Cal. BPC § 9884.9 — California Code / Code bpc / Division 3 / Chapter 20.3 / Article 3 / Section 9884.9
Section 9884.9
Status: in_force

(a) The automotive repair dealer shall give to the customer a written estimated price for labor and parts necessary for a specific job, except as provided in subdivision (e). No work shall be done and no charges shall accrue before authorization to proceed is obtained from the customer. No charge shall be made for work done or parts supplied in excess of the estimated price, or the posted price specified in subdivision (e), without the oral or written consent of the customer that shall be obtained at some time after it is determined that the estimated or posted price is insufficient and before the work not estimated or posted is done or the parts not estimated or posted are supplied. Written consent or authorization for an increase in the original estimated or posted price may be provided by electronic mail or facsimile transmission from the customer. The bureau may specify in regulation the procedures to be followed by an automotive repair dealer if an authorization or consent for an increase in the original estimated price is provided by electronic mail or facsimile transmission. If that consent is oral, the dealer shall make a notation on the work order of the date, time, name of person authorizing the additional repairs, and telephone number called, if any, together with a specification of the additional parts and labor and the total additional cost, and shall do either of the following:

(1) Make a notation on the invoice of the same facts set forth in the notation on the work order.

(2) Upon completion of the repairs, obtain the customer’s signature or initials to an acknowledgment of notice and consent, if there is an oral consent of the customer to additional repairs, in the following language:

“I acknowledge notice and oral approval of an increase in the original estimated price.

(signature or initials)”

Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring an automotive repair dealer to give a written estimated price if the dealer does not agree to perform the requested repair.

(b) The automotive repair dealer shall include with the written estimated price a statement of any automotive repair service that, if required to be done, will be done by someone other than the dealer or his or her employees. No service shall be done by other than the dealer or his or her employees without the consent of the customer, unless the customer cannot reasonably be notified. The dealer shall be responsible, in any case, for any service in the same manner as if the dealer or his or her employees had done the service.

(c) In addition to subdivisions (a) and (b), an automotive repair dealer, when doing auto body or collision repairs, shall provide an itemized written estimate for all parts and labor to the customer. The estimate shall describe labor and parts separately and shall identify each part, indicating whether the replacement part is new, used, rebuilt, or reconditioned. Each crash part shall be identified on the written estimate and the written estimate shall indicate whether the crash part is an original equipment manufacturer crash part or a nonoriginal equipment manufacturer aftermarket crash part.

(d) A customer may designate another person to authorize work or parts supplied in excess of the estimated price, if the designation is made in writing at the time that the initial authorization to proceed is signed by the customer. The bureau may specify in regulation the form and content of a designation and the procedures to be followed by the automotive repair dealer in recording the designation. For the purposes of this section, a designee shall not be the automotive repair dealer providing repair services or an insurer involved in a claim that includes the motor vehicle being repaired, or an employee or agent or a person acting on behalf of the dealer or insurer.

(e) A written estimate is not required for an automotive repair dealer to perform any of the preventative maintenance services defined in Section 9880.1 if the customer authorizes the service and either of the following occurs:

(1) The service is performed free of charge.

(2) The total price for labor and parts necessary to perform the service is displayed in a place and manner conspicuous to the customer or is made available to and acknowledged by the customer at the automotive repair facility where the service is performed.