Free auto repair authorization form

Vehicle repair work order and cost authorization

Both need a free account, which includes five documents a month with no card. “Use this template” opens it in GSD with the signature fields already placed; the download gives you the blank document to use however you like.

When you would use it

Independent shops and dealership service departments use a repair authorization to prove the customer approved the work and the price before any wrench turned. It is the document that settles the argument when the final invoice is higher than the customer remembers agreeing to. In many states some form of written authorization is required before you can charge for repairs at all.

What the document says

The customer identified below authorises the repair facility to perform the work described on the vehicle listed. The estimate reflects anticipated parts and labour; the facility will contact the customer for approval before exceeding it.

What you fill in

Vehicle (year/make/model) e.g. 2019 Toyota Camry
Estimated cost e.g. $850.00
Authorization number e.g. RO-1042

Who signs

Customer: signs first
Provider: signs after the customer

Terms included

The facility will perform the authorised work in a professional manner using suitable parts. Replaced parts are available for inspection on request. Payment is due when the vehicle is released. Vehicles left after completion may accrue storage charges. The customer signs first; the provider countersigns to confirm the work order.

Common questions

Do I need a new authorization if the estimate goes up?

Yes. The signature covers the work and the price on the form in front of the customer. If you find more damage once the car is apart, send a second authorization for the revised scope and price rather than adding it to the invoice.

Can the customer approve the repair without coming back to the shop?

Yes, that's what sending it electronically is for. The customer gets a link, reads the scope and the estimate on their phone, signs, and you have the approval on file before they have left the parking lot.

Sending it for signature

Open the template in GSD, fill in your details, and enter the other party's email. They get a link and sign in their browser on any device (your signer needs no account and nothing to install), and both of you get the completed PDF with an audit trail recording every view and signature, plus a SHA-256 hash so any later change is detectable. Electronic signatures collected this way are intended to be legally binding under the U.S. ESIGN Act and UETA. See security & legal validity for the detail, and pricing for what it costs (the first five documents each month are free).

This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Read the terms and edit them to match how you work, and check that electronic signing suits your document type and jurisdiction before you rely on it.

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