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CURRENT RULECaliforniaRepair / customer rights✓ Human reviewed

Are your estimates, approvals, invoices, and records complete?

California repair transactions generally require an estimate before repair, customer authorization before work/additional work, a compliant final invoice, and linked repair records. BAR’s current guide says estimates, work orders, invoices, and authorization records must be retained for at least three years.

Quick check

Open a few recent repair files and confirm the estimate, customer authorization, added-work approval, final invoice, and required record retention are all there.

At a glance
JurisdictionCalifornia
TopicRepair / customer rights
VerifiedSep 24, 2026
Review cadenceOngoing; review documentation workflow whenever BAR updates Write It Right or your estimating/RO system changes.
When this applies

You are a California Automotive Repair Dealer performing covered repairs.

Audit a sample of recent repair files: confirm estimate, authorization before work, documented additional authorization, compliant invoice, unique transaction linkage, and three-year record retention.

Official evidence

Source and verification

Verified
Sep 24, 2026
Applies to
All shop types

Quick-reference compliance planning only; not legal advice or an exhaustive statement of every applicable Federal, state, or local rule. Always verify the official source.

Regulatory history

Related California changes

View state page →
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