If you’re hiring technicians, or you’re a technician trying to work out whether you’re being paid fairly, the honest answer is: it depends heavily on experience level, qualification, and whether you’re working for an independent garage or a franchised dealership. Here’s a realistic breakdown of where salaries sit across the UK motor trade right now.
Level 2 Qualified Technician (the baseline)
A Level 2 qualification is generally the entry point for a technician who can work with reasonable independence on routine servicing and repairs, though still under some supervision for more complex jobs.
- Independent garages: £22,000 – £26,000 basic
- Franchised dealers: £24,000 – £28,000 basic
Franchised dealers tend to sit slightly higher at this level because of manufacturer training investment and structured pay scales, but the gap is usually modest at Level 2.
Level 3 / Fully Qualified Technician
This is where most technicians land once they’ve completed their apprenticeship and gained a couple of years on the tools, working with less supervision across a full range of jobs.
- Independent garages: £26,000 – £31,000 basic
- Franchised dealers: £29,000 – £35,000 basic, often with a productivity or bonus scheme on top
Experienced Technicians (5+ years)
Once a technician has five or more years of hands-on experience, they’re usually trusted with more complex fault-finding, less oversight, and often some informal mentoring of apprentices. Pay reflects that.
- Independent garages: £30,000 – £37,000 basic
- Franchised dealers: £34,000 – £41,000 basic, with OTE often pushing towards £45,000 once bonus and overtime are included
Diagnostic Technicians
Diagnostic technicians specialise in fault-finding on electrical, electronic and increasingly EV/hybrid systems – work that most general technicians aren’t trained or equipped to do. This specialism commands a clear premium.
- Independent garages: £34,000 – £40,000 basic
- Franchised dealers: £38,000 – £46,000 basic, with OTE frequently quoted at £50,000+ once bonus is factored in
Master Technicians
Master Technician is typically a manufacturer-awarded status, reserved for technicians who’ve completed advanced brand-specific accreditation on top of strong diagnostic ability. It’s the highest standard tier before moving into technical training or workshop management roles.
- Independent garages: £38,000 – £45,000 basic (where the title exists outside franchise structures)
- Franchised dealers: £45,000 – £52,000 basic, with OTE commonly quoted between £55,000 and £62,000+
Why the Franchised vs Independent Gap Exists
Franchised dealers generally pay more in basic salary at the higher skill tiers because they’re funding manufacturer-specific training, brand accreditation, and structured productivity bonus schemes. Independent garages can be competitive – and in some markets even lead on guaranteed basic pay – but they typically offer less structured progression and lower ceiling roles like Master Technician, since that status is usually manufacturer-conferred.
For garage and dealership owners, the takeaway is simple: if you’re advertising below these bands for the responsibility level you’re asking for, you’ll likely struggle to attract or retain the technician you need – especially in diagnostic and master-level roles, where demand consistently outstrips supply.
If you’re recruiting technicians at any level and want to benchmark a role properly before you advertise it, get in touch – philip@cardealerrecruitment.co.uk. With 40+ years in the motor trade, we know what a competitive offer actually looks like in today’s market.
Figures are UK-wide averages for basic salary, drawn from current market data as of August 2026. Actual pay varies by region, brand, and individual dealership or garage group.
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