Nominations for the Bodyshop Awards 2026 and 30 Under 30 are open for four months and will close at midnight on 31 March 2026. Both competitions are completely free to enter and are judged by an independent panel of collision repair experts. The prize-giving ceremony for both competitions will take place during the Bodyshop Awards & Expo 2026 on 14-15 October at The Belfry Hotel & Resort near Birmingham.
30 Under 30 rules
- To qualify for Bodyshop Magazine’s 30 Under 30 class of 2026, candidates must be 30 years of age or under on 15 October 2026.
- Entries must be submitted using the relevant online form and completed using the official entry forms which will be emailed to the candidates after the initial online submission has been received and processed. This will be before the end of April 2026.
- Entries must describe why the candidate is exceptional in their field and why the nominator believes they deserve to win. We want to celebrate individuals who are shaping the future of the repair industry and who will inspire others.
- Decisions by the judging panel are final and no further correspondence will be entered into.
- By entering 30 Under 30 2026, you consent to being contacted and your data being held and used for the purposes of awards assessment, communication and promotion. Bodyshop Magazine fully complies with the UK’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as implemented through the Data Protection Act 2018. Click this link to view our full Privacy Policy.
- All 30 Under 30 winners will be expected to attend the prize-giving ceremony and the gala dinner for the Bodyshop Awards & Expo 2026 as guests of Bodyshop Magazine. Each winner will receive a unique trophy and will be celebrated live on stage at the event.
Bodyshop Awards 2026 rules
- Nominations for the Bodyshop Awards 2026 are to be submitted using the online Awards form and completed using the official category entry forms which are emailed to the contestants after the initial online submission has been received and processed. This will be before the end of April 2026.
- Entries for the Bodyshop Awards 2026 must describe in detail individual and/or business working methods and accomplishments completed during the period 1 January 2025-31 March 2026.
- Click this link to full all 19 categories available to enter in the Bodyshop Awards 2026.
- In addition to the Bodyshop Group of the Year category, the awards for individual bodyshops will be split into Small, Medium and Large. The assessment is the same for each, however entrants will be competing in bands with similar-sized businesses to ensure a level playing field. We want to hear from independent repair centres that are innovative, are producing top-quality and safe repairs, and are fully understanding of the skills and technical standards required to work on modern vehicles. If you are BS10125 certified and meet these criteria, please enter one of our high-profile industry awards:
- Small bodyshop (turnover <£1.5m)
- Medium bodyshop (turnover £1.5m-£3m)
- Large bodyshop (turnover >£3m)
Note: These bands are guidelines only and may be adjusted depending on the number and quality of nominations received for each category.
- By entering the Bodyshop Awards 2026 you consent to being contacted and your data being held and used for the purposes of awards assessment, communication and promotion. Bodyshop Magazine fully complies with the UK’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as implemented through the Data Protection Act 2018. Click the link to view our full Privacy Policy.
- Furthermore, entries will be kept confidential and will not be shared outside Plenham Limited (Bodyshop Magazine) and the judging panel. Any members of the judging panel who are deemed to be in competition with a particular business entry will not be shown that entry. Any members of the judging panel who are deemed to be in conflict with a particular category will not be shown any of those entries and will not be involved in voting for that category.
- Following preliminary assessments, up to six finalists will be selected in each Bodyshop Awards category. These finalists will then be further assessed to determine a winner by our independent judging panel featuring 10 carefully selected representatives from across the UK collision repair industry, plus three employees of Bodyshop Magazine. In order to keep the Bodyshop Awards completely independent, the Bodyshop Magazine representatives can offer insights but will have no voting rights.
- The judging panel for the Bodyshop Awards 2026 will convene in early August 2026.
- Decisions by the judging panel are final and no further correspondence will be entered into.
- Entrants in the eight Bodyshop Awards practical categories – for apprentices, senior technicians, and vehicle damage assessors – will all be required to complete an online exam. To advance to the practical testing rounds of the competition in Paint, Panel, VDA, MET and Advanced Technologies categories, participants must achieve a minimum score set by the judges. Up to four contestants move forward to the practical assessments, which will be held from 15-17 June at the Thatcham Research Automotive Academy.
- All Bodyshop Awards 2026 finalists will be expected to attend the prize-giving ceremony and gala dinner for the Bodyshop Awards & Expo 2026 on 14-15 October as guests of Bodyshop Magazine. The winner in each category will be announced and celebrated live on the main stage where they will receive a unique trophy.
