Wheel alignment cost: a labor only job, from the automaker times to your state
Pick the vehicle type and the state. An alignment uses no parts, so the estimate is the automaker labor time multiplied by the shop rate of that state.
Alignment, SUV, national: typical cost
$87
Range $57 to $127 · labor only · before sales tax
| Labor time, SUV | 0.5 h to 0.8 h |
| Shop rate, national | $114 to $159 per hour |
| Labor, typical | $87 |
| Parts, typical listing | $0 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How costs are estimated · automaker labor times, BLS technician wages, parts read October 20, 2026 · not a quote
A wheel alignment is billed as labor alone, and at the national median shop rate of $134 an hour it comes to about $87 for an SUV, within a range of $57 to $127 before sales tax. A sedan is about $67, a pickup $81 and a luxury car $87. No part is counted, because setting the angles of the wheels replaces nothing. The 5 automaker times read run from 0.5 h to 0.8 h: the short ones adjust the front toe only, the long ones cover a four wheel alignment or add a road test. No luxury vehicle appears in the bulletins, so that type uses every time read. Because the whole bill is labor, the state rate moves it in full proportion: the SUV alignment runs from about $68 in West Virginia to $105 in the District of Columbia. A shop that posts a flat alignment price may sit above or below these figures.
What an alignment actually sets
An alignment does not fix a part. It adjusts the angles at which the wheels meet the road so they point where the steering wheel says they should. The technician mounts sensors or targets on each wheel, reads the angles on an alignment machine and compares them with the automaker's specification for that model. The main angle is toe, whether the front of each tire points slightly in or out. Camber, the tilt of the wheel seen from the front, and caster, the tilt of the steering axis, are checked too, and adjusted where the suspension allows it.
Two kinds of job are sold under the same name. A front alignment, sometimes called a toe and center, sets the front wheels and centers the steering wheel. A four wheel alignment also sets the rear wheels, which matters on cars whose rear suspension can be adjusted. The second takes longer, and the times below show the difference.
The automaker times and what each one covers
Alignments appear in warranty documents when dealers are told to correct a steering or tire wear concern on a given model. Each figure below is the time paid in one of those documents, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They are short operations on an alignment rack, not the full inspection that some shops add.
| Type | Vehicle and engine | Bulletin filed with NHTSA | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup | 2020 Ram 1500 (DT), all | FCA TSB 02-002-20, October 21, 2020 | 0.6 h |
| Sedan | 2013 Chrysler 200 / Dodge Avenger (JS), all | Chrysler TSB 02-007-12, November 13, 2012 | 0.5 h |
| SUV | 2013 Jeep Compass (MK), all | Chrysler TSB 02-003-13, April 4, 2013 | 0.5 h |
| SUV | 2017-2020 Honda CR-V, 1.5L turbo / 2.4L I4 | Honda Service Bulletin 20-081, October 8, 2020 | 0.8 h |
| SUV | 2017 Chrysler Pacifica (RU), all | FCA TSB 02-007-17, June 20, 2017 | 0.8 h |
Read the operation behind each time. The front toe adjustments pay up to 0.5 h. The Honda four wheel alignment pays 0.8 h. The Chrysler minivan line, at 0.8 h, adds a road test and a steering pull reset to the toe adjustment. The pickup time is for a front alignment on trucks still at the dealer. The estimator takes the shortest and the longest time per type as its range. For the luxury type, with no bulletin of its own, it uses every time read, from 0.5 h to 0.8 h.
Why no part appears on the bill
A normal alignment uses only the adjusters already on the car, so the estimate carries no part. A quote can still show one. Some vehicles need an alignment kit, such as offset bushings, shims or cam bolts, to reach the specification. Adjusters that are rusted solid may have to be cut and replaced. Those are fair charges when they happen, but they should appear as lines of their own, with the reason, and the shop should ask before adding them.
Alignment in every state
Alignment, SUV: national typical cost
$87
| Labor time | 0.5 h to 0.8 h |
| Lowest state | West Virginia, $68 |
| Highest state | District of Columbia, $105 |
Work that often comes before an alignment
Many alignments follow other work rather than standing alone. Replacing a tie rod end changes the toe as soon as the new part goes on, so the job is usually finished on the alignment rack. Struts, control arms and other suspension parts can shift the angles as well. New tires are another frequent moment, since owners want the new set to wear evenly from the start. A hard hit on a curb or a pothole can bend a part, and a mechanic should inspect the car before deciding whether an alignment alone will do.
When an alignment is quoted as part of a larger repair, check that its time is not counted twice. Some automaker operations already include it, as the transmission page shows for several of its bulletins. The quote checker lets you set each line of a quote against the reference times.
The rate, the state and the flat price
With no part in the bill, the shop rate decides almost everything. That rate is the national survey of posted shop rates scaled by the mean technician wage the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes for each state, from $21.19 an hour in West Virginia to $32.65 in the District of Columbia. Many shops post an alignment at a flat price instead of billing the clock. Some flat prices assume a front alignment, others a four wheel one, so ask which you are getting. The labor rate page explains how the posted rate is built, and the state comparison ranks the states for any repair.