How Much Does Car Detailing Cost? 2026 Price Guide

Car detailing costs $150–$300 for a complete interior and exterior detail on an average vehicle, with basic packages starting around $75–$125 and premium services like paint correction running $500–$1,500 or more. Ceramic coating packages typically cost $1,000–$3,000 installed. Your exact price depends on vehicle size, condition, location, and the services included.

Here's the full price breakdown I'd want if I were budgeting for a detail — including the add-ons that surprise people and the questions that get you an accurate quote.

Car Detailing Prices at a Glance

Service	Sedan/Coupe	SUV/Truck/Van
Basic wash & vacuum	$30–$60	$40–$75
Express/mini detail	$75–$125	$100–$150
Full interior detail	$100–$175	$150–$250
Full exterior detail	$100–$175	$125–$225
Complete detail (in + out)	$150–$275	$200–$350
Paint correction (single stage)	$300–$600	$400–$800
Paint correction (multi-stage)	$600–$1,500	$800–$2,000
Ceramic coating (installed)	$1,000–$2,500	$1,500–$3,000+

Prices vary by market — expect the high end of these ranges in major metros and coastal cities, and the lower end in smaller towns.

What's Included at Each Price Tier

Basic Wash & Vacuum: $30–$75

Hand wash, wheel cleaning, interior vacuum, window wipe-down. This is maintenance, not detailing — it keeps a clean car clean but won't fix anything.

Express Detail: $75–$150

Everything in a basic wash plus surface wipe-downs, door jambs, tire dressing, and usually a spray wax. Good for a refresh before an event or road trip. Takes 1–2 hours.

Full Interior Detail: $100–$250

Deep vacuum including under seats, carpet and upholstery shampoo or steam extraction, leather cleaning and conditioning, vent and crevice detailing, interior glass. This is the tier where stains, odors, and pet hair actually get resolved.

Full Exterior Detail: $100–$225

Hand wash, wheel and tire deep clean, clay bar decontamination, machine or hand wax/sealant, trim dressing. The clay bar and real protection layer are what separate this from a fancy wash.

Complete Detail: $150–$350

Both of the above. The best per-dollar value on most menus, since shops discount the combination versus booking each side separately.

Paint Correction: $300–$2,000

Machine polishing to remove swirl marks, scratches, and oxidation. Priced by stages — a one-step polish handles light swirls; multi-stage correction for neglected paint costs more because it takes a full day or more of labor.

Ceramic Coating: $1,000–$3,000+

Professional-grade coating plus the mandatory paint correction and prep beforehand. Most of the price is labor and prep, not the bottle of coating. Cheaper quotes usually mean prep steps are being skipped — and coating over uncorrected paint locks the swirls in.

Common Add-Ons and What They Cost

Pet hair removal: $25–$100 (detailers price this by dread level, and fairly so)
Engine bay cleaning: $25–$75
Headlight restoration: $50–$120 per pair
Odor removal / ozone treatment: $50–$150
Stain treatment: $25–$75 per area
Water spot removal: $50–$150
Fabric protection: $50–$100

Excessively dirty vehicles also trigger a condition surcharge at most shops — commonly $50–$150 on top of the package price. If your car qualifies, you'll know.

Mobile Detailing Costs

Mobile detailers — the ones who come to your driveway or office — charge roughly the same as shops, sometimes 10–20% more for the convenience. For many people that premium is easily worth it: you skip the drop-off, the ride arrangement, and the waiting room entirely. Just make sure they'll have access to water and power, or confirm they carry their own.

Why Prices Vary So Much

Five factors drive nearly all the variation in detailing quotes:

Vehicle size. More surface area = more product and more hours.
Condition. A maintained car and a neglected car are different jobs with the same name.
Location. Labor costs in Los Angeles or New York run well above national averages.
Experience and equipment. A veteran detailer with professional extractors and polishers charges more than a weekend operation — and the results show it.
Products used. Premium sealants and coatings cost the detailer more, and that flows through to you.

Is Cheap Detailing Worth It?

Sometimes — but know what you're buying. A $75 "full detail" is an express detail with ambitious marketing. The math that matters: a proper $250 complete detail twice a year costs about $500 annually to protect a vehicle worth tens of thousands. Meanwhile, skipping protection leads to oxidized paint, cracked leather, and permanent stains that cost far more to fix than they ever did to prevent.

My rule: pay for the middle tier or better from a well-reviewed detailer, and skip both the suspiciously cheap and the needlessly exotic.

How to Get an Accurate Quote

Detailers can't price what they haven't seen, so help them help you:

State your vehicle's year, make, and model
Be honest about condition — pets, kids, smoking, last deep clean
Ask what's included, specifically whether clay bar and real wax/sealant are in the package
Ask about condition surcharges up front
For correction or coating, expect an in-person inspection before a firm price

FAQ: Quick Answers

How much does a full car detail cost? A complete interior and exterior detail costs $150–$275 for a sedan and $200–$350 for an SUV or truck at most shops in 2026.

How much does interior detailing cost? Full interior detailing costs $100–$175 for a sedan and $150–$250 for larger vehicles, including shampoo/extraction and leather conditioning.

How much is mobile car detailing? Mobile detailing costs about the same as shop detailing or slightly more — typically $150–$400 for a complete detail depending on vehicle size and market.

Why is ceramic coating so expensive? Because the coating requires paint correction and meticulous prep before application, plus controlled cure time. You're paying for 1–3 days of skilled labor, not the product itself.

How much should I tip a car detailer? Tipping isn't required, but 10–20% is a common thank-you for exceptional work, especially on a vehicle that was in rough shape.

The Bottom Line

Expect to pay $150–$300 for a proper complete detail, more for large or neglected vehicles, and $1,000+ when you move into paint correction and ceramic coating territory. Prices are ultimately a function of hours — detailing is skilled manual labor, and good detailers earn their rate. Compare detailers near you in our directory to see who serves your area, including mobile options that come to you.