To estimate the risk of occupation in oral and oropharyngeal cancer, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Greater Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil. The study included 325 cases and 468 controls, frequency-matched with cases by sex and age, and interviewed from January 1999 to March 2002. Occupational risks were examined by industry and job titles and restricted to males (266 cases, 362 controls). Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression, controlling for age, smoking, and alcohol. Males working in vehicle maintenance shops (26 cases, 12 controls) showed adjusted OR = 2.45 (95%CI: 1.14-5.27), increasing among those employed 10 or more years (OR = 7.90; 95%CI: 2.03-30.72). Occupation as vehicle repair worker (14 cases, 7 controls) showed OR = 2.10 (95%CI: 0.78-5.68), increasing among workers exposed 10 or more years (OR = 26.21; 95%CI: 2.34-294.06). Other industries and occupations revealed OR higher than 1.5, but not statistically significant. In conclusion, employment in vehicle maintenance shops and occupation as vehicle repair worker showed risk for oral cancer, independently of smoking and alcohol. More prolonged exposure increased the risk.