Automotive Refinishing Technician

Automotive Refinishing Technician is the official Red Seal trade name as of October 23, 2018. The previous Red Seal name for this trade was Automotive Painter.

Automotive refinishing technicians work on the surfaces of motor vehicles to restore them to their original condition following damage and subsequent auto body repair. Their duties include removing exterior trim and hardware, removing layers of sub-coating, matching colours and mixing paints. They also prepare metal surfaces for painting, polish painted surfaces and apply anti-corrosive treatments.

National Occupational Classification (NOC): 72411

Designation Year: 1992

Designated Red Seal in: AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, ON, PE, SK, YT
Trade title: Automotive Refinishing Technician, in BC, NL, NS
Other titles used in provinces/territories: Auto Body Technician - Auto Body Refinisher (AB, NT), Automotive Painter (MB, NB, ON, PE, SK, YT)

Occupational Standard for current exams

View the most recent standard. This is the complete description of the activities of the Automotive Refinishing Technician trade. It is used as the basis for the Red Seal exams for this trade.

Essential Skills

Please refer to the Essential Skills section of the trade’s Occupational Standard that describes the essential skills needed to succeed in this trade.

Job Market Reports

Find job market information such as wages, outlooks, education and skills needed at Explore Careers on the Job Bank website.

Sample Questions

See examples of questions to prepare for your Red Seal examination. Try the sample Automotive Refinishing Technician examination questions.

Exam Information

Rate your experience and knowledge in the trade using the Self-Assessment Tool. Learn about how many questions there are on different topics on the Red Seal exam, the types of questions that are used, and examples of each type.

Ellis Chart

Consult the Ellis Chart for a full breakdown of apprenticeship data from across Canada for the trade of Automotive Refinishing Technician.