A clear written quote wins the job and prevents the "you said 800" argument at handover. This guide lists what to put on a quotation and a job card for a small workshop or mobile mechanic in the UAE, and how to get it to the customer's phone in a couple of minutes. It is general information, not tax or legal advice; ask your accountant about VAT.
1. Quotation vs job card vs tax invoice
| Document | When | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Quotation | Before work | Price the customer approves: parts, labour, VAT, validity. |
| Job card | When the car is booked in | Vehicle, odometer, complaint, work done, technician, customer signature. |
| Tax invoice | When you bill | Has legal content requirements; issue it from your invoicing or accounting software. |
The Federal Tax Authority publishes what a tax invoice must contain. A quotation or job card is not one, so label it clearly.
2. What goes on the quote
- Your details: workshop name, phone, address, and TRN if you're VAT-registered.
- Vehicle: plate, make / model / year, odometer, VIN if you need it for parts.
- Customer: name and mobile.
- Complaint in the customer's words, and what you found.
- Lines: each part (OEM or aftermarket) and each labour item with quantity and price.
- Totals: subtotal, discount, VAT at 5% (the UAE standard rate per the Ministry of Finance) and total.
- Validity (for example 7 days, because parts prices move) and a line for approval.
Write the headings in English and Arabic so every customer can read it. Your own entries can be in either language.
3. Send it while the customer is still at the counter
A PDF on WhatsApp gets approved faster than a phone call. On a phone, the share button sends the PDF straight to WhatsApp; on a laptop, download it and attach it. WhatsApp's click to chat link can open the customer's chat with a short summary ready.
The free car repair quote and job card maker does all of this in the browser: English + Arabic PDF, 5% VAT, share to WhatsApp, 5 free PDFs a month.
4. After the job: a register, not a pile of paper
Keep one line per job: plate, complaint, technician, labour, parts, total, promised and delivered dates, paid and balance. Add the next service date or kilometres so you can remind the customer later. Track parts used against stock so you know what to reorder.
The optional Garage Job Cards & Quotes Kit (Pro key for the quote maker plus an Excel / Google Sheets job register with parts stock and service reminders, $29 Starter / $69 Workshop, one-off, 14-day money-back guarantee) is built for 1–5 bay workshops and mobile mechanics. It is not a full garage management system.
Sources
- Federal Tax Authority – Tax invoices
- UAE Ministry of Finance – Value Added Tax (VAT)
- WhatsApp Help Center – How to use click to chat
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Published 2026-10-09 by Karuna Labs. Our tools check file structure and checksums; always review outputs (and payment files in your bank's preview) before relying on them. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.