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

' That means a resident can work on their own car, truck, or motorcycle in their own driveway or garage apron, but cannot use that space to repair vehicles belonging to friends, neighbors, or paying customers, which closes off running an informal auto repair operation out of a house. The same section addresses two related situations. Subsection (a) bars repairing or modifying a vehicle on any vacant lot or parcel unless a use permit has been obtained under Article 33 of the zoning code, so a mechanic cannot use an empty lot as a repair yard without discretionary approval.

Subsection (b) bars repairs on any public highway, street, or alley altogether, except for emergency repairs needed because the vehicle's mechanical condition makes it impossible to move, and even those emergency repairs must be finished within 24 hours of the breakdown or of the vehicle first being parked there, whichever happens first. Together, the three subsections mean routine or commercial vehicle repair in Pacifica has to happen at a licensed repair facility rather than in a driveway, on a vacant lot, or on the street.