Given the digital and electronic upgrades of industrial vehicles and carsthe sector of theautomotive has seen many changes in recent years. Today, deciding to opening a machine shop can be a very profitable and rewarding choicebut it must be borne in mind that it can require numerous steps and a long and complex bureaucratic process.

According to the data collected by ISTAT in 2022 the Italian vehicle fleet amounts to over 40 million cars and, if buses, trolley buses, trucks, motorbikes and other vehicles are also taken into account, this exceeds 53 million. In order to be able to circulate on the roads in accordance with the law, each of these vehicles must be periodically checked, maintained and repaired. Opening a mechanic's workshop can therefore be a profitable business, but it is essential to have the technical and organisational skills to carry out all the steps of the bureaucratic process correctly.

Currently, to work in the automotive sector you need to reconciling practical and theoretical skills and in Italy the Istituti Tecnici Superiori (ITS Academy) are the only ones to provide specific training to work directly in the field. The ITS Automotive Service Course is structured to give its students a multifaceted and comprehensive training in vehicle maintenance and repair, integrating advanced technical skills with a focus on customer reception and after-sales services.

Thanks to face-to-face lectures with industry experts working in the area and 900 hours of internships in companies, students can acquire in-depth knowledge of mechanical, electrical and electronic systems, using advanced diagnostic tools (ADAS) that are fundamental for working in a mechanical workshop. The training programme also includes modules dedicated to customer experience management, from reception to after-sales service.

What is needed to open a machine shop

When we speak of a mechanic's workshop, we mean an auto repair business that may include the activities of mechatronics, tyre shop e bodywork, the maintenance and repair of components, l'installation of equipment, the for sale or the rental of road transport vehicles. Let us now see what are the 5 steps fundamentals to be able to open this type of business:

  1. Opening a VAT number: the first step is certainly to open a VAT number by communicating your data to theInternal Revenue Service territorially competent and register in the Commercial Register at the Chamber of Commerce indicating the reference Ateco code (45.20 maintenance and repair of motor vehicles);
  2. Sending the Certified Declaration of Start of Activity (SCIA)The second fundamental step concerns thesending the Certified Declaration of Commencement of Activity to the Sportello Unico Attività Produttive (SUAP) of its municipality. This document must indicate the address of the registered office of each local unit, the name of the technical manager of the workshop, and the assessment of the noise and atmospheric emission impact of the activity;
  3. Request for authorisation to display the sign: the third passage always takes place at the Municipality and concerns the application for authorisation to display the sign outside the machine shop;
  4. Opening a position with INPS and INAIL: In order to ensure the safety of workers and the compliance of the activity, it is necessary to open a position with the public bodies of Social Security e Insurance against Accidents at Work; 
  5. Issuance of certifications relating to safety regulations, practicabilityThe last essential step is the issuing of certificates, which can be obtained after a careful assessment of the installation by experts in the field of occupational safety.

Opening a machine shop can seem like a long and complex process due to the many bureaucratic steps involved, which is why it is important to carefully prepare a business strategy to assess all possible operating costs, but also the prospects of earning moneyo. In addition to technical planning that is more related to the administrative management side, it is essential to have a great deal of passion, experience and willpower, resources that, combined with specific training in the sector, can make a machine shop a profitable business.

Author of the article

ITS MOVE - Editor