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11 permits · verified 2026-09-28

What permits do you need to open a auto repair shop in Montgomery County Al?

In short

A auto repair shop in Montgomery County Al, AL has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services charges $200 one-time filing for the certificate of formation (llc). 7 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-28 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Montgomery County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General County Privilege License — Junk Dealers and Car Crushersonly if it applies to youMontgomery County Probate Court, Licenses Division$16–$226 a year, combined state+county total, tiered by proximity to and population of the nearest incorporated city, e.g. unincorporated/under-1,000-population areas = $16, within 10 miles of a city of 50,000-plus (the tier applicable near Montgomery) = $226 (Ala. Code §40-12-116); a separate $301/year per-machine fee applies to car-crushing equipment specifically under §40-12-116(b)annual; due October 1, delinquent November 1 (§40-12-26); 15% delinquency penalty plus 6% annual interest (§40-12-10(e))2026-09-28
General County Privilege License — Automobile Garages and ShopsMontgomery County Probate Court, Licenses Division$7.50 first-workman license fee + $1 issuance fee = $8.50 total for the first workman, plus $7.50 total for each additional workman employed at any time during the license year (the shop owner counts as a workman if he does the work) — Ala. Code §40-12-54annual; due October 1, delinquent November 1 (§40-12-26); 15% delinquency penalty plus 6% annual interest (§40-12-10(e))2026-09-28
Garage and Repair Shop Privilege LicenseAlabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division$8.50 for the first man including the issuance fee, then $7.50 for each additional man, counted at the year's maximum headcountannual — 1 October to 30 September, delinquent 1 November2026-09-03
Store Licenseonly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division$2 for a single store including the issuance fee, then $16 each for stores two to five, $23.50 for six to ten, $38.50 for eleven to twenty and $113.50 each beyond thatannual — 1 October to 30 September2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Montgomery County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Building Permit — Unincorporated Montgomery Countyonly if it applies to youMontgomery County Engineering DepartmentVaries — formula on the Montgomery County Al pageone-time, per permit2026-09-28

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

AL registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
State and County Business Privilege Licenseonly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax DivisionVaries — formula on the AL pageannual — 1 October to 30 September, delinquent 1 November2026-09-03
Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business Services$200 one-time filingperpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 20242026-09-03
Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business Services$200 one-time filingperpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 20242026-09-03
Corporation Annual Report (abolished)only if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business ServicesNo feenot applicable — the filing no longer exists2026-09-03
Business Privilege Taxonly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionVaries — formula on the AL pageannual — due when the matching federal return is due2026-09-03
Sales Tax LicenseAlabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionNo feeannual — renew online between 1 November and 31 December2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a auto repair shop in Montgomery County Al?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a auto repair shop in Montgomery County Al, AL, 3 apply to every business of this type and 8 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

7 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

General County Privilege License — Junk Dealers and Car Crushers: $16–$226 a year, combined state+county total, tiered by proximity to and population of the nearest incorporated city, e.g. unincorporated/under-1,000-population areas = $16, within 10 miles of a city of 50,000-plus (the tier applicable near Montgomery) = $226 (Ala. Code §40-12-116); a separate $301/year per-machine fee applies to car-crushing equipment specifically under §40-12-116(b)

General County Privilege License — Automobile Garages and Shops: $7.50 first-workman license fee + $1 issuance fee = $8.50 total for the first workman, plus $7.50 total for each additional workman employed at any time during the license year (the shop owner counts as a workman if he does the work) — Ala. Code §40-12-54

Garage and Repair Shop Privilege License: $8.50 for the first man including the issuance fee, then $7.50 for each additional man, counted at the year's maximum headcount

Store License: $2 for a single store including the issuance fee, then $16 each for stores two to five, $23.50 for six to ten, $38.50 for eleven to twenty and $113.50 each beyond that

The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Montgomery County Al permits page and the AL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Montgomery County Al?

Permits for a auto repair shop in Montgomery County Al, AL come from 5 separate offices: Montgomery County Probate Court, Licenses Division, Montgomery County Engineering Department, Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division, Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services, Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a auto repair shop need in Montgomery County Al that other businesses do not?

3 of the 4 permits particular to a auto repair shop here apply to no other business type we cover in Montgomery County Al: General County Privilege License — Junk Dealers and Car Crushers, General County Privilege License — Automobile Garages and Shops and Garage and Repair Shop Privilege License.

