← ResourcesHow Long Does Car Detailing Take?
5 min read · Updated 2026-08-11
Most car details take between 2 and 5 hours. An exterior-only detail is usually 2–3 hours, an interior detail 2–4 hours, a full detail 3–5 hours, and a ceramic coating is a full day plus garage cure time.
Because Street Standard is fully mobile, that time happens in your driveway or office lot — you are not adding drop-off, pickup or a waiting room to the total.
Detailing time by service
Times below assume a sedan or small SUV in normal condition.
- —Exterior Detail (from $129) — 2 to 3 hours
- —Interior Detail (from $179) — 2 to 4 hours
- —Full Detail (from $209) — 3 to 5 hours
- —Premium Full Detail (from $289) — 4 to 6 hours
- —Maintenance Detail ($140) — 1.5 to 2.5 hours
- —Ceramic Coating (from $999) — full day plus 12–24 hours of garage cure
What makes a detail take longer
Condition matters more than size. A large SUV that is detailed every quarter can finish faster than a sedan that has not been touched in two years.
- —Embedded pet hair in cloth seats and cargo areas
- —Set-in spills, food, sand or salt in carpet requiring extraction
- —Heavy bonded contamination on paint and wheels
- —Third-row seating, extended cabs and roof racks
Do you have to be home the whole time?
No. Most clients unlock the vehicle, hand off keys and go back to work or inside. We text when we arrive and again when we are finishing for the final walk-around.
Common questions
How long does a full detail take?
A full detail typically takes 3 to 5 hours for a sedan or small SUV, and 4 to 6 hours for a large SUV or truck depending on interior condition.
How long does ceramic coating take?
Ceramic coating is a full-day appointment, followed by 12 to 24 hours of cure time in a garage before the vehicle should get wet.
Is mobile detailing faster than a shop?
The detail itself takes the same time, but mobile removes drop-off and pickup — so your total time spent is usually a few minutes instead of half a day.