Massachusetts Division of Standards, Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

Motor Vehicle Damage Repair Shop Registration

Massachusetts does register repair shops, which many states do not, and the bond is the larger commitment: $10,000, as a surety bond or an approved letter of credit, alongside two signed letters of recommendation. The obligations that follow are substantial — for every vehicle you must record the description, vehicle identification number, date received, who it came from, a signed work authorisation, every major component part with its purchase invoice and the work performed, all kept eighteen months. The registration number must appear in every advertisement, and violating the chapter is also a violation of the consumer protection statute, which carries multiple damages. One requirement many sources still list has been dropped: the division no longer requires a licensed auto damage appraiser on staff. One scope question is left open here because the state's own pages differ and the legislature's site could not be reached — the hub page and fee table describe a damage repair shop and body shops, while the application page says all motor vehicle repair shops, so whether a purely mechanical shop is captured should be confirmed with the division before relying on either reading.