Miami-Dade RER, Neighborhood Regulations Division (Neighborhood Compliance)

Residential-Zone Vehicle Repair Restriction

No fee applies — this is a restriction, not a permit to obtain. In residential zoning districts in unincorporated Miami-Dade, 'major' vehicle repairs — removing or lifting an engine or transmission, work lasting more than 72 hours, or a vehicle up on blocks with its tires off — are prohibited outright. 'Minor' repairs (tire, battery, oil, brake and tune-up work) are allowed only if the vehicle belongs to the property's owner or tenant, the work happens in daylight, the vehicle is not parked in the front yard unless the side or rear is inaccessible, and the work finishes within 72 hours. Violating either rule draws a $510 fine for a first offense and $1,010 for subsequent offenses, and can result in a property lien. An auto-repair business operating as a business — as opposed to a resident working on their own vehicle — from a residential property should instead expect to need a zoning change, a home-industry approval, or a properly zoned commercial location; this restriction does not itself authorize commercial auto-repair operations at a residence.