Auto repair / mechanic shop software, built around ASE, EPA and estimate -> authorization -> repair order with over-estimate guard

Arkathos gives a auto repair a workspace tailored to how the work actually runs — This workspace is built around turning a written, authorized estimate into a repair order, a parts pull, and a paid invoice. Arkathos tailors a auto repair workspace around 5 agents: Quartermaster, Sentinel, Treasury, Armory, Herald.

Compliance a auto repair can't afford to miss

Watchtower tracks every license, bond, insurance policy, and continuing-education requirement for a auto repair, with renewal cadences and staged reminders so nothing lapses.

• A auto repair must maintain a Automotive Repair Dealer (ARD) Registration, through the State automotive repair regulator (e.g., California Bureau of Automotive Repair), which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a City/County Business License, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Automotive Repair Dealer Registration (e.g. CA BAR / state shop registration), through the State Bureau of Automotive Repair / DMV, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Vehicle Safety / Emissions Inspection Station License, through the State DMV / Department of Public Safety / Motor Vehicle Commission, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Motor Vehicle Emissions / Safety Inspection Station License, through the State DMV / Environmental Agency, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Smog Check / Emissions Inspector License, through the State environmental / motor vehicle agency (e.g., California BAR, PennDOT, NJ MVC), which renews every two years.
• The Smog Check / Emissions Inspector License carries a continuing-education requirement of 4 hours every two years (4h Emissions inspector update / recertification training).
• A auto repair must maintain a ASE Technician Certification (per tech), through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), which renews every 5 years.
• A auto repair must maintain a EPA Section 609 MVAC Refrigerant Handling Certification, through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-approved certification program), which has no fixed renewal cycle.
• A auto repair must maintain a ASE Automobile & Light Truck Certification (A-series), through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), which renews every 5 years.
• A auto repair must maintain a Hazardous Waste Generator EPA/RCRA ID Registration, through the EPA / State Environmental Agency, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a EPA Hazardous Waste Generator ID Number (RCRA Subtitle C), through the U.S. EPA / authorized state environmental agency, which has no fixed renewal cycle.
• A auto repair must maintain a Used Oil / Hazardous Waste Disposal Permit, through the State Environmental Agency, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Garage Liability Insurance (General Liability), through the Private insurer, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Sales Tax / Seller's Permit, through the State Dept of Revenue, which has no fixed renewal cycle.
• A auto repair must maintain a Certificate of Occupancy, through the Local Building Dept, which has no fixed renewal cycle.
• A auto repair must maintain a Garagekeepers Legal Liability Insurance, through the Private insurer, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Garage Liability & Garage Keepers Insurance, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Workers' Compensation Insurance, through the State workers' compensation program / private insurer, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a Cyber Liability Insurance, through the Private insurer, which renews every year.
• A auto repair must maintain a General Liability Insurance, which renews every year.

Everything Arkathos runs for a auto repair

These are the agents set up first for a auto repair — and because it's one platform, every plan includes all 16 Arkathos agents. Also included whenever you need them: Guardhouse, Scribe, Courier, War Room, Marshall, Mint Warden, Vault Keeper, Watchtower, Bulletin Board, Client Portal.

• Quartermaster — Online booking & appointments, Calendar & availability, Events & waitlists, Automated reminders, Job dispatch & scheduling.
• Sentinel — Contact & lead management, Deal / estimate pipeline, Task & follow-up tracking, SMS & email outreach, Pipeline reporting.
• Treasury — Invoicing & payment collection, Expense tracking, Accounting & bookkeeping, Business tax prep & filing, Recurring billing & subscriptions, Financial dashboards & reports.
• Armory — Inventory & stock tracking, Supplier & purchase orders, Receipt scanning (OCR), Waste & shrink tracking, Low-stock alerts.
• Herald — SEO & get-found content, Social media scheduling, Email & newsletter campaigns, Brand voice & content studio, Review & reputation growth, AI-overview & directory visibility.

Your tailored auto repair workspace

These are net-new, auto repair-specific capabilities — not a generic CRM bolted onto your industry.

