Cleveland County, NC: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

The Auto Repair row in Section 12-124's Table of Permitted Uses, NAICS code 81110, is blank across Rural Residential, Rural Agricultural, Restricted Residential, Residential, Manufactured Homes and Parks, and Corridor Protection, meaning the use isn't permitted in any of those six districts, whether run from a home or as a standalone shop. Neighborhood Business carries an 'S', so an auto repair business there needs a special use permit from the Board of Adjustment, filed under Section 12-33 with a site plan covering the boundary survey, adjoining owners, proposed structures, screening, and traffic and parking plans, followed by a quasi-judicial hearing. General Business, Light Industrial, and Heavy Industrial all carry a 'Z', permitting the use by right without a hearing.

Cleveland County's customary and rural home occupation rules, Sections 12-136 and 12-137, let residents run some small businesses from a dwelling, but neither section lists automotive repair among the permitted home occupation types, and both still require chemical, mechanical, or electrical equipment used in the occupation to avoid odors, noise, or interference detectable off the lot, standards a repair shop's equipment would be hard-pressed to meet.