Rebuilder License (2026): How to Get One by State, the Texas $190 Salvage Dealer License, the Illinois $50 Rebuilder License, Georgia, Utah and Florida, and Where Rebuilders Sell

Short answer: it depends on your state and on how many cars you rebuild and sell. In Texas, the law is direct: you need a salvage vehicle dealer license to act as a rebuilder. Utah and Florida do not have a license called "rebuilder," but both treat anyone who sells three or more vehicles in 12 months as a dealer, and both license salvage businesses separately. Rebuilding a car for yourself is treated differently from rebuilding cars to sell. Once it is a business, it is a licensed business.

The usual way rebuilders get tripped up is simple: the side business grows faster than the paperwork. Here is the paperwork, state by state.

Key takeaways

• Texas: Occupations Code 2302.101 bars anyone without a salvage vehicle dealer license from acting as a rebuilder. The license covers rebuilding more than five salvage vehicles in a calendar year.
• Utah: no "rebuilder" license. Utah Code 41-3-201 licenses dealers, salvage vehicle buyers, dismantlers and body shops. A dealer is anyone who sells or offers three or more vehicles in 12 months.
• Florida: Statutes 320.27 presumes you are a dealer at three or more vehicles in 12 months and defines a salvage motor vehicle dealer separately.
• Buying salvage cars at auction can need its own license. In Utah, an auction may sell only five salvage-certificate vehicles a year to an unlicensed in-state buyer.
• When the car is finished, ReVroom's RPM puts it in front of retail dealerships.

What is a rebuilder?

Short answer: a person or shop that buys salvage vehicles, repairs them, gets them through the state's rebuilt process, and sells them with a rebuilt title.

Some rebuilders are one-person shops doing a few cars a year. Others run full body shops. The license question turns on volume and on whether you are doing it as a business. For the business model itself, read what an auto rebuilder is and how rebuilders sell.

Do you need a license to rebuild salvage cars?

Short answer: if you rebuild to sell, and you do more than a handful a year, almost certainly yes. The name of the license changes by state.

State	License that covers rebuilding for sale	Volume trigger in the statute	Source
Texas	Salvage vehicle dealer license	Needed to "act as a salvage vehicle dealer or rebuilder"; license covers rebuilding more than five salvage vehicles in a calendar year	Tex. Occ. Code 2302.101
Utah	Dealer, body shop, salvage vehicle buyer or dismantler license, depending on the activity	Dealer: sells or offers three or more vehicles in any 12-month period	Utah Code 41-3-102, 41-3-201
Florida	Motor vehicle dealer license; salvage motor vehicle dealer is a defined category	Presumed a dealer at three or more vehicles bought, sold or offered in any 12-month period	Fla. Stat. 320.27

Statutes read on the Texas, Utah and Florida legislature websites on September 22, 2026. This is a summary, not legal advice.

What are the Texas rebuilder license rules?

Short answer: Texas names rebuilders in the statute. Without a salvage vehicle dealer license, you may not act as one.

• The rule. Texas Occupations Code 2302.101(a): unless a person holds a salvage vehicle dealer license, the person may not "act as a salvage vehicle dealer or rebuilder."
• The volume line. Section 2302.101(b)(5) lists, among what a license holder may do, "acquiring and repairing, rebuilding, or reconstructing for operation on a public highway more than five salvage motor vehicles in a calendar year."
• The casual-buyer exemption. Section 2302.204 says the chapter does not apply to a person who buys fewer than five nonrepairable or salvage motor vehicles in a casual sale at auction.
• The title step. Rebuilt vehicles in Texas are titled through TxDMV with a rebuilt vehicle statement (Form VTR-61) and a rebuilder fee under Transportation Code 501.100.

Fees for the license itself are set by the TxDMV board, not in the statute. As published on TxDMV's salvage dealer page on October 17, 2026, the license is $190 for a two-year term; the checklist is below.

How do you get a rebuilder license in Texas? The TxDMV checklist, the five-car line and the fee

Short answer: in Texas the license is the salvage dealer license from TxDMV. You need it once you rebuild more than five salvage vehicles in a calendar year, it costs $190 for a two-year term, and you need a real business location and an NMVTIS number before you apply. Here is the whole thing in one place, quoted from TxDMV's own salvage dealer page on October 17, 2026. Think of it like a food truck permit: one or two bake sales a year are fine, but once it's a business, the city wants an address and a license on the wall.

Question	What TxDMV says, as published
Who needs a license?	Anyone who will "buy or sell more than five salvage or nonrepairable motor vehicles in a calendar year; or rebuild more than five salvage motor vehicles in a calendar year." Either a GDN or a salvage dealer license covers it.
Who doesn't?	Someone who buys "five or fewer salvage or nonrepairable motor vehicles in a calendar year" or rebuilds "five or fewer salvage motor vehicles in the same calendar year."
Is there a separate "rebuilder" license?	No. Since September 1, 2019, "only one Salvage license will be required" for all the old endorsements, salvage rebuilder included.
What about selling the finished cars?	"If you wish to engage in the business of selling rebuilt vehicles, obtain a used car dealer (GDN) license," which also lets you submit title paperwork to the county for the buyer.
What do you need before applying?	A business location that "is not a residence or apartment complex," a sign and an office for your records, an NMVTIS registration number, and your Assumed Name Certificate, sales and use tax permit, and (for a corporation or LLC) formation and franchise tax documents.
What does it cost?	"$190 for a two-year term license and $170 upon renewal."
Where do you apply?	TxDMV's eLICENSING portal.

One line on that page matters more than people expect: a salvage or nonrepairable vehicle "may not be operated on the public roads at any time." Your rebuild isn't a car until it is retitled, which is why the rebuilt vehicle statement and the title step above come before any test drive on the street.

Once the car is rebuilt and retitled, you need buyers who already want rebuilt cars. On RPM, the ReVroom Private Market, you list the car once with your asking price, the VIN and photos from before the repair, and dealers make offers; each offer must beat the last. See the rebuilder page for how it works and current terms.

Is there a rebuilder license in Utah?

Short answer: not by that name. Utah licenses the activities a rebuilder performs.

• Licenses required. Utah Code 41-3-201(2) says a person may not act as a dealer, salvage vehicle buyer, salesperson, dismantler, crusher, remanufacturer, body shop or motor vehicle auction, among others, without a license.
• Dealer. Under 41-3-102, a dealer's business involves selling vehicles and it sells, displays or offers three or more vehicles in any 12-month period.
• Body shop. A person "engaged in rebuilding, restoring, repairing, or painting the body of motor vehicles for compensation."
• Buying at auction. Under 41-3-201, a motor vehicle auction may only sell five salvage-certificate vehicles in any 12-month period to an in-state purchaser without a salvage vehicle buyer license.

Utah's Division of Motor Vehicles lists these licenses, including the Salvage Buyer, Body Shop and Dealer licenses, on its license overview page.

What license do you need to rebuild and sell cars in Florida?

Short answer: a dealer license once you cross three vehicles in 12 months, and Florida treats salvage dealers as their own category.

• The presumption. Florida Statutes 320.27: anyone who buys, sells or deals in three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period, or offers or displays three or more for sale, "shall be prima facie presumed to be engaged in such business."
• Salvage dealers. The same section defines a salvage motor vehicle dealer as a person who "engages in the business of acquiring salvaged or wrecked motor vehicles for the purpose of reselling them and their parts."

What about other states?

Short answer: look for the same three switches: a dealer threshold by annual sales, a license to buy salvage vehicles, and a license for the repair work.

Every state draws those lines a little differently. Your state's motor vehicle agency is the place to confirm. If your state has a rebuilt inspection, your finished cars will go through it no matter which license you hold. That inspection is table stakes for every rebuilt title car, everywhere.

Rebuilder license by state: what do Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Texas say?

Short answer: Illinois and Georgia use the word "rebuilder" outright, Pennsylvania and North Carolina regulate the business through other licenses, and Texas folds rebuilding into one salvage dealer license. Here is each one in its own words, read October 24, 2026.

State	What the state's own source says	Fee or condition, as published	Source
Illinois	"No person shall rebuild a salvage vehicle unless such person is licensed as a rebuilder by the Secretary of State under this Section."	$50 for the established place of business, $25 for each additional one; licenses "expire by operation of law on December 31." You must "maintain an established place of business."	625 ILCS 5/5-301
Georgia	"Anyone who purchases a salvage or wrecked vehicle for the purpose of restoring or rebuilding must be licensed as a rebuilder."	Georgia's Secretary of State licenses rebuilders under a Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealer license, per its licensing FAQ; fees are listed in its how-to guides.	Georgia DOR
Pennsylvania	"No person shall operate as a salvor unless authorized." A salvor must first be "a currently registered vehicle salvage dealer."	PennDOT issues the certificate of authorization; the salvor role covers acquiring abandoned vehicles to rebuild, recycle or take apart.	75 Pa.C.S. 7301
North Carolina	No separate "rebuilder" license in the dealer statutes we read. A dealer is anyone who sells "five or more motor vehicles within any 12 consecutive months."	Used dealer applicants post a $50,000 bond for one salesroom and complete a 12-hour licensing course for an initial license.	G.S. 20-286, 20-288
Texas	You need a salvage dealer license if you "rebuild more than five salvage motor vehicles in a calendar year." To sell the finished cars as a business, "obtain a used car dealer (GDN) license."	"$190 for a two-year term license and $170 upon renewal." Selling used parts "you may need licensing from Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)."	TxDMV

Notice the pattern. Every state cares about two things: how many cars you do a year, and whether you have a real place of business. It's like a home kitchen versus a restaurant. Bake a cake for a neighbor and nobody asks for a permit. Sell a dozen a week and the health inspector wants an address.

Once the license is in hand, the next question is where the finished cars go. Rebuilders who would rather sell to retail dealerships than to the public can list on RPM, ReVroom's wholesale marketplace for rebuilders. One-off sellers can use a $5 private listing.

Rebuilder, dismantler or salvage dealer: which license covers what?

Short answer: they are three different jobs, and states license them separately. A rebuilder puts a salvage car back on the road. A dismantler takes it apart. A salvage dealer buys and sells salvage cars as they are.

It is a bit like the difference between a house flipper, a salvage yard for doors and fixtures, and a wholesaler who sells fixer-uppers to flippers. Same raw material, three different businesses.

Job	What you do with the salvage car	Where the car ends up	How the three states above handle it
Rebuilder	Buy it, repair it, take it through the state's rebuilt process, sell it	Back on the road with a rebuilt title	Texas puts rebuilding under the salvage vehicle dealer license (Occ. Code 2302.101); Utah and Florida license the dealing and salvage-buying steps
Dismantler	Take it apart and sell the parts	Never retitled to drive	Utah lists dismantlers among its licenses under 41-3-201
Salvage dealer or buyer	Buy and sell salvage vehicles without rebuilding them	Sold on to a rebuilder or dismantler	Utah licenses salvage vehicle buyers under 41-3-201; Florida defines salvage motor vehicle dealers in 320.27

If you plan to do more than one of these, expect more than one license. The guide to what an auto rebuilder does walks through the rebuilder side in plain English.

How do you get a rebuilder license?

Short answer: find the license your state uses for rebuilding to sell, then follow that agency's own application checklist. There is no national rebuilder license.

1. Name the license. Use the table above. In Texas it is the salvage vehicle dealer license from TxDMV; in Utah and Florida it is a dealer license once you cross the three-vehicle line, plus the salvage license that matches what you buy.
2. Read the agency's checklist, not a forum. Each agency publishes what it wants on the application. Requirements and fees change, so go to the source on the day you apply.
3. Set up the business the way the license expects. A place of business, your entity paperwork and any local permits usually come before the application, not after.
4. Apply, and keep the license number handy. Salvage auctions and wholesale buyers often ask for it before they will sell to you or buy from you.
5. Price your first car before you bid. Our guide to pricing a salvage car before you bid uses rebuilt sold data so the numbers work at the end.

Where do licensed rebuilders sell their cars?

Short answer: wherever the buyer who wants a rebuilt title is already shopping.

Exit	What it costs	Good for
RPM on ReVroom	Terms are on the RPM page	Getting finished cars in front of rebuilt-title buyers without a lot
Dealer storefront on ReVroom	Terms are on the dealer page	Licensed dealers with ongoing inventory
Rebuilt title dealerships	Their margin	Selling in volume to a lot that knows the value
General classifieds	Varies	Local reach, though many shoppers filter out branded titles

Retail demand is real. Across 17,000+ rebuilt title sales on ReVroom's snapshot, the median sale price was $17,499 and 87% of cars carried only minor or moderate history. For which makes resell best, see the most rebuildable cars.

What do finished rebuilt cars sell for, by make?

Short answer: the license gets you to the starting line, the exit price decides whether the car makes money. Retail buyers paid a median $17,499 for a rebuilt car on ReVroom, and the spread by make is wide.

Rebuilding without an exit price is like building a house without checking what the street sells for. Here is what retail buyers paid for finished rebuilt cars on ReVroom, by make, from the savings-by-make snapshot (updated October 1, 2026; makes with at least 200 sales):

Make	Rebuilt cars sold	Median rebuilt sale price	Median below clean title
GMC	284	$27,448	$6,153
Ram	303	$26,800	$5,492
Toyota	1,752	$21,650	$4,686
Acura	217	$21,500	$5,091
Ford	1,224	$21,497	$4,578
Chevrolet	976	$20,051	$5,178
Honda	1,610	$16,345	$5,145
Kia	627	$16,271	$4,445
Subaru	1,554	$15,995	$4,866
Mazda	399	$15,995	$3,829
Jeep	283	$13,500	$3,012
Hyundai	709	$12,999	$3,251
Nissan	576	$11,998	$3,678

Two things jump out. Toyota, Honda and Subaru sell in the biggest numbers, so a finished car has the most buyers waiting. GMC and Ram sell for the most, so there is more room between your all-in cost and the sale. Work backwards from this number to your maximum bid, the way our guide to pricing a salvage car before you bid lays out.

When the car is finished and titled, RPM puts it in front of retail dealerships. As published on October 10, 2026, offers "must beat the last."

Licensed and ready to sell? How RPM works for rebuilders

Short answer: one listing and offers that keep climbing. RPM, the ReVroom Private Market, is a wholesale marketplace for rebuilders to sell their vehicles to retail dealerships.

1. Create your listing. As published on the rebuilder welcome page, RPM asks for your asking price, your VIN, images of your vehicle before repairs were completed, and a few other details. Keep your pre-repair photos from day one; they are part of the listing.
2. Get offers. Your listing goes live the moment you post it. Dealers make offers day and night, and each one must beat the last.
3. Close with your buyer. Accept the offer you like and you are connected with the buyer to arrange shipping, document transfer and payment.

If you would rather sell one car straight to a driver instead, a private listing on ReVroom is a flat $5 on the sell page.

How do you get started as a licensed rebuilder?

Short answer: license first, then buy, then build, then list.

1. Read your state's statute and license list. Start with the table above if you are in Texas, Utah or Florida.
2. Apply for the license that matches your activity. Dealer, salvage buyer, body shop, or Texas's salvage vehicle dealer license.
3. Buy within the rules. Auction access often depends on the license you hold.
4. Document every repair. Receipts and parts lists help the inspection and the sale.
5. Title it and list it. Put finished cars on RPM, where rebuilt-title buyers already shop.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to rebuild salvage cars?

It depends on the state and your volume. Texas requires a salvage vehicle dealer license to act as a rebuilder. Utah and Florida treat three or more sales in 12 months as dealing and license salvage businesses separately.

How many salvage cars can you rebuild in Texas without a license?

Texas Occupations Code 2302.101 ties the license to acting as a rebuilder and lists rebuilding more than five salvage vehicles a calendar year among license-holder activities. Confirm your situation with TxDMV.

Is there a rebuilder license in Utah?

Not by that name. Utah licenses dealers, salvage vehicle buyers, dismantlers and body shops under 41-3-201.

What license do you need to rebuild and sell cars in Florida?

A dealer license once you buy, sell or offer three or more vehicles in 12 months, under Florida Statutes 320.27, which also defines salvage motor vehicle dealers.

Where can a rebuilder sell rebuilt title cars?

Directly to retail buyers, to rebuilt title dealerships, or on ReVroom's RPM.

What is the difference between a rebuilder and a dismantler?

A rebuilder repairs a salvage vehicle and takes it through the state's rebuilt process so it can be retitled and driven. A dismantler takes vehicles apart and sells the parts. States usually license the two separately; Utah lists dismantlers among its licenses under 41-3-201.

How do you get a rebuilder license?

Find the license your state uses for rebuilding to sell (in Texas, the salvage vehicle dealer license under Occupations Code 2302.101), then follow that agency's own application checklist. There is no national rebuilder license.

What does RPM ask for when a rebuilder lists a car?

As published on the rebuilder welcome page: your asking price, your VIN, images of the vehicle before repairs were completed, and a few other details.

Is this legal advice?

No. It summarizes the statutes as published on September 22, 2026. Check with your state agency and an attorney.

What do rebuilt cars sell for by make?

On ReVroom's October 1, 2026 snapshot, finished rebuilt cars sold for a median $27,448 (GMC), $26,800 (Ram), $21,650 (Toyota), $21,497 (Ford), $16,345 (Honda) and $15,995 (Subaru), against a $17,499 median across all makes.

Which rebuilt cars have the most buyers?

Toyota (1,752 sold), Honda (1,610) and Subaru (1,554) had the most rebuilt title sales on ReVroom in the October 2026 snapshot, followed by Ford (1,224) and Chevrolet (976).

How much is a salvage dealer license in Texas?

As published by TxDMV on October 17, 2026: $190 for a two-year term license and $170 to renew. You apply through TxDMV's eLICENSING portal after you have a non-residential business location and an NMVTIS registration number.

Do you need a dealer license to sell rebuilt cars in Texas?

TxDMV says that to be in the business of selling rebuilt vehicles you should get a used car dealer (GDN) license, which also lets you submit title paperwork to the county for the buyer. The salvage dealer license covers buying, selling, repairing and rebuilding salvage vehicles. Rebuilders who would rather sell to dealers can list finished cars on RPM.

Does Illinois have a rebuilder license?

Yes. Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/5-301) says no person shall rebuild a salvage vehicle unless licensed as a rebuilder by the Secretary of State. The statute sets the fee at $50 for the established place of business and $25 for each additional location, and licenses expire on December 31.

Do you need a dismantler license or a salvage dealer license in Texas?

To rebuild more than five salvage vehicles a year, TxDMV requires a salvage dealer license ($190 for two years, as published), and selling rebuilt cars as a business takes a used car dealer (GDN) license. TxDMV adds that selling used car parts may need licensing from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Related reading

• What is an auto rebuilder?
• The rebuilt title process, step by step
• How much it costs to get a rebuilt title
• The most rebuildable cars
• Rebuilt titles in Texas

Finished a rebuild? List it on RPM.