Automotive Service Excellence was founded in 1972 as an independent, non-profit organization with a single mission: To improve the quality of automotive service and repair through the voluntary testing and certification of automotive technicians.

Upon passing at least one exam and after providing proof of two years of relevant work experience, the test taker becomes ASE certified. Certification, however, is not for life. To remain certified, those with ASE credentials must be retested every five years.

ASE-certified technicians usually wear blue and white ASE shoulder insignia and carry credentials listing their exact areas of expertise (brakes, engine repair, etc.), while employers often display their technicians' credentials in the customer waiting area. Consumers should look for facilities that display the ASE Blue Seal of Excellence logo on outdoor signs, in the customer waiting area, in the Yellow Pages, and in other advertisements.