Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

12 permits · verified 2026-10-14

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

In short

A auto repair shop in Johnson County Ia, IA has 1 permit that applies to every business of this type, plus 11 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability charges $250 per site plan review application, including Administrator-approved site plans, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page for the site plan review (unincorporated johnson county). 4 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-14 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Johnson County Ia

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Iowa positiononly if it applies to youIowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-04

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 Johnson County Ia

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and SustainabilityVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ia pageas for building permits: work must begin within 180 days of issuance; written 180-day extensions may be granted (Building Permits FAQ)2026-10-14
Site Plan Review (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$250 per site plan review application, including Administrator-approved site plans, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule pageper project2026-10-14
Building Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and SustainabilityVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ia pagework must begin within 180 days of issuance and may not be suspended or abandoned for more than 180 days; the building official may grant written extensions of 180 days (Building Permits FAQ)2026-10-14
Change of Occupancy Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$50 per change of occupancy permit, as published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page; the certificate of occupancy issued after inspection is listed there at no chargeper change of occupancy; a new certificate of occupancy is issued after the inspection is approved2026-10-14
Conditional Use Permit (Board of Adjustment, unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$250 per conditional use permit application to the Board of Adjustment, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page ($50 more for any modification after publication that requires republication)per application2026-10-14
Private Sewage Disposal (Septic) Construction Permit and Commercial/Industrial Use Permitonly if it applies to youJohnson County Public HealthVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ia pageconstruction permit expires 1 year from issue, with one extension of up to 1 year on request (§4.06); commercial/industrial use permit renewed annually (§4.09(A))2026-10-14

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

IA 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
Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youIowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division$50 one-time filingperpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years2026-09-04
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youIowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division$50 one-time filingperpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years2026-09-04
Sales Tax PermitIowa Department of RevenueNo feeno expiration — stays effective until cancelled or revoked2026-09-04
General Business License — Iowa positiononly if it applies to youIowa Economic Development Authority, Business License Information CenterNo feenot applicable2026-09-04
Biennial Reportonly if it applies to youIowa Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionVaries — formula on the IA pagean LLC files between 1 January and 1 April of every odd year; a corporation files in the same window of every even year2026-09-04

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 Johnson County Ia?

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 Johnson County Ia, IA, 1 apply to every business of this type and 11 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

4 of the 12 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all.

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

Which offices issue these permits in Johnson County Ia?

Permits for a auto repair shop in Johnson County Ia, IA come from 6 separate offices: Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability, Johnson County Public Health, Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Business License Information Center, Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle 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 Johnson County Ia 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 Johnson County Ia: Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Iowa position.

Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Iