Automotive Services Collective Agreement (IDCC 1090): Job Classifications, Payroll and 2026 Obligations

The French automotive collective agreement (IDCC 1090) sets three classification categories (workers and employees, supervisors, managers), minimum pay revised on 1 May 2026 by amendment n° 110 (1,853 euros at echelon 1), a single annual overtime quota of 220 hours carrying 25% then 50% premiums, and mandatory IRP AUTO membership from the first employee hired.

For a garage or car dealership operating in France, misapplying the sector's collective agreement is not a minor administrative oversight: it creates concrete exposure to URSSAF audits, retroactive salary adjustments and, in some cases, employment tribunal claims. IDCC 1090 is one of the most operationally complex agreements in the French SME landscape, covering job classification, mandatory insurance, working time organisation and sector-specific allowances that many employers overlook entirely.

This article is aimed at owners and managers of independent garages and car dealerships who want to understand their core obligations, identify payroll risk areas, and make informed decisions with their payroll manager or accountant.

Current as of 26 July 2026. The provisions described below reflect the current state of the agreement and recent amendments. Certain parameters (salary grids, IRP AUTO contribution rates) are renegotiated annually. Always verify the latest version published in the Journal officiel or on Légifrance.

The convention collective nationale du commerce et de la réparation de l'automobile, du cycle et du motocycle et des activités connexes, ainsi que du contrôle technique automobile (commonly known as the automotive services collective agreement, brochure n° 3034, IDCC 1090) was signed on 15 January 1981 and extended by ministerial order of 30 October 1981, published in the Journal officiel of 3 December 1981. Article 1.01 a) limits its application to metropolitan France. Its scope is broad:

• Mechanical repair and bodywork: all-brand garages, auto centres, body and paint shops
• New and used vehicle sales: franchised dealers, brand agents, used car traders
• Related activities: cycles, motorbikes, roadworthiness testing (contrôle technique), service stations, short and long-term rental, vehicle recycling
• Driver training: driving schools

Any company whose principal activity falls within this scope is subject to IDCC 1090, regardless of headcount. A sole trader running a small repair shop with a single apprentice is as bound by the convention as a large multi-site dealer group. An ancillary activity (such as selling accessories in a garage) does not exempt the business if the principal activity remains vehicle repair or distribution. Amendment n° 110 of 22 January 2026 confirms this in its article 4: the branch provisions apply to undertakings "regardless of headcount, including undertakings and establishments with fewer than 50 employees". The scope itself was widened by amendment n° 106 of 21 March 2024, extended by order of 24 September 2024 (Journal officiel of 8 October 2024), which brought in retrofitting, battery repair and recycling, charging infrastructure, remanufacturing and repair intermediation.

For sector-specific guidance, see our pages on expert-comptable for garages and expert-comptable for dealerships and used vehicle trading.

The agreement covers every function found in a workshop, showroom or dealership:

• Workshop technicians: mechanics, auto electricians, diagnostic technicians, body repair specialists, painters
• Customer-facing and supervisory roles: service advisers (réceptionnaires), workshop managers (chefs d'atelier), team leaders
• Sales functions: new vehicle (VN) salespeople, used vehicle (VO) salespeople, finance and insurance advisers
• Parts and logistics: parts storekeepers, stock managers
• Administrative functions: receptionists, accountants, office staff
• Apprentices and holders of professionalisation contracts (contrats de professionnalisation)

Every employee must be positioned on the classification grid: this is the starting point for all conventional payroll calculations.

Three Classification Categories#

The agreement provides for three classification categories only, and there is no separate "Technicians" category:

1. Workers and employees (ouvriers et employés, chapter III): 12 echelons, numbered 1 to 12
2. Supervisors (maîtrise, chapter III bis): 9 echelons, numbered 17 to 25
3. Managers (cadres, chapter V): 5 levels, I to V; the first four each have three degrees (A, B and C), while level V has a single degree (general management)

Apprentices and holders of work-study training contracts are not classified at all (articles 3.02 b and 3B.02 b): the payslip must simply state the type of contract they hold.

Among workers and employees, echelons 1 and 2 cover jobs requiring no vocational qualification, echelons 3, 6, 9 and 12 are the reference echelons attached to branch qualifications, and echelons 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11 are enhanced echelons (article 3.03). For supervisors, the reference echelons are 17, 20 and 23 (article 3B.03).

Moving to an enhanced echelon requires either an extension of duties or significant progress on at least one of the four value criteria set out in article 3.02 d): self-inspection, dexterity, versatility and quality mindset. For managers, article 5.02 d) applies four degree criteria instead: responsibility, autonomy, experience and authority.

Two Registers: RNQSA and RNCSA#

Two registers managed by the ANFA coexist, and confusing them distorts the classification. The RNQSA is the Répertoire national des qualifications professionnelles des services de l'automobile, the branch qualifications register: the employer looks up the qualification sheet matching the job actually performed (article 3.02 a). The RNCSA is the Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles des services de l'automobile, the branch certifications register, which carries the sector-specific CQP (certificats de qualification professionnelle). The rule is explicit: a holder of a certification listed in the RNCSA is classified on the corresponding echelon or qualification level. Employees who progress without a formal certification advance through enhanced echelons, on the basis of the value criteria observed.

The RNQSA has followed the electrification of the workshop: it now includes qualifications for electric vehicle battery maintenance operators, battery dismantling technicians, battery maintenance technicians and expert battery maintenance technicians, plus a complementary branch certificate covering the servicing and maintenance of electric and hybrid vehicles.

The practical implication: job classification is not discretionary. It must reflect the actual duties performed and, where applicable, certifications held. A mechanic hired at a low echelon who has since qualified to handle electric vehicle diagnostics should be reclassified. Failing to do so creates a salary shortfall that can be claimed retroactively.

The Under-Estimated Risk: Frozen Classifications#

A pattern seen repeatedly in garage and dealership payroll files is that classifications are not updated since the date of hire. An employee who has been with the company for five years, received internal training and now handles EV and hybrid diagnostics may have a legitimate claim to a higher echelon. Employers who do not anticipate this often discover the issue during a departure, at significant cost.

Conventional Minimum Pay from 1 May 2026#

The figures below come from amendment n° 110 of 22 January 2026, extended by order of 2 April 2026 (Journal officiel of 16 April 2026), for a 35-hour week, in euros gross per month.

The increase carried by this amendment averages 1.25% across the grid. Two immediate checks: echelon 1 (1,853 euros) sits below the SMIC (1,867.02 euros since 1 June 2026), so the SMIC is the effective floor; and the training-qualification point value is set at 3.47 euros by article 2 of amendment n° 110.

The Branch's Reference Body#

All companies subject to IDCC 1090 must join the schemes managed by IRP AUTO, the sector's joint social protection body. Three schemes are mandatory:

• RPO (régime professionnel obligatoire): mandatory provident scheme covering incapacity, long-term illness, disability and death. For workers, employees and apprentices, the 2026 called rate is 1.80% of gross pay capped at four social security ceilings (1.35% employer, 0.45% employee), that is the 2.05% contractual rate reduced by the 12% discount applied in 2026. On top of that sits the end-of-career capital benefit, at 1.25% of the annual ceiling, borne solely by the employer and outside the discount.
• RPCS (régime professionnel complémentaire santé): branch health plan funded by a flat monthly contribution per employee, where the employee share may not exceed 50% of the rate (RPCS annex, I). The employer share starts at 21.56 euros including tax per month for a single employee on the 2026 general scheme rate, and cover opens on day one of the employment contract.
• Supplementary pension: the agreement names the institutions directly in its article 1.24, IRP AUTO Retraite ARRCO (ARRCO institution n° 531) for workers, employees and apprentices (article 1.24 a) and IRP AUTO Retraite AGIRC (AGIRC institution n° 32) for supervisors and managers (article 1.24 b). Those separate names are the ones used in the conventional text: since the AGIRC and ARRCO schemes merged on 1 January 2019, contributions fall under the single Agirc-Arrco scheme, at the same rates for every category of employee. In 2026 the call rate stays at 127% of the contractual rate: band 1 at 7.87% called (4.72% employer, 3.15% employee), band 2 at 21.59% called (12.95% employer, 8.64% employee).

Two supporting schemes complete the picture. IRP AUTO Solidarité Prévention (article 1.27) is funded by a flat contribution of 2 euros per month per employee, split equally between employer and employee. IRP AUTO APASCA (article 1.29 a), the branch joint social and cultural association, is funded by a contribution of 0.08% of the social security ceiling per employee, excluding apprentices and young people on work-study training contracts; it funds holiday and study grants, hardship assistance, leisure and cultural benefits.

Specific Obligations for Managers (Cadres)#

Under the national interprofessional agreement on managerial provident cover, employers must dedicate a contribution of at least 1.50% of the salary band below the social security ceiling for each manager-grade employee, borne solely by the employer and allocated primarily to death cover (article 1 of the national interprofessional agreement of 17 November 2017). This applies to all workshop managers, site directors and sales managers classified as cadres under the convention. The sanction is severe: an employer with no compliant contract must pay the deceased manager's beneficiaries a sum equal to three times the annual social security ceiling, that is 144,180 euros in 2026 for an annual ceiling of 48,060 euros.

Expert View#

Affiliation to IRP AUTO is not optional, even for the smallest structures. A garage hiring its first mechanic must affiliate from day one. Membership takes effect from the hiring of the first employee (article 3 of the 2026 general provident scheme rules). Where contributions go unpaid for more than 10 days after their due date, IRP AUTO may apply late-payment surcharges borne solely by the employer, pursue recovery through the courts and suspend cover 30 days after formal notice, membership being terminable 10 days after that period expires (article 6). Failure to pass on the employee share already withheld falls under articles 314-1 and following of the French criminal code (breach of trust).

Frequently Asked Questions on the IRP AUTO Schemes#

Overtime: Annual Quota and Rates#

The annual overtime quota set by article 1.09 bis c) is 220 hours per employee, and it is a single quota: the reduced figure of 130 hours came from amendment n° 51 of 29 May 2008, which referred to a labour code rule since repealed, and no longer appears in the applicable text. The premium rates are set by article 1.09 bis d) and cannot be reduced by a company or establishment agreement:

• Hours 36 to 43 (the first eight overtime hours each week): +25%
• From hour 44 onwards: +50%
• Beyond the quota, the "chosen hours" of article 1.09 bis g), worked by agreement with the employer: +30% for the first eight hours each week above the quota, then +50%

Replacement rest follows its own rules: entitlement to take it opens once 7 hours have accrued, it must be taken within a maximum of 6 months, and hours compensated this way do not count against the quota (article 1.09 bis e and f). A useful reminder before any inspection: article 1.09 a) makes time recording mandatory, through a reliable and tamper-proof automatic system or any other system operated under the employer's responsibility. In workshops running at capacity (seasonal peaks, tyre change periods, roadworthiness test cycles), that individual tracking is frequently inadequate. It is one of the first items checked during an URSSAF inspection.

Sunday Working#

Service stations, breakdown garages and some dealerships operate on Sundays. Contrary to a persistent misconception, the agreement contains no "habitual Sunday" regime carrying a 25% premium from the 16th Sunday worked. Article 1.10 b) first sets a weekly rest period of at least 36 consecutive hours including Sunday, reduced to 24 hours in establishments authorised to rotate rest days, then distinguishes three derogation cases:

These premiums are cumulative with overtime premiums. One limit specific to sales staff is regularly overlooked: vehicle salespeople may not be required to be available to the employer for more than five Sundays per calendar year. For public holidays, article 1.10 c) separates a holiday worked exceptionally (+100% of the basic gross hourly wage, replaceable by a day off by mutual agreement) from a holiday habitually worked, which carries neither a premium nor compensatory rest.

Apprentices: Pay and Payroll Follow-Up#

Garages and dealerships are traditionally heavy recruiters of apprentices. First point: an apprentice is not classified on the grid (articles 3.02 b and 3B.02 b), yet is enrolled in the RPO from the first day (article 4 of the general provident scheme rules). Apprentice pay follows the general apprenticeship rules, expressed as a percentage of the SMIC, and those figures may be increased where a collective agreement applicable in the undertaking sets a higher minimum. On the basis of a SMIC of 1,867.02 euros at 1 June 2026:

On the administrative side, the apprenticeship contract is filed with the OPCO within 5 working days of its start. One little-known exclusion deserves attention: apprentices and young people on work-study training contracts are outside the base of the APASCA contribution (article 1.29 a).

Branch-Specific Allowances#

Several pay components are specific to IDCC 1090 and must appear clearly on the payslip:

• Changing-time compensation: there is no conventional allowance for tool wear. The actual obligation sits in article 1.09 a): where a regulatory or conventional provision, the internal rules or the employment contract requires a work outfit justified by health and safety, or where the employer supplies a specific outfit that must be worn on site, compensation is due, either as a changing allowance or by treating dressing and undressing time as working time.
• Night-work meal allowance: 6.09 euros (article 3 of amendment n° 110). It is due to any night worker who has worked at least 2 hours within the night period, and to other employees on the same condition (article 1.10 d 6 and 8 c). It is not a "day meal allowance" for shift patterns.
• Night work: the night period runs from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the employer may set it from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. after consultation. A night worker is an employee working at least 3 hours within that window twice a week, or 270 hours a year. The premium is 10% of the monthly conventional minimum divided by 151.66 per night hour, plus compensatory rest of 1.66% per hour; an employee who is not a night worker but works at night on an exceptional basis receives +50% of the basic gross hourly wage (article 1.10 d).
• Additional leave for young parents: this is not an IDCC 1090 benefit, it is a statutory right. Article L3141-8 of the French labour code grants employees under 21 on 30 April of the preceding year 2 working days of extra leave per dependent child (1 day where the statutory entitlement does not exceed 6 days).
• Seniority leave: article 1.15 a) adds 1 working day after 20 years of service in the same undertaking, 2 days after 25 years and 3 days after 30 years, provided the total does not exceed 33 working days. Leave is taken between 1 June and 31 May (article 1.15 b).
• Stand-in premium: in an undertaking with no more than eight employees and no supervisor, an employee performing the supervisory role for more than six consecutive working days receives a premium equal to the difference between the monthly minimum for echelon 20 and that of their own echelon (article 3.02 c).

Common Payroll Errors in Garages and Dealerships#

URSSAF inspectors auditing automotive sector businesses typically focus on:

1. Consistency between actual job duties and the echelon assigned: systematic under-classification on technical roles is a strong signal.
2. Compliance with both the conventional minima and the SMIC: contrary to a widespread belief, the branch grid does not automatically sit above the statutory minimum wage. As at 1 May 2026 the echelon 1 minimum is 1,853 euros, while the SMIC for a 35-hour week has stood at 1,867.02 euros a month since 1 June 2026. The more favourable figure applies, so for echelon 1 the effective floor is the SMIC, whereas the echelon 2 minimum already exceeds it by a few euros.
3. IRP AUTO affiliation and contribution payment (RPO and RPCS): gaps trigger late-payment surcharges and suspension of cover.
4. Overtime treatment: individual time records, premium calculations, and the 30% premium on chosen hours beyond the quota.
5. Apprentice contracts: contract compliance, remuneration, filing with the OPCO within 5 working days, and training centre attendance tracking.

In labour-intensive sectors like automotive repair, the structural risk is higher because payroll combines several conventional variables at once: classification, overtime premiums, Sunday and night work, IRP AUTO contributions and apprentices each stem from a different text.

Common Misconceptions and the Actual Rule#

For a garage with fewer than five employees, the answer is usually clear: automotive payroll is technically complex, between evolving classifications, branch-specific allowances, IRP AUTO obligations, apprentices and variable hours. One error typically costs more than the outsourcing fee. For a dealership with 20 to 50 employees spanning several classification categories (workers and employees, maîtrise, cadres), keeping payroll in-house is viable only if a dedicated payroll manager trained in IDCC 1090 handles the function with regular external review.

Our payroll and social compliance service in Paris supports garages and dealerships on classification reviews, IRP AUTO compliance, payslip audits and ongoing payroll management.

• Amendment n° 110 of 22 January 2026: this is the text that carries the grid in force. Extended by order of 2 April 2026 published in the Journal officiel of 16 April 2026, it applies from 1 May 2026 (article 7: the first day of the month following publication of the extension order), with an average increase of 1.25% across the grid. It also sets the training-qualification point value at 3.47 euros and the night meal allowance at 6.09 euros.
• Amendment n° 109 of 3 July 2025: extended by order of 27 August 2025 (Journal officiel of 2 September 2025), it took effect on 1 October 2025. It does not govern 2026: payroll software still set to that amendment has been under-applying the grid since 1 May 2026.
• Grid versus SMIC: the SMIC rose to 12.31 euros an hour, that is 1,867.02 euros a month for 35 hours, on 1 June 2026 (order of 22 May 2026, a 2.41% increase). Echelons 1 (1,853 euros) and 2 (1,870 euros) therefore sit right at the SMIC line: those are the first two rows to check on your payslips.
• 12% RPO discount in 2026: the called rate is 1.80% against a 2.05% contractual rate. Check that your contribution notice reflects it, bearing in mind that the end-of-career capital benefit (1.25% of the annual ceiling) sits outside the discount.
• Wider scope (amendment n° 106 of 21 March 2024): retrofitting, battery repair and recycling, charging infrastructure, remanufacturing and repair intermediation have been brought within IDCC 1090. A business that recently launched one of these activities may have moved into the agreement's scope without payroll following suit.

• Convention collective nationale des services de l'automobile, IDCC 1090, brochure n° 3034, consolidated text on Légifrance
• IRP AUTO, mandatory provident scheme (RPO)
• Code du travail numérique, overtime under IDCC 1090
• Amendment n° 110 of 22 January 2026 on minimum wages, extended by order of 2 April 2026 published in the Journal officiel of 16 April 2026
• Amendment n° 109 of 3 July 2025 on minimum wages, in force from 1 October 2025 to 30 April 2026

This article is for information purposes only and does not replace a review of your specific employment contracts, payroll setup and current legal obligations. For a compliance audit or ongoing payroll management, contact your accountant or our team.