Light vehicle mechanic
Automotive trade diagnosing, servicing and repairing cars and light commercial vehicles. Motor-vehicle repair licensing applies to businesses across most states.
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Motor Mechanic (General) (321211), the closest official match for light vehicle mechanic, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- Median weekly earnings (full-time)
- $1,405
- People employed
- 79,300
- Future demand
- Stable
- Work full-time
- 85%
- Average full-time hours
- 43 a week
- Women
- 2%
- Median age
- 36
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 29.4% |
| VIC | 25.2% |
| QLD | 21.5% |
| WA | 12.2% |
| SA | 7.2% |
| TAS | 2.1% |
| ACT | 1.2% |
| NT | 1.2% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 0.7% |
| Bachelor degree | 2.6% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 6.1% |
| Certificate I-IV | 68.5% |
| Year 12 | 9.4% |
| Below Year 12 | 10.1% |
What a light vehicle mechanic actually does
Mechanics usually start at 7:30 or 8am at the workshop. The day runs off a job sheet: log books, brake jobs, timing belts, diagnostic faults. Dealership techs see a lot of warranty work and software updates pushed by the manufacturer. Independent workshops see older cars with more varied problems - leaks, suspension knocks, electrical gremlins. EV and hybrid work is growing fast and requires extra training. A typical day mixes 3-6 jobs, with the service writer running interference on customer calls. Hoists are noisy, the workshop is loud, and you're under cars much of the day. Expect dirty hands, hot exhausts and tight engine bays. Diagnostic scan tools and OEM software are now central - the days of just spanners are long gone. Most days finish 5-5:30pm. Saturday morning shifts are common in dealership and tyre work.
Skills you'll use
- Reading workshop manuals and wiring diagrams
- Engine, transmission and driveline diagnosis
- Brake, suspension and steering repair
- Air-conditioning service with refrigerant recovery
- Scan-tool diagnostics and ECU calibration
- Hybrid and electric-vehicle high-voltage isolation
- Customer service and quoting
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 10 or above with maths and English
- 2Sign a 4-year apprenticeship with a dealership, independent workshop or Group Training Organisation
- 3Complete the AUR30620 Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology through TAFE
- 4Pass the air-conditioning unit and apply for the ARCtick refrigerant licence if you'll work on AC
- 5Complete hybrid and EV high-voltage training (AURETH101 or equivalent) to work on modern vehicles
- 6For self-employment - register the motor vehicle repair business with your state's fair trading authority
Where you can work
- Franchised dealerships (new-car warranty work)
- Independent workshops (mixed-make service and repair)
- Tyre, brake and exhaust specialist chains
- Fleet maintenance teams for delivery, taxi and rideshare operators
- Manufacturer technical training centres
- Roadside assist providers
- Self-employed mobile mechanic or workshop owner
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Apprentice and tradesperson pay is set by the modern award or enterprise agreement that covers the job; check it with the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool.
- Apprentice4 yearsTypical roles: First-year apprentice mechanic, Fourth-year apprentice mechanic
- Tradesperson0-4 yearsTypical roles: Dealership service tech, Independent workshop tech, Tyre and brake specialist
- Senior tech or foreman5-10 yearsTypical roles: Diagnostic technician, Workshop foreman, Master technician
- Workshop owner8+ yearsTypical roles: Independent workshop owner, Mobile mechanic
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You enjoy diagnostic puzzles more than rote work
- You're comfortable in a noisy, oily workshop environment
- You can keep up with software-heavy modern vehicles
- You handle customer expectations calmly when a quote balloons
- You're patient with battery-electric and hybrid high-voltage work
This might not suit you if
- You can't commit to 4 years of low apprentice pay
- You have allergies aggravated by solvents or brake dust
- You'd rather not deal with customers at all
- You can't handle being on your feet or under a hoist for 8 hours
Entry requirements
- Year 10 or equivalent
- A signed apprenticeship training contract with a host employer.
State licensing
This trade requires a state licence on top of the apprenticeship qualification.
| State | Licensing authority |
|---|---|
| NSW | NSW Fair Trading (motor vehicle repairer licence for the business, tradesperson certificate for the repairer) |
| VIC | No trade-specific licence listed |
| QLD | No trade-specific licence listed |
| SA | No trade-specific licence listed |
| WA | Motor Vehicle Repair Industry Authority WA (motor vehicle repairer's certificate) |
| TAS | No trade-specific licence listed |
| NT | No trade-specific licence listed |
| ACT | No trade-specific licence listed |