Gaston County, NC Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

UDO Sec. 17 governs automobile repair on residentially zoned lots or lots used mainly for residential purposes. Subsection A limits outdoor repair, meaning work done outside a garage, to vehicles registered to the dwelling's occupant and to routine maintenance such as oil changes, tune-ups, transmission fluid changes, brake repair, coolant service, battery changes, tire rotation, and minor body, trim, or mechanical repairs. That work cannot run past 48 continuous hours, and parts or equipment like jacks, ramps, or hoists cannot sit outdoors more than 48 hours either.

Any other onsite repair is strictly prohibited except as allowed in Subsection B, and any repair or maintenance performed for a fee is strictly prohibited on a residentially zoned or used lot, period, cutting off backyard repair businesses entirely. Subsection B carves out a size-based exception: on residential lots two acres or larger, the occupant may perform outdoor repair in the rear yard, clear of any required setback, without the 24-48 hour time limits that apply to smaller lots. Subsection C draws a hard line regardless of lot size: major engine or transmission repair and major bodywork may only be done inside an enclosed garage, never in a driveway or yard.