Lynchburg, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

4 defines which businesses a resident may operate from a dwelling as a "home occupation," and the list is exclusive: certified professional offices, state-licensed personal or medical services such as massage therapists or hairstylists, and artists, craftsmen and teachers. Auto repair, oil changes, tire work and similar mechanical trades are not on that list, so operating one for pay out of a house does not qualify as a lawful home occupation in any residential district. Even if a resident tried to fit repair work into the ordinance, the performance standards in the same section block it: subsection (b)(5) limits any home occupation to "mechanical equipment that is customary for purely domestic or household purposes," which excludes shop-grade lifts, compressors and diagnostic equipment used in a repair business.

Subsection (b)(6) bars outside storage of goods or equipment beyond one business vehicle and one trailer per lot, closing off using the yard or driveway to stage customer vehicles or parts. 2-71 for a home occupation. Because repair work is not an authorized home occupation, running one from a residence is a straight zoning violation, not merely a matter of getting an extra permit. x standards for automobile service stations require conditional use approval in the B-3, B-4, I-1 and I-2 districts, an 8-foot buffer wall or fence along residential property lines, gasoline pumps set back from the required setback, all service work conducted inside the building, and a 20,000-square-foot minimum lot.