Depends on the date of production for your car. 6-8 Weeks is the usual time to wait after the paint has been applied. I had an early June car so it was almost 12 weeks since the paint was applied. I personally feel that the wax affords good protection from things such as bird droppings and the like. Just don't overdo a good thing. I'll be applying additional wax in 2-3 weeks and then that's it until spring.