#mobile-detailing
Bookkeeping for mobile auto detailing and ceramic coating businesses, including material costs, warranty deferred revenue, and vehicle deductions
How to set up the books for a boat detailing business — separate income accounts for each service tier (wash, polish, ceramic coating, oxidation restoration priced $10–$200 per foot), a 12-month cash flow forecast for a season that concentrates 80% of revenue into six months, and distinct tracking for recurring marina and yacht club contracts.
A $150 mobile detail costs $15-$20 in chemicals plus fuel, equipment wear, and unbilled quote time; tracking cost-per-job, the 72.5-cent 2026 IRS mileage rate, Section 179 equipment write-offs, and profit-per-drive-hour reveals whether a detailing business is actually as profitable as its revenue suggests.
Mobile detailing and ceramic coating businesses should track material costs separately (typically 4-9% of revenue), record coating warranties and membership plans as deferred revenue until service is delivered, and can deduct up to $32,000 in 2026 under Section 179 on service vans between 6,001-14,000 lbs GVWR.
