiring?
- The automotive technician job description template
- ASE tests, EPA 609, state licenses and overtime status
- From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
- Common mistakes in automotive technician job descriptions
- Before you publish
- Questions people ask
An automotive technician job description should name the shop type (dealer, independent, fleet or quick service), the brands and work mix, the ASE tests that matter (A1 through A8 for Master status), EPA Section 609 certification if the technician services air conditioning, any state license where you operate, the pay plan (hourly or flat rate), and which tools the shop provides. Overtime status depends on the employer: dealership mechanics can fall under a federal overtime exemption that independent shops and fleets cannot use. BLS put the national median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics at $50,620 a year, or $24.34 an hour, in May 2025. Facts below are as of October 2026.
"Auto tech wanted, flat rate, must have tools" brings in lube technicians, master technicians and everyone between, and none of them can tell what the job pays per week. A useful posting says what kind of work fills the board, how hours are flagged, what the guarantee is (if any), and which certifications are required versus preferred. Below are the seat types, a copy-ready template, the certification, licensing and overtime lines with sources, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the call itself, use automotive technician screening questions.
Which automotive technician seat are you hiring?
| Seat | What the board looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Lube or express technician | Oil changes, tires, batteries, multi-point inspections, quick turns | Accuracy on torque specs and inspections; willingness to learn |
| General service technician (independent shop) | Brakes, suspension, steering, cooling, maintenance across many makes | Diagnoses and repairs common systems on several brands without an OEM tool for each |
| Dealer line technician | One brand, warranty and recall work, customer pay, OEM scan tools and brand training | Brand training level or the willingness to complete it; warranty documentation habits |
| Drivability or diagnostic specialist | No-starts, electrical faults, network and module problems, ADAS calibration | Uses wiring diagrams, a scope and scan data to find the cause before parts are ordered |
| Fleet technician | The company's own cars and light trucks, scheduled maintenance, inspections, hourly pay | Keeps a preventive maintenance schedule and records in the fleet system |
Then settle the facts with the service manager: brands and the typical repair order, the pay plan with a worked example, any weekly hour guarantee, the shift and Saturday pattern, road-test duties, and the tool split. BLS notes that technicians usually stand for most of the day, work with greasy parts in uncomfortable positions, may be exposed to fumes and noise, may lift heavy objects such as tires, and that employers usually own power and diagnostic tools while technicians own hand tools (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified September 14, 2026). If the shop works on heavy trucks and buses, start from the diesel mechanic job description template instead.
The automotive technician job description template
Automotive Technician — [Lube / General Service / Dealer Line /
Diagnostic / Fleet], [Day / Saturday rotation]
[Shop or dealership], [city, state]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per [flagged hour / clock hour], [weekly
guarantee of N hours, if offered], plus [bonus with how it is
earned]. [Overtime-eligible / overtime status explained below.]
[Benefits summary, if required.]
SUMMARY
You will repair [brands / mixed makes] in a [N]-bay shop. Most of
the board is [maintenance / brakes and suspension / diagnostics /
warranty], about [N] repair orders a day across the team (an
estimate). Hours are [days and times]; Saturdays [N per month].
You will report to the [shop foreman / service manager].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Inspect, diagnose and repair [systems] using service information,
wiring diagrams and [OEM / aftermarket] scan tools.
- Write clear cause and correction notes on every repair order.
- [Service air conditioning systems under our EPA Section 609
procedures.]
- [Calibrate ADAS cameras and sensors after repairs.]
- Road-test vehicles before and after repairs.
- Keep your bay, lifts and shared equipment safe and clean.
YOU MUST HAVE
- [N] years in a [similar shop], or [training program] completion.
- [ASE tests that the work needs, e.g. A5, A6, A8 / willing to
certify within N months at our cost.]
- [EPA Section 609 certification, if you service A/C.]
- [State license, if required where we operate.]
- Valid driver's license for road tests.
- Ability to work under vehicles on lifts, stand for the shift and
lift tires and parts up to [N] pounds, with or without
reasonable accommodation.
NICE TO HAVE
- [Brand] training; ASE Master; [EV / hybrid] experience.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
TOOLS
We provide [lifts, alignment rack, scan tools, A/C machine,
specialty tools]. You bring [hand tools and box], with [tool
allowance or insurance, if any].
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, contact [contact].ASE tests, EPA 609, state licenses and overtime status
Not legal advice. These points were checked against ASE, EPA and 40 CFR Part 82, the Michigan Department of State, California's Bureau of Automotive Repair, the Department of Labor, the U.S. Code and BLS as of October 2026. State wage and licensing rules add more; confirm with counsel.
ASE. The automobile series runs from A1 Engine Repair to A9 Light Vehicle Diesel Engines; technicians certified in A1 through A8 are ASE Certified Master Automobile Technicians, A9 is not required for Master status, and technicians must retest every five years (ASE A1–A9). ASE certification also needs two years of full-time hands-on experience for the A-series, with substitutes such as an ASE-accredited program counting for up to one year (ASE work experience instructions). A candidate can pass tests before having the experience but is not certified until it is met (ASE). So "ASE certified" in a posting should name the tests, and "passed A5 and A6, certifying when experience is complete" is a fair answer for a newer technician.
EPA Section 609. No person repairing or servicing motor vehicle air conditioners for consideration may do refrigerant work unless trained and certified by an EPA-approved program and using approved equipment (40 CFR 82.34(a)). EPA lists the approved programs, ASE among them (EPA Section 609). If a technician touches A/C, it is a must-have or a "certify before first A/C job" line.
State licenses. A few states license the person, not just the shop. Michigan requires anyone who repairs motor vehicles for compensation to be state-certified for the repair categories they perform; ASE alone does not qualify, though some ASE categories can transfer, and trainees can work under a trainee permit beside a certified mechanic (Michigan Department of State). California's Bureau of Automotive Repair issues separate Smog Check Inspector and Smog Check Repair Technician licenses, each with its own exam (BAR). Check your state before posting.
Minors. Federal rules bar 16- and 17-year-olds from most hoisting equipment, with an exception for electric or pneumatic car lifts in garages and gas stations, and from driving on public roads, with narrow daytime limits for 17-year-olds (DOL Fact Sheet #43, HO 7 and HO 2). A seat that includes road tests usually needs an 18-plus line; see hiring minors and work permits for apprentice programs.
Overtime and flat rate. The FLSA exempts from overtime "any salesman, partsman, or mechanic primarily engaged in selling or servicing automobiles, trucks, or farm implements" for a nonmanufacturing establishment primarily engaged in selling them to ultimate purchasers (29 U.S.C. 213(b)(10)(A)). That fits most dealerships, not independent shops or fleets, and it removes overtime only, not the minimum wage. Outside it, mechanics are blue-collar workers who are owed minimum wage and overtime whatever they earn (29 CFR 541.3(a)). For non-exempt flat-rate technicians, the regular rate is the week's total earnings divided by all hours worked, and overtime adds half that rate for hours over 40 (29 CFR 778.111). State law can be stricter.
Tools. Tools used in the work benefit the employer, so passing their cost to a technician may not cut pay below minimum wage or into overtime (DOL Fact Sheet #16). Say what you provide.
Pay. The BLS national median for automotive service technicians and mechanics was $50,620 a year ($24.34 an hour) in May 2025. Post your own range with a worked flat-rate example, and check pay transparency laws by state.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic method | "A car comes in with an intermittent no-start and no codes. Walk me through your first 30 minutes." | Diagnostics | Verifies the complaint, checks battery and grounds, uses wiring diagrams and live data, tests before replacing |
| ASE tests | "Which ASE tests have you passed, and when do they expire?" | Credentials | Names tests and dates; separates passed from certified |
| EPA 609 (A/C seats) | "Are you Section 609 certified, and through which program?" | Not scored | Knockout confirmed, or will certify before A/C work |
| Flat-rate experience | "On your last flat-rate job, about how many hours did you flag in a typical week versus hours at the shop?" | Productivity | A plausible ratio and an honest account of slow weeks |
| Repair order notes | "Read me the cause and correction you would write for a brake pull caused by a seized caliper." | Documentation | Complaint, cause, correction, parts and test result in plain words |
| Tools | "We provide lifts and scan tools; technicians bring hand tools. Do you have a full set?" | Not scored | Knockout confirmed |
The full call and red flags are in automotive technician screening questions. The loop for technicians and service advisors, including a paid hands-on task, is in the interview guide for automotive roles, and how to run a job trial day covers paying for and scoring it.
Common mistakes in automotive technician job descriptions
"ASE Master required" for a general service seat
Master status means eight passed tests plus experience. Require the tests the work needs and prefer the rest.
Flat rate with no example
Show a sample week: flagged hours, rate and any guarantee, labeled as an example. Technicians compare postings on it.
Treating every technician as overtime-exempt
The dealership exemption does not reach independent shops or fleets. Decide with payroll before posting.
Tools left unsaid
"Must have tools" without a list sends a new technician into week one short of what the shop expects.
Missing the 609 or state license line
If the work includes A/C or the state certifies mechanics, an unlicensed hire cannot do the job on day one.
Before you publish
- Shop type, brands, work mix and hours are in the summary.
- The pay plan is explained with an example and any guarantee.
- ASE tests, EPA 609 and any state license are required only where the work needs them.
- Overtime status matches the employer type, and the tool split is stated.
- Physical lines describe real tasks; the EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
Do automotive technicians need EPA Section 609 certification?
Yes, if they service vehicle air conditioning for pay. EPA's rule at 40 CFR 82.34(a) says no person repairing or servicing motor vehicle air conditioners for consideration may do refrigerant work unless trained and certified by an EPA-approved program and using approved equipment. If your shop sends all air conditioning work elsewhere, list it as nice to have instead.
Which ASE certifications should an automotive technician job description ask for?
Name the A-series tests that match the work, such as A5 Brakes, A6 Electrical/Electronic Systems and A8 Engine Performance for a drivability seat. Passing A1 through A8 makes a technician an ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician; A9 Light Vehicle Diesel is not required for Master status. ASE requires two years of hands-on experience for the A-series, with some training substitutes, and technicians retest every five years.
Are dealership technicians paid overtime?
Often not under federal law. Section 13(b)(10)(A) of the Fair Labor Standards Act exempts from overtime any mechanic primarily engaged in servicing automobiles, trucks or farm implements for a nonmanufacturing establishment primarily engaged in selling those vehicles to ultimate purchasers, which describes most dealerships. Technicians at independent shops and fleets are usually owed overtime, minimum wage applies in every setting, and state law can require more.
Can a shop require technicians to buy their own tools?
Many shops expect technicians to own their hand tools, and BLS notes that technicians typically own common hand tools while employers usually own power and diagnostic equipment. Under the FLSA, tools used in the work are for the employer's benefit, so tool costs the employer passes on may not cut pay below the minimum wage or into overtime. State in the posting what you provide and what the technician brings.