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

15 of the Hayward Municipal Code makes it unlawful to repair or dismantle, in the open, in any residential district, an automobile, boat, or other vehicle or conveyance without first obtaining a permit from the Police Department. The application must include the applicant's name and address, the address where the work will happen, written consent from the property owner if different from the applicant, a description of the vehicle and the work to be done, and an estimated completion time. Every application is referred to the Fire Chief for review before the Police Department can issue the permit, and it is only granted if the work can be done without creating a fire hazard or a police problem.

Once issued, the permit sets a work window capped at 15 days, extendable only for reasonable cause shown. When the work is finished, the permittee must clear the site of debris, oil, grease, gasoline, paint, lacquer, and other combustible material so no hazard to people or property remains. As a condition of the permit, the applicant authorizes the Police Department to remove and store, at the owner's expense, the vehicle or its parts if the work is not completed within the granted time. The section carves out an exception for minor repairs: 'repair' does not include minor adjustments or part replacements that can reasonably be finished within 72 hours, and no permit is required for that kind of quick fix.