The　increasing　automobile　repair　industries　(ARIs)　with　spray　facilities　have　become　an　important　volatile　organic　compound　(VOC)　pollution　source　in　China.　However,　the　VOC　health　risk　assessment　for　long-term　exposure　in　ARIs　has　not　been　well　characterized.　In　this　study,　though　sampled　VOCs　from　51　typical　ARIs　in　Beijing,　the　relationship　between　emission　patterns,　average　daily　exposure　concentrations　(EC),　and　health　risks　was　comprehensively　analyzed　with　the　health　assessment　method.　Results　showed　that　concentrations　of　117　VOCs　from　the　samples　ranged　from　68.53　to　19863.32　μg·m−3,　while　the　ARI　operator’s　daily　VOC　inhalation　EC　was　11.24–1460.70　μg·m−3.　The　organic　VOC　(OVOC)　concentration　accounted　for　73.16　~　94.52%　in　the　solvent-based　paint　workshops,　while　aromatics　were　the　main　VOC　component　in　water-based　paint　spraying　(WPS)　workshops,　accounting　for　70.08%,　respectively.　And　the　method　of　inhalation　exposure　health　risk　assessment　was　firstly　used　to　evaluate　carcinogenicity　and　non-carcinogenicity　risk　for　sprayers　in　ARIs.　The　cumulative　lifetime　carcinogenic　risk　(LCR)　for　24　sampled　VOCs　were　within　acceptable　ranges,　while　the　mean　hazard　index　(HI)　for　1　year　with　44　sampled　VOCs　was　over　1.　Among　them,　ethyl　alcohol　had　a　high　carcinogenic　risk　in　both　mixed　water-based　paint　(MP)　and　solvent-based　paint　workshops.　The　mean　HI　associated　with　aromatics　were　2.88E　−　3　and　4.30E　−　3　for　1　h　in　MP　and　WPS　workshops.　O-ethyl　toluene　and　acetone　are　VOC　components　that　need　to　be　paid　attention　to　in　future　paint　raw　materials　and　spraying　operations.　Our　study　will　provide　the　important　references　for　the　standard　of　VOC　occupational　exposure　health　limits　in　ARIs.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2024.