To get the Acid Lab in GTA Online, you complete the six First Dose missions, steal the lab equipment in a setup mission, and pay Mutt GTA$750,000 to install the lab. To unlock its Equipment Upgrade, you then complete 10 Fooligan Jobs for Dax and pay Mutt a further GTA$250,000. This guide walks through every step in order, as of September 14, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Unlock: complete all six First Dose missions from the Los Santos Drug Wars update, starting with Ron at Liquor Ace in Sandy Shores.
- Setup: after the final mission, Off the Rails, steal the lab equipment in a separate setup mission.
- Cost: GTA$750,000 to install the Acid Lab, paid to Mutt at The Freakshop.
- Upgrade: complete 10 Fooligan Jobs for Dax, then buy the Equipment Upgrade from Mutt for GTA$250,000.
- Solo-friendly selling: sell missions can be done in invite-only sessions, and a solo player delivers on a single Manchez Scout C motorbike.
Many of GTA Online’s older businesses send out several slow delivery vehicles at once, which is hard to manage alone. The Acid Lab, added in the Los Santos Drug Wars update, is different: it runs from a mobile lab inside the Brickade 6×6, and its sell missions are built around a single motorbike. While everyone waits for the next game — see our GTA 6 release date and gameplay guide — it remains one of the easiest businesses to run solo.
Step 1: Complete the Six First Dose Missions
You do not buy the Acid Lab from a property website. It is unlocked through the First Dose storyline, in which you team up with Dax and his crew, the Fooliganz.
How to start: be in a Freemode session where you can receive phone calls. Ron Jakowski will call you, and afterwards an R marker appears at Liquor Ace in Sandy Shores. Go there to begin the first mission.
Complete all six missions in order:
- Welcome to the Troupe
- Designated Driver
- Fatal Incursion
- Uncontrolled Substance
- Make War not Love
- Off the Rails
Step 2: Steal the Lab Equipment
Finishing Off the Rails is not the end of the unlock. You then need to steal the lab equipment in a separate setup mission, raiding a designated location to secure three pallets of equipment and bringing them back to The Freakshop.
Where is The Freakshop? It is a large warehouse at the north end of the Mirror Park Railyard, in Mirror Park.
Step 3: Pay Mutt GTA$750,000 to Install the Acid Lab
Once the equipment is delivered, speak to Mutt at The Freakshop and pay GTA$750,000 to install the Acid Lab. Mutt is the Fooliganz’s technician and handles the lab’s setup, supplies and upgrades.
Step 4: Unlock the Equipment Upgrade
The Equipment Upgrade is locked until you have put in some work for Dax.
- Phone Dax to request a Fooligan Job.
- You are given one of five Fooligan Jobs at random: Crop Dustin’, Write-Off, Liquid Assets, Working Remotely or Heavy Metal.
- There is a 48-minute cooldown (one in-game day) between completing one job and starting the next.
- Complete 10 Fooligan Jobs in total.
- Go to Mutt at the workbench and buy the Equipment Upgrade for GTA$250,000.
Because of the cooldown, 10 jobs take a while — plan to spread them across a few play sessions.
Selling Acid: How the Missions Work
- One vehicle: when you sell solo, you deliver on a single Manchez Scout C motorbike, even for a full batch.
- Invite-only sessions: sell missions work in invite-only lobbies, which keeps other players from interfering. Selling in a public lobby can add a High Demand bonus based on the number of rival players, at the cost of that risk.
- The Brickade 6×6: ram weapons and EMP proximity mines are available for the lab vehicle.
Tips for Running the Acid Lab
- Get the upgrade early. The 48-minute cooldown between Fooligan Jobs means the 10 jobs are the slowest part of the whole process, so start them as soon as First Dose is done.
- Do a supply mission yourself when you can. Completing a supply mission yourself can give a temporary boost to production speed.
- Sell in invite-only when you want certainty. A public lobby may pay more, but an invite-only session lets you finish the delivery undisturbed.
Once your lab is running, spend some of the profits on a better ride with our list of the best cars in GTA Online, or look back at the series’ stories in our ranking of every GTA storyline. More guides are in our Games hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a fully upgraded Acid Lab cost in GTA Online?
GTA$1,000,000 in total: GTA$750,000 to install the Acid Lab and GTA$250,000 for the Equipment Upgrade.
Can you sell Acid Lab product in an invite-only session?
Yes. Sell missions work in invite-only lobbies. Public lobbies can add a High Demand bonus but come with the risk of other players.
Do Acid Lab deliveries use more than one vehicle?
Not when you sell solo. A solo player delivers on a single Manchez Scout C motorbike, even for a full batch.
Where is The Freakshop in GTA Online?
At the north end of the Mirror Park Railyard, in Mirror Park.
Why can’t I buy the Equipment Upgrade from Mutt?
You have not yet completed 10 Fooligan Jobs. Phone Dax to request them — remember the 48-minute cooldown between jobs.
Sources
- How to unlock and upgrade the Acid Lab (TheGamer) — First Dose, GTA$750,000 install, GTA$250,000 upgrade, Fooligan Jobs and cooldown
- Los Santos Drug Wars and Acid Lab FAQ (GTA BOOM) — mission names, equipment setup mission, sell vehicle, Brickade 6×6 weapons
- Fooligan Jobs (GTA Wiki) and The Freakshop (GTA Wiki) — job cooldown and Freakshop location
- Acid Lab business guide (GTA Boss) — invite-only selling and the single-bike delivery
Last checked September 14, 2026. GTA Online payouts and bonuses change with weekly events, so check in-game for the current values.