General County Privilege License — Junk Dealers and Car Crushers

An auto-repair or salvage operation in Montgomery County that also buys, sells or crushes junk or scrap as part of its business owes this county privilege license, tiered by proximity to and population of the nearest incorporated city: $226 total in the tier applicable near Montgomery (within 10 miles of a city of 50,000 or more population), down to $16 total in unincorporated or under-1,000-population areas farther from the city. Operators who crush cars specifically also owe a separate $301-a-year per-machine fee under §40-12-116(b). Under the Code of Alabama, Title 45, Chapter 51, Article 4 ('Business, Labor, and Occupations') — the Montgomery County local-law article where such a local act would live — consists of a single section, §45-51-40, marked 'Reserved', so the Code lists no Montgomery County junk-dealer act layered on top of this statewide classification. An ordinary auto-repair shop that does not buy, sell or crush junk or scrap does not owe this classification; it owes only the Automobile Garages and Shops classification recorded as a separate requirement.

General County Privilege License — Automobile Garages and Shops

A garage or shop in Montgomery County where automobiles or other motor vehicles are repaired, painted, trimmed or welded for the public owes this county privilege license through the Probate Court's Title 40-12 process: $8.50 total for the first workman, plus $7.50 total for each additional workman, based on the maximum number of workmen employed at any time during the license year. A three-worker shop would owe $8.50 + $7.50 + $7.50 = $23.50. A shop that also buys, sells or crushes junk or scrap in addition to ordinary repair work separately owes the Junk Dealers and Car Crushers classification recorded as a separate requirement; an ordinary repair shop that does not deal in junk owes only this §40-12-54 classification. This license is separate from any manufacturer-specific certification or the state Motor Vehicle Division's Automotive Dismantler & Parts Recycler licensing, both outside the scope of this record.

Garage and Repair Shop Privilege License

Alabama has no licensing board for auto repair — the revenue department's own list of every state board requiring a license contains no auto repair, auto body, mechanic or garage entry, and title 34 has no chapter for the trade. But a license is still required, and it is easy to miss because it is a tax license rather than an occupational one. Garages and shops where vehicles are repaired, painted, trimmed or welded for the public pay by headcount, counted at the maximum number of men employed at any point in the license year, with owners who work in the shop counted as men. It is needed for each location, including a service station or someone working from home, and the revenue department reads it to cover window tinting, fitting parts and tyres, motorcycle repair, alarm fitting and disabled vehicle lifts, but not oil changes, wheel alignment or farm machinery repair. A mechanic working exclusively from a truck at the customer's premises is outside it. Note also what is not needed: a dealer license, since every dealer class turns on selling or preparing for resale, so a shop that repairs customers' vehicles and returns them to their owners falls outside all of them.

Shared with other businesses in Montgomery County Al

  • Store License — Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division, $2 for a single store including the issuance fee, then $16 each for stores two to five, $23.50 for six to ten, $38.50 for eleven to twenty and $113.50 each beyond that, annual — 1 October to 30 September. Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.

The other 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Montgomery County Al, AL; what each one involves is set out on the Montgomery County Al permits page. The 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across AL and are covered on the AL state page.

How does a auto repair shop compare with other businesses in Montgomery County Al?

The closest match is a retail store, which shares 1 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs General County Privilege License — Junk Dealers and Car Crushers, General County Privilege License — Automobile Garages and Shops and Garage and Repair Shop Privilege License. A retail store needs General County Privilege License — Store License, MCHD Retail Food Service Permit and Alcoholic Beverage License (state ABC Board; Montgomery County is Wet), which a auto repair shop does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Montgomery County Al, AL, compared with a auto repair shop
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a auto repair shopOnly a auto repair shop needsOnly it needs
Retail stores4133
Childcare centres2042
Coffee shops6046
Contractors and trades3043
Fitness studios2042
Food trucks3043
Restaurants5045
Salons and barbers3043
Veterinary clinics3043

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Montgomery County Al permits page and the AL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Alabama Department of Revenue — Handbook of Privilege and Store Licenses, October 2022, with the fee schedule for each business typeAlabama Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  2. Montgomery County Probate Court — Business Licenses pageMontgomery County Probate Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  3. Code of Alabama, Title 45, Chapter 51, Article 4 (Business, Labor, and Occupations) — §45-51-40, ReservedJustia (Code of Alabama) · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  4. Alabama Department of Revenue — the complete list of state regulatory boards requiring permits or licenses, which contains no auto repair boardAlabama Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.