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Mobile car detailing

Registered business

33 of 52 pathways verified, the rest partly · How we verify
Years to credential0
First real paycheque~3 months
Time in a classroom0%
Total cost$0
Typical debt after$0
Demand in OntarioSteady

The first ten years

schoolearnearnearnearnearnearnearnearnearn
Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

What's in "net by year 10"
Earnings, years 1 to 10$533k$30,000 rising to $60,000 by year five, flat after
Program cost−$0ktuition and fees; startup capital −$5k
Typical (medians)$528kthe number on the card
Low to high$138k to $608kpay 15% under or over the median, cost 15% more or 10% less; low assumes the business closes at the 30% survival point

Not counted: income tax, rent, food, loan interest, inflation, and unemployment gaps. They apply to every route, so they change the size of each number more than the order. Pay is the Ontario median before tax from the sources on this page.

Startup capital$5,000
Months to break even3
Still operating at 5 yrs~30%

The picture

What you need firstNone required; a weekend course helps. Van or trailer, water tank, generator.
What the day-to-day isTwo to four cars a day at customers' homes or offices; fleet contracts (dealerships, rental) are the profitable side.
What actually stops peopleStanding out from hundreds of others in the GTA. Reviews and photos are the whole marketing.
The downsideWeather-dependent, physically repetitive, and price-sensitive customers.
If you're the parentLow capital, quick to start, and dealership fleet work can make it a real income. Ceiling is modest unless it grows into a shop.
Local opportunities in Ontario

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Eight quick questions about whether this route fits your life, not just your grades. You'll get a readiness check, and if you want, we'll introduce you to employers, unions or programs in your region.

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How to enter

What you need
  • No specific courses or average; Grade 12 (or equivalent) and a willingness to show up
Deadlines in Ontario
  • No deadline; register the business name online in a day, HST number when sales pass $30,000

Next steps

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◐ Partly verified Five-year survival: StatCan 11F0019M no. 407 (fewer than 30% of unincorporated self-employed entrants survive five years; about 50% for incorporated owners); ISED Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (63% for firms starting with 1–4 employees, 68% all employer firms). The figure shown assumes a solo start. Startup capital, break-even and owner income are estimates: no published Canadian source

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