Fontana, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

Fontana Municipal Code Sec. " Subsection (a) states the section is not meant to stop a resident from doing minor maintenance or repair on their own car, so long as the work does not become a nuisance to neighbors or the community. Subsection (b) draws the line: no motor vehicle may be stored, parked, or worked on for more than two hours on private residential property unless it sits in a garage or in a space entirely enclosed by a solid fence, hedge, or screen at least six feet high, or unless the vehicle is capable of moving under its own power.

Subsection (d) requires that automobile parts, whether new or used, be stored only in a garage or a wholly enclosed structure, so parts cannot sit out in a driveway or yard. Subsection (e) adds a location rule specific to repair work itself: no vehicle may be repaired, and no parts may be removed from it, while the vehicle is parked or stored within the front setback area of a lot or within the required side yard of a corner lot. Together the four subsections mean a Fontana homeowner can change their own oil or do a quick fix in the driveway, but a multi-hour teardown, an open-air parts inventory, or any repair staged in the front yard crosses into violation territory unless it happens inside a garage or a fully screened enclosure at least six feet tall.