Peoria County, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 7.3.2(10)
- Prohibited uses
- Automobile body repair and automobile repair
- Home occupation sales hours
- No public sales 7 p.m.-9 a.m.
- Vehicle weight cap (other home uses)
- 8,000 lbs gross vehicle weight
- Enforcing agency
- Peoria County Zoning Administrator
- Alternative path
- Rezone or site plan in commercial district
Summary
Peoria County bans automobile body repair and automobile repair as home occupations countywide. Under UDO Section 7.3.2, home occupations are otherwise permitted in every zoning district accessory to a single-family or multifamily dwelling, but the Zoning Administrator strictly prohibits these two automotive trades from operating out of a residence, regardless of visitor limits or vehicle trip counts allowed for other home businesses.
7.3.2 General... 10. The following occupations are strictly prohibited as a home occupation: a. Automobile body repair. b. Automobile repair.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
2 flatly excludes two automotive trades from that permission. Subsection 10 lists occupations strictly prohibited as a home occupation: automobile body repair and automobile repair. The prohibition applies regardless of scale, so a resident cannot obtain even a limited home-occupation approval to run a repair bay, paint booth, or diagnostic shop out of a house or accessory structure anywhere in unincorporated Peoria County. , no more customer or delivery traffic than would be normal for the zoning district, and no more than two commercial deliveries per week from suppliers other than mail or package carriers.
3 caps the gross vehicle weight of any vehicle kept for a permitted home occupation at 8,000 pounds, underscoring how far outside the home-occupation framework a repair garage sits, since repair work routinely involves heavier trucks, lifts, and outdoor vehicle storage the ordinance elsewhere forbids. A resident who wants to run an auto repair business must instead locate in a zoning district that allows automotive repair as a principal or special use, such as the county's commercial or light industrial districts, and go through standard site plan and permit review rather than the home-occupation path. The Zoning Administrator reviews every home-occupation application before issuance and enforces this section.
Violations & Fines
Operating an automobile body repair or automobile repair business from a residence without the required commercial zoning and permits is a UDO violation under Section 10.2. The Zoning Administrator can refuse further development approvals for the property, order work stopped under Section 10.3, and refer the matter to circuit court to enjoin the illegal use, with the violator liable for the county's enforcement costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fix cars for money at my house in Peoria County?
What other limits apply to home occupations that are allowed?
What happens if I run a repair shop from home anyway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Peoria County
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