Livonia, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

Section 6.06 governs "Automobile Repair (Up to One (1) Ton GVWR)," covering motor and electrical tune-ups, and replacement of shocks, brakes, mufflers, exhaust, tailpipes, and transmissions. The use is restricted to the C-2 District as a waiver use, requiring Planning Commission review and City Council approval, and to the C-3 District as a permitted use. It is not permitted in any residential district, and it is not among the activities allowed under the Home Occupations standards of Section 6.28, which require the entire home business to be conducted inside the enclosed dwelling unit and expressly bar use of any garage, attached or detached, for the business. Combined, the two sections mean a resident cannot legally run even a small vehicle repair operation out of a residential garage anywhere in Livonia.

Where automobile repair is permitted, all repair work must be carried out inside an enclosed building; no repairs may happen in a driveway or side yard. Bumping, painting, spraying, and rustproofing are barred outright, limiting the use to mechanical repair rather than body work. The number of vehicles a shop may store is set by Planning Commission recommendation and City Council approval rather than a fixed number in the ordinance, outdoor storage of disabled, damaged, or unlicensed vehicles is prohibited, and the site must have direct access to a major thoroughfare with an existing or proposed right-of-way of at least 120 feet.