• Estimate -> authorization -> repair order with over-estimate guard (Dispatch): A first-class RO object: parts + labor-hour line items, customer e-signature authorization before any work (CA BAR-style), and a hard rule that work cannot exceed the authorized estimate by more than the state threshold without a re-authorization prompt and logged consent.
• Vehicle/VIN record with service history (Sentinel): Track the vehicle, not just the contact: VIN/plate, year/make/model, current mileage, and a chronological service-history timeline so returning cars surface prior ROs, declined work, and due maintenance.
• Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI) with photo/video send-for-approval (Dispatch): Tech captures photos/video of worn parts per inspection point, builds a recommended-work list, and texts it to the customer who approves or declines line-by-line; approvals flow straight onto the RO.
• Labor-time guide + flat-rate book and tech clock-on per RO (Marshall): Flat-rate hours per operation, tech assignment to each RO, and clock-on/clock-off against the job so efficiency (billed vs actual hours) and tech productivity are measurable.
• Parts core-charge & warranty-return ledger (Armory): Track core charges owed and reclaimed, warranty/defective part returns to the supplier, and tie each back to a Treasury vendor credit so cores and returns are never lost money.
• Hazardous-waste & EPA/RCRA disposal log (Watchtower): Logged manifests for used oil, antifreeze, solvents, and refrigerant (Section 609 A/C cert), with disposal-vendor records and renewal reminders to keep the shop audit-ready.
• ASE cert + emissions/inspection-station license renewals (Watchtower): Track per-tech ASE certifications (CE), the shop business license, and emissions/safety-inspection-station authorizations with expiry alerts.

The agents and tabs you get

Quartermaster for a auto repair surfaces Dispatch, Chat. Sentinel for a auto repair surfaces Overview, Contacts, Tasks, Chat. Treasury for a auto repair surfaces Invoices, Draft estimate, Sales tax, Vendor credits, Chat. Armory for a auto repair surfaces Items, Suppliers, Inbox, Quick Count, Chat. Herald for a auto repair surfaces Get found, Directories, Brief, Compose, ✦Studio, Schedule, Chat, Brand voice.

Frequently asked questions

best auto repair shop software

Popular picks include Tekmetric, Shopmonkey, AutoLeap, and Mitchell1, covering estimates, repair orders, DVI, and scheduling. Arkathos instead bundles CRM, scheduling, invoicing, payroll, and compliance in one flat-priced platform instead of stacking separate tools.

how much does auto repair shop software cost per month

Independent shops typically pay $40 to $180 a month; mid-tier platforms start near $199 plus add-ons, payment processing, and per-location fees that push real cost 40 to 60 percent higher. Arkathos uses flat pricing, no per-seat fees.

is there free auto repair shop management software

Yes. ARI, Hibbitts Auto Pro, and Auto Repair HQ offer free tiers for invoicing, work orders, and vehicle history. Free plans limit users, reporting, and integrations, so growing shops usually outgrow them.

what is a digital vehicle inspection (dvi)

A DVI replaces paper checklists with tablet inspections that attach photos and video, then text the customer a color-coded report. The visual proof builds trust and raises repair approval rates.

how do i get more customers for my auto repair shop

Optimize your Google Business Profile, collect reviews, and send automated text and email reminders for oil changes, inspections, and rotations. Arkathos's marketing and CRM agents handle reviews, follow-ups, and local search visibility.

what should be on an auto repair invoice or repair order

Include shop name, address, license number, customer info, and vehicle VIN, plus itemized parts and labor. Note any used or rebuilt parts, and document customer authorization before exceeding the estimate, often by more than 10 percent.

how do i set my labor rate and parts markup for estimates

Set a labor rate covering overhead plus a 40 to 70 percent margin, using a national labor-time guide for hours. Parts markup usually runs 40 to 100 percent over wholesale to cover sourcing, warranty, and profit.

auto repair shop online booking and appointment scheduling software

Self-service online booking lets customers schedule 24/7, syncs to your bay calendar, and sends SMS reminders to cut no-shows; some tools add a Book Online button to your Google profile. Arkathos includes scheduling with reminders.

how do i keep track of customer vehicles and service history

Shop management software stores a profile per vehicle, VIN, past repair orders, recommended work, and notes, so you pull full service history instantly. Arkathos's CRM keeps vehicle and customer records in one place.

What licenses and insurance does a auto repair need?

Arkathos tracks 20 items for a auto repair, including Automotive Repair Dealer (ARD) Registration, City/County Business License, Automotive Repair Dealer Registration (e.g. CA BAR / state shop registration), Vehicle Safety / Emissions Inspection Station License. Each renewal and expiration is monitored in Watchtower with staged reminders.

What continuing education is required for a auto repair?

The Smog Check / Emissions Inspector License carries a continuing-education requirement of 4 hours every two years (4h Emissions inspector update / recertification training). Watchtower logs hours by category and flags shortfalls before the deadline.

Which Arkathos agents does a auto repair get?

Arkathos tailors a auto repair workspace around 5 agents: Quartermaster, Sentinel, Treasury, Armory, Herald.

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