11 permits · verified 2026-10-13
What permits do you need to open a auto repair shop in Monterey County?
In short
A auto repair shop in Monterey County, CA has 1 permit that applies 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). 5 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-13 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Monterey County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator / Hazardous Materials Permitonly if it applies to you | County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau — Hazardous Materials Management Services (Certified Unified Program Agency) | Hazardous Waste Generator Only (Waste Oil, Non-Chlorinated Safety Solvents, Antifreeze): base fee $915. Hazardous waste generator fees: less than 1 ton $261; 1-5 tons $390. Facility requiring hazardous material registration and an emergency response plan (500-2,500 lbs solids, 55-275 gallons liquids, 200-1,000 cubic feet gases and/or stores motor vehicle fuel): base fee $915. CUPA State Service Charges: 'The amount of the fee imposed by Health & Safety Code Section 25404, 25405.5, and Section 25287'. | annual | 2026-10-13 |
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 Monterey County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permitsonly if it applies to you | County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau | Varies — formula on the Monterey County page | construction permit per project; operating permit annual | 2026-10-13 |
| Land-Use Permits (use permit, administrative permit, design approval, variance, zoning verification)only if it applies to you | County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning) | Varies — formula on the Monterey County page | per application (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
| Building Permit (commercial new construction or tenant improvement)only if it applies to you | County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning) | Varies — formula on the Monterey County page | per project (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $20 per filing, biennial | biennial | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $70 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually | 2026-09-03 |
| Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $25 per filing, annual | annual | 2026-09-03 |
| Seller's Permitonly if it applies to you | California Department of Tax and Fee Administration | No fee — no fee to apply | no expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to you | California Franchise Tax Board | Varies — formula on the CA page | annual, until the entity is cancelled | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — California position (city or county, not state) | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | No fee | set by the issuing city or county | 2026-09-03 |
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 Monterey County?
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 Monterey County, CA, 1 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.
5 of the 11 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:
CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator / Hazardous Materials Permit: Hazardous Waste Generator Only (Waste Oil, Non-Chlorinated Safety Solvents, Antifreeze): base fee $915. Hazardous waste generator fees: less than 1 ton $261; 1-5 tons $390. Facility requiring hazardous material registration and an emergency response plan (500-2,500 lbs solids, 55-275 gallons liquids, 200-1,000 cubic feet gases and/or stores motor vehicle fuel): base fee $915. CUPA State Service Charges: 'The amount of the fee imposed by Health & Safety Code Section 25404, 25405.5, and Section 25287'.
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Monterey County permits page and the CA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Monterey County?
Permits for a auto repair shop in Monterey County, CA come from 6 separate offices: County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau — Hazardous Materials Management Services (Certified Unified Program Agency), County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau, County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning), 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.
- County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau — Hazardous Materials Management Services (Certified Unified Program Agency)Issues 1 permit on this page: CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator / Hazardous Materials Permit1270 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA 93906 · (831) 755-4505www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/health/environmental-health/hazardous-materials-management/cupa-programs
- County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health BureauIssues 1 permit on this page: Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permits1270 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA 93906 · (831) 755-4505www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/health/environmental-health/general/fees
- County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning)Issues 2 permits on this page: Land-Use Permits (use permit, administrative permit, design approval, variance, zoning verification), Building Permit (commercial new construction or tenant improvement)1441 Schilling Place, 2nd Floor - South, Salinas, CA 93901 · (831) 755-5025www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/housing-community-development/permit-center/permits-fees-types
- California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionIssues 5 permits on this page, including Statement of Information (LLC), Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation(916) 657-5448bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov
- California Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationIssues 1 permit on this page: Seller's Permitonlineservices.cdtfa.ca.gov
- California Franchise Tax BoardIssues 1 permit on this page: Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxwww.ftb.ca.gov
What does a auto repair shop need in Monterey County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 1 permit particular to a auto repair shop here applies to no other business type we cover in Monterey County: CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator / Hazardous Materials Permit.
CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator / Hazardous Materials Permit
The Bureau's CUPA Programs page states that 'The Hazardous Materials Management Services (HMMS) is designated as the local Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) in Monterey County and is responsible for inspecting facilities in the County to verify proper storage, handling and disposal of hazardous materials and hazardous wastes.' An auto-repair shop that generates waste oil, solvents or antifreeze falls under the hazardous waste generator permit, and one that stores hazardous materials at the listed quantities or stores motor vehicle fuel also needs hazardous material registration and an emergency response plan. Amounts are the lines printed in Article I.E of the County Master Fee Resolution (Resolution No. 26-074, adopted 24 March 2026, effective July 1, 2026), plus the state service charges the schedule lists. The same schedule lists a 'Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Surcharge per Chapter 10.67 of Title 10 of the Monterey County Code' with the line 'Environmental Health Hazardous Materials Permits 83'.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Monterey County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Monterey 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 Monterey County?
The closest match is a childcare centre, which shares 0 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator / Hazardous Materials Permit. A childcare centre needs Child Care Centre License, which a auto repair shop does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a auto repair shop | Only a auto repair shop needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Retail stores | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
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 that apply to every type of business are listed on the Monterey County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- County Master Fee Resolution Article I.E — Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau Fees, Effective July 1, 2026County of Monterey Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- CUPA ProgramsCounty of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Resolution No. 26-074 — amending Article I.E of the Monterey County Master Fee Resolution, effective July 1, 2026 (RES 26-036)County of Monterey Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Board Order, Agenda Item No. 24, 24 March 2026 — Resolution No. 26-074 (RES 26-036)County of Monterey Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.