Franklin County, KY Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

The Franklin County Fiscal Court allows home occupations in any zoning district where residences are permitted, but § 155.111(F) controls which occupations qualify. Subsection (F)(1) states that the following uses are prohibited as home occupations: barber shops; beauty parlors; automobile and small engine repair; medical or dental office, other than psychiatry/psychology; home cooking and catering; private clubs; eating and drinking establishments; fortunetellers; health spas, excluding personal trainers and massage therapists; hotels and motels; wholesale and retail; and kennels. Because the ban is in the list itself, there is no minor or major route to approval: neither an administrative approval nor a conditional use permit from the Board of Zoning Adjustments can turn a home garage into a repair shop.

Subsection (F)(2) closes the gap for related work. If, in the opinion of the permit issuing authority, a proposed use is not specifically listed but has characteristics of a listed use and could negatively impact the residential character of the neighborhood, the activity is prohibited. A mobile mechanic who stages jobs from a residential lot or a hobby shop that takes paying customers would face that test. The applicant can appeal the determination to the Board of Zoning Adjustments.

Other parts of § 155.111 reinforce the result. Subsection (K) bars goods, materials or objects from being sold, stored, displayed, manufactured or processed on the premises, except for arts and crafts, and subsection (L) forbids equipment or processes that would change the dwelling's fire rating and any odor, vibration, fumes or glare beyond what typical residential behavior produces. The use table also prints that vehicle repair shall not be permitted within units of a mini-warehouse or self-storage building, so the commercial zones are the place for this trade.