Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

12 permits · verified 2026-10-27

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

In short

A auto repair shop in Imperial County, CA has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division charges $20 per filing, biennial for the statement of information (llc). 6 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-27 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Imperial County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Hazardous Materials Business Plan and Hazardous Waste Generator Programs (DTSC Imperial CUPA)only if it applies to youDTSC Imperial CUPA (California Department of Toxic Substances Control)Fees are set by DTSC Imperial CUPA under its Imperial CUPA Fee Schedule; the amounts are not published on the Imperial County Environmental Health Division's Hazardous Materials Management Program page. Contact DTSC Imperial CUPA for current amounts, or Imperial County Environmental Health at (442) 265-1888 for the aboveground petroleum storage and underground storage tank programs.annual program participation for qualifying facilities2026-10-27
Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registrationonly if it applies to youImperial County Agricultural Commissioner / Sealer of Weights and MeasuresBusiness Location Registration Fee $120.00 per location (BPC 12240(f)), plus a device registration fee and a DMS administrative fee for each device, for example: computing scale under 100 lb $25.00 + $2.20; counter scale under 100 lb $26.00 + $2.20 (interfaced with a cash register or point-of-sale system $25.00 + $2.20); retail motor fuel meter $26.00 + $2.20; prescription/jewelry scale $80.00 + $2.20. The schedule lists a $1,200.00 fee cap under BPC 12240 for the capped device classes, including these scales and retail motor fuel meters.annual2026-10-27

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 Imperial County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County General Business License (unincorporated Imperial County)Imperial County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Licensing DivisionVaries — formula on the Imperial County pagelicense periods of one month or less, or more than one month and up to one full year, per the Treasurer-Tax Collector's sheet2026-10-27
Building Permit (unincorporated Imperial County)only if it applies to youImperial County Planning & Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Imperial County pageper project2026-10-27
Land Use / Zoning Application (unincorporated Imperial County)only if it applies to youImperial County Planning & Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Imperial County pageper application2026-10-27

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

CA 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
Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$20 per filing, biennialbiennial2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$70 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$100 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually2026-09-03
Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$25 per filing, annualannual2026-09-03
Seller's Permitonly if it applies to youCalifornia Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationNo fee — no fee to applyno expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller2026-09-03
Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to youCalifornia Franchise Tax BoardVaries — formula on the CA pageannual, until the entity is cancelled2026-09-03
General Business License — California position (city or county, not state)California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionNo feeset by the issuing city or county2026-09-03

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 Imperial County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a auto repair shop in Imperial County, CA, 2 apply to every business of this type and 10 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

6 of the 12 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Hazardous Materials Business Plan and Hazardous Waste Generator Programs (DTSC Imperial CUPA): Fees are set by DTSC Imperial CUPA under its Imperial CUPA Fee Schedule; the amounts are not published on the Imperial County Environmental Health Division's Hazardous Materials Management Program page. Contact DTSC Imperial CUPA for current amounts, or Imperial County Environmental Health at (442) 265-1888 for the aboveground petroleum storage and underground storage tank programs.

Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration: Business Location Registration Fee $120.00 per location (BPC 12240(f)), plus a device registration fee and a DMS administrative fee for each device, for example: computing scale under 100 lb $25.00 + $2.20; counter scale under 100 lb $26.00 + $2.20 (interfaced with a cash register or point-of-sale system $25.00 + $2.20); retail motor fuel meter $26.00 + $2.20; prescription/jewelry scale $80.00 + $2.20. The schedule lists a $1,200.00 fee cap under BPC 12240 for the capped device classes, including these scales and retail motor fuel meters.

The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Imperial County permits page and the CA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Imperial County?

Permits for a auto repair shop in Imperial County, CA come from 7 separate offices: Imperial County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Licensing Division, DTSC Imperial CUPA (California Department of Toxic Substances Control), Imperial County Planning & Development Services, Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner / Sealer of Weights and Measures, California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California Franchise Tax Board. 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 Imperial County that other businesses do not?

1 of the 2 permits particular to a auto repair shop here applies to no other business type we cover in Imperial County: Hazardous Materials Business Plan and Hazardous Waste Generator Programs (DTSC Imperial CUPA).

Hazardous Materials Business Plan and Hazardous Waste Generator Programs (DTSC Imperial CUPA)

The Imperial County Environmental Health Division's Hazardous Materials Management Program page states that 'DTSC Imperial CUPA continues to administer the following program elements in Imperial County': the Hazardous Waste Generator and Tiered Permitting Program, the Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP), and California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP). The same page says that on July 1, 2021 Environmental Health entered into an agreement with DTSC Imperial CUPA to administer the Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA) program as a Participating Agency, and that 'Effective January 1, 2024, the oversight was expanded to include the administration of the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program'; questions go to (442) 265-1888 or hazmathealth@co.imperial.ca.us. An auto-repair shop that stores hazardous materials above reporting thresholds or generates hazardous waste such as used oil or solvents falls under these programs. Fee amounts are not published on the county page; contact DTSC Imperial CUPA for the current schedule.

Shared with other businesses in Imperial County

  • Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration — Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner / Sealer of Weights and Measures, Business Location Registration Fee $120.00 per location (BPC 12240(f)), plus a device registration fee and a DMS administrative fee for each device, for example: computing scale under 100 lb $25.00 + $2.20; counter scale under 100 lb $26.00 + $2.20 (interfaced with a cash register or point-of-sale system $25.00 + $2.20); retail motor fuel meter $26.00 + $2.20; prescription/jewelry scale $80.00 + $2.20. The schedule lists a $1,200.00 fee cap under BPC 12240 for the capped device classes, including these scales and retail motor fuel meters., annual. Also required for retail stores, coffee shops and restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.

The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Imperial County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Imperial County permits page. The 7 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across CA and are covered on the CA state page.

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

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs Hazardous Materials Business Plan and Hazardous Waste Generator Programs (DTSC Imperial CUPA). A coffee shop needs Specialty Food Health Permits (MEHKO, micro-market, caterer, commissary, cottage food, host kitchen, vending), Retail Food Facility Annual Health Permit (markets, retail food, restaurants), Temporary Food Facility (TFF) Health Permit and Community Event Organizer Permit and 3 more, which a auto repair shop does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Imperial County, CA, compared with a auto repair shop
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a auto repair shopOnly a auto repair shop needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops7116
Restaurants7116
Retail stores7116
Childcare centres1021
Contractors and trades1021
Fitness studios2022
Food trucks5025
Salons and barbers3023
Veterinary clinics1021

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 restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Imperial County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Hazardous Materials Management ProgramImperial County Public Health Department, Environmental Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27

Related

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