Outagamie County, WI: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)
Key Facts
- Provision
- Sec. 54-130(11), AGD district
- Requirement
- Owner must reside on property
- Permit
- Special exception, notice and hearing
- First offense fine
- $150 forfeiture
- Applies to
- Unincorporated AGD-zoned towns only
Summary
Outagamie County allows a home-based auto, farm equipment, or small engine repair shop only as a special exception in the AGD agricultural district, and only where the owner or proprietor lives on-site.
(11) The following uses, provided the owner or proprietor resides on the premises: automobiles, farm equipment and small engine repair shops; offices and/or shops in connection with skilled tradesman, including plumbers, electricians, carpenters, welders and the like; and production and/or sales of crafts produced on the premises, provided mechanical or chemical processes are incidental or nonexistent.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 54-130(11) lists automobile, farm equipment, and small engine repair shops among the special exception uses allowed in the AGD general agricultural district, alongside skilled-tradesman shops and on-site craft production, but only where the owner or proprietor actually resides on the property. Opening one requires a special exception permit from the county's Agriculture, Extension Education, Zoning and Land Conservation Committee after notice and hearing. This applies only in unincorporated towns that adopted the county's AGD zoning; it doesn't reach the RSF residential district and has no bearing inside Appleton, Kaukauna, or any other incorporated city, each of which sets its own home-business rules.
Violations & Fines
Running a home repair shop without the required special exception is a Sec. 54-130 zoning violation: Sec. 1-14(b) sets a $150 forfeiture for a first offense and $300 for each one after that, plus court costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open an auto repair shop at my house anywhere in Outagamie County?
Does this rule cover repair shops inside Appleton or Kaukauna?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Outagamie County
Compare Outagamie County to another location·View the Wisconsin business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.