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Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on April 1, 2022
Updated on March 13, 2024
Investment range
$10,050 - $18,100
Revenue potential
$156,000 - $470,000 p.a.
Time to build
1 – 3 months
Profit potential
$47,000 - $140,000 p.a.
Industry trend
Growing
Commitment
Flexible
Vehicle wrapping refers to covering a car, van, or truck with vinyl decals for promotional or aesthetic purposes. It’s already worth $4 billion and among the US’ fastest-growing industries, forecast for stunning 22% annual growth through 2028. To get in on this booming market, you could become a certified wrapper and start your own vehicle wrapping business.
In addition to vehicle wrapping, however, you’ll also need some entrepreneurial skills. Luckily, this step-by-step guide has all the insights and information you need to start your successful vehicle wrapping business.
Looking to register your business? A limited liability company (LLC) is the best legal structure for new businesses because it is fast and simple.
Form your business immediately using ZenBusiness LLC formation service or hire one of the Best LLC Services.
Starting a vehicle wrapping business has pros and cons to consider before deciding if it’s right for you.
Trends in the vehicle wrapping industry include:
Challenges in the vehicle wrapping industry include:
Startup costs for a vehicle wrapping business range from $10,000 to $18,000. Costs include a garage rental, equipment, education, and certification. If you’re able to use your own garage or already have an available space, your costs would be considerably reduced.
You’ll need to find hands-on vehicle wrapping training in your area, such as Avery Dennison. The cost for two two-day courses plus the exam is about $2,500.
You’ll need a handful of items to successfully launch your vehicle wrapping business, including:
| Start-up Costs | Ballpark Range | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Setting up a business name and corporation | $150 - $200 | $175 |
| Business licenses and permits | $100 - $300 | $200 |
| Insurance | $100-$300 | $200 |
| Business cards and brochures | $200 - $300 | $250 |
| Website setup | $1,000 - $3,000 | $2,000 |
| Garage space rental deposit | $3,000 - $5,000 | $4,000 |
| Wrapping Equipment | $3,000 - $6,000 | $4,500 |
| Education and certification | $2,500 - $3,000 | $2,750 |
| Total | $10,050 - $18,100 | $14,075 |
The average price to wrap a car is $3,000. Your profit margin after materials, labor, and rent should be about 30%.
In your first year or two, you might wrap one car per week, bringing in $156,000 in annual revenue. This would mean $47,000 in profit, assuming that 30% margin. As your brand gains recognition and you ramp up your marketing, sales could climb to three cars per week. With annual revenue of nearly $470,000, you’d make a tidy profit of $140,000.
There are a few barriers to entry for a vehicle wrapping business. Your biggest challenges will be:
Now that you know what’s involved in starting a vehicle wrapping business, it’s a good idea to hone your concept in preparation to enter a competitive market.
Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important, because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.
Research vehicle wrapping businesses in your area to examine their products/services, price points, and customer reviews. You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing a business that does custom advertising vinyl wraps, or metal-colored wraps.
You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as van wrapping for small businesses, or wraps with bold patterns.
This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away.
You’ll just need to determine what you want to specialize in. You could offer single-color wraps, patterned wraps, or advertising wraps.
Your prices will depend on the size of the car and your cost of materials. The average price to wrap a sedan is about $3,000. After costs of materials, labor, and rent, you should aim for a profit margin of 30%.
Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.
If you decide to specialize in advertising wraps, your target market will be small business owners. You can find them on LinkedIn, or you can call on them directly. You can find local small businesses on Google or Yelp.
You’ll likely need to rent out a garage space. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist, Crexi, and Instant Offices.
When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:
Your business name is your business identity, so choose one that encapsulates your objectives, services, and mission in just a few words. You probably want a name that’s short and easy to remember, since much of your business, and your initial business in particular, will come from word-of-mouth referrals.
Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:
Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these.
Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that sets your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.
Every business needs a plan. This will function as a guidebook to take your startup through the launch process and maintain focus on your key goals. A business plan also enables potential partners and investors to better understand your company and its vision:
If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.
Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.
Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business!
Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you’re planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to vehicle wrapping businesses.
If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state.
Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your vehicle wrapping business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely.
Here are the main options:
We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization, and answer any questions you might have.
Choose Your State
The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN.
Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.
The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist, and taxes can be filed online.
It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you’re completing them correctly.
Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:
Bank and SBA loans are probably the best option, other than friends and family, for funding a vehicle wrapping business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept.
Starting a vehicle wrapping business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.
Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits.
You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more.
You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package. They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.
This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.
If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.
Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account.
Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your vehicle wrapping business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.
Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account.
Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.
Here are some types of insurance to consider:
As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business.
Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.
You may want to use industry-specific software, such as ordant, cyrious, or WRAPSHOP, to manage your estimates, invoicing, and payments.
Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.
You can create your own website using services like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.
They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google.
Here are some powerful marketing strategies for your future business:
Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that sets it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your vehicle wrapping business meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire.
Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your vehicle wrapping business could be:
You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a vehicle wrapping business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in vehicle wrapping for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections.
The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in vehicle wrapping. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership.
If you’re starting out small from a home office, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a vehicle wrapping business include:
At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need.
Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed, Glassdoor, or ZipRecruiter. Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent.
If you want to start a business in a booming industry, vehicle wrapping fits the bill. The industry is projected to expand more than 22% each of the next six years, so now is the perfect time to hop aboard. You’ll need to invest in training and equipment, but at an average of $3,000 per car, you can make really good money. The training doesn’t take long, so you can get into business quickly.
Now that you’ve got the business part down, go get that training wrapped up and launch your successful new vehicle wrapping venture!
Profit margins for car wrapping are high, and you can bring in revenue of an average of $3,000 per car. The key is getting trained so that you can provide great service. If you make your customers happy, they’ll come back and give you referrals.
Your prices will depend on the type of materials used and the size of the vehicle. You should markup your costs so that you earn a net profit margin after labor and rent of about 30%. You should also check competitors’ prices in your area.
The longevity of a car wrap depends on factors such as the quality of the wrap material, the installation process, and the exposure to elements such as sunlight and weather conditions. A well-installed car wrap using high-quality vinyl material can last up to 5-7 years, with proper care and maintenance.
The color of the car that is easiest to wrap depends on the design and material used for the wrap. Generally, lighter colors such as white, silver, or beige are easier to wrap as they require less material to cover and are less likely to show imperfections or bubbles. However, experienced installers can successfully wrap cars of any color.
Starting a vehicle wrapping business on the side is possible but requires careful planning and investment in equipment, supplies, and marketing efforts. Consider the local demand for car wrapping services, competition, and pricing strategies. Ensure you have adequate space for storage, cutting, and installation of the vinyl wraps. Evaluate your time and resources to balance the demands of your primary job and the business.
The hardest part of wrapping a car is achieving a seamless and smooth finish, especially on complex curves, corners, and edges. The installation process requires attention to detail, precision, and skill to avoid wrinkles, bubbles, or creases. Proper surface preparation, cleaning, and priming are essential to ensure the vinyl adheres well and lasts long.
Yes, offering custom designs and graphics for vehicle wraps can be a lucrative service to attract customers and differentiate your business from competitors. Consider investing in graphic design software, printing equipment, and cutters to create custom designs and logos. Ensure you have a clear understanding of the client’s brand and preferences, and offer mock-ups or digital proofs before proceeding with the installation.
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