Las Cruces, NM Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

Section 38-52 of the Land Development Code sorts home occupations into categories, and 'small item repair service' is one of them, covering bicycle, computer, television, vacuum cleaner, locksmith, watch, tool and shoe repair. Section 38-52(C)(5) specifically carves auto repair, motorcycle repair, lawn mower repair, large appliance repair and small engine repair out of that category, meaning none of them can be registered or operated as a home-based repair business in Las Cruces, regardless of the size of the garage or shop involved.

The code does allow a narrow workaround for mobile service: a resident holding a home occupation business registration for a related professional service may travel to a customer's own property to change oil, fix a flat tire, replace a belt or hose, or detail a vehicle. That mobile work is legal only at the customer's location. The same section is explicit that under no circumstances can the registrant perform these services for other people back at his or her own residence, closing off any home garage operation that brings customer vehicles onto the mechanic's own property. A resident can still work on personal vehicles at home; the prohibition targets repair work performed as a business for other people's vehicles at the operator's residence. Anyone wanting to run a fixed-location auto repair shop must locate in a commercial or industrial zoning district and obtain the applicable commercial business registration instead of a home occupation permit.