Be honest about your skills
Before you take anyone’s device:
- Practice on your own broken phones and cheap used ones. Screens and batteries are the most common repairs and the right place to start.
- Add repairs one at a time. Charging ports, cameras, back glass, then tablets. Board-level work (micro-soldering) is a separate skill; don’t advertise it until you can do it reliably.
- Learn to test before and after. Touch, display, cameras, speakers, microphones, charging, Wi-Fi, buttons, Face ID or fingerprint. Testing first protects you from being blamed for problems that were already there.
Certification is usually voluntary. Your reputation will come from results and reviews.
Choose the kind of shop you want to run
- Home-based: lowest cost, but check your lease, HOA and local zoning before customers start showing up at your door.
- Mobile (you go to the customer): flexible, but you need a plan for repairs that can’t be done on site.
- Kiosk or small counter: visible and affordable, but space for a real bench and parts storage is tight.
- Storefront: the most expensive and the most credible. Walk-in traffic, room to grow into computers and consoles, and a place to put a sign.
Also decide what you’ll fix. Phones only is simpler. Adding tablets, computers and game consoles brings more customers but more parts, more tools and more to learn. Many shops start with phones and add computer and console repair later.
Set up the business properly
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s launch your business guide lays out the steps: pick a location, choose a business structure, choose a name, register the business, get federal and state tax ID numbers, apply for licenses and permits, open a business bank account and get business insurance.
A few notes for repair shops:
- EIN: the IRS says you can get an EIN directly from the IRS in minutes for free. Don’t pay a third-party site for it.
- Sales tax: if you sell parts or accessories, find out from your state how sales tax applies to parts and labor. The rules differ by state.
- Insurance: ask your agent specifically about coverage for customer devices while they’re in your care, not just general liability.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. When in doubt, ask a local accountant.
Build your bench
A practical starter bench:
- Precision screwdriver set with the bits your devices need, plus spudgers, picks and opening tools
- Suction cups and a heat source (heat plate or heat gun) for screens and back glass
- ESD mat and wrist strap so static doesn’t kill a board you were paid to fix
- Magnification and good light: a magnifier lamp to start, a microscope if you move into board work
- Multimeter and USB power meter for diagnosing charging problems
- Adhesive, tape and cleaning supplies (isopropyl alcohol, brushes, lint-free cloths)
- Magnetic screw mat or parts trays so screws from two phones never mix
- A safe container for damaged or swollen batteries, away from flammable material
- Known-good test parts for your most common models, to tell a bad screen from a bad board
Find parts suppliers you can trust
When you’re starting:
- Order small first and test what arrives before you buy in bulk.
- Compare quality tiers side by side so you can explain aftermarket versus premium honestly to customers.
- Read the return policy for parts that arrive dead, and keep track of how often it happens.
- Have a backup supplier for when your main one runs out of the screen you need today.
Once parts are on the shelf, track them properly. Our guide to repair shop inventory management covers naming, receiving, counting and reordering.
Set your prices before your first customer
Quoting on the spot, from memory, is how new shops lose money. Build a price list first: part cost, an allowance for parts that break or arrive dead, a labor amount and a labor minimum, rounded to clean prices, with aftermarket and premium options side by side. Our free repair price worksheet walks through it with a worked example.
Decide your policies too: do you charge for diagnosis when the customer declines the repair? What happens if a part has to be ordered? Write it down so everyone at the counter says the same thing.
Use paperwork that protects you
From the first customer:
- Check in every device with a device intake checklist: visible damage, what works and what doesn’t, passcode and data notes.
- Give the customer a signed ticket with the estimate and your terms. Our repair ticket and work order template is free to print.
- Have a written warranty policy: what’s covered, for how long, and what voids it. Start with our warranty policy template.
Decide how you’ll run tickets, parts and cash
Paper works for the first few days. Then come devices waiting for parts, customers calling for updates and a cash drawer that doesn’t match. Pick one system for intake, prices, repair status, parts and cash before that happens.
Get your first customers
- Set up a Google Business Profile for your shop with accurate hours, photos of your bench and your services.
- Ask every happy customer for a review. Early reviews matter more than almost any ad.
- Tell the people around you: neighboring businesses, schools, local community groups.
A free option for running the shop
RepairAmigo is free software for cell phone, computer and electronics repair shops. It was built inside a busy phone, console and computer repair shop that has processed more than 50,000 tickets, so it follows the day at a real counter: fast intake, prices from your own price list, repair statuses, parts that deduct themselves, warranty returns and cash management. There are no ticket or user limits, setup takes about an hour, and it runs on a computer in your shop (a host with at least 16 GB of RAM and 8 CPU threads, so the VM gets its 8 CPUs and 8 GB). Read more about cell phone repair shop software, what free means here, or the setup steps. Made in Texas.
Startup checklist
- Practiced the repairs you’ll offer on your own devices
- Chosen your shop model and what devices you’ll fix
- Registered the business, got your EIN and checked local licenses and permits
- Opened a business bank account and got insurance that covers customer devices
- Set up your bench and battery-safety container
- Tested parts from at least two suppliers
- Built your price list and written your policies
- Printed intake checklists, tickets and your warranty policy
- Chosen a system for tickets, inventory and cash
- Created your Google Business Profile
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start a phone repair business?
It depends mostly on the shop model. A home-based or mobile shop needs tools, starter parts and registration costs, while a storefront adds rent, a deposit, signage and furniture. List each cost for your own plan, and keep cash aside for parts, because you often buy them before the customer pays.
Can I start a phone repair business from home?
Many people do. Check your lease, HOA rules and local zoning before customers visit, register the business as you would any other, and set up a clean, well-lit bench where customers feel comfortable leaving their phone.
Do I need a license or certification to repair phones?
Certification is usually voluntary; customers judge you by results and reviews. You do need the general business registrations, tax IDs and permits your city and state require. The SBA’s launch guide explains how to find them.
What tools do I need to start repairing phones?
Start with a precision screwdriver set, opening tools and spudgers, suction cups, a heat plate or heat gun, an ESD mat and wrist strap, magnification and good light, a multimeter, a USB power meter, adhesive and a safe container for damaged batteries.
What software does a new phone repair shop need?
Look for one system that handles intake, quotes from your price list, repair status, parts inventory, warranty returns and cash. RepairAmigo is free repair shop software for cell phone, computer and electronics repair shops, with no ticket or user limits.
Questions?
Read the setup guide, email support@repairamigo.com, or go back to More about RepairAmigo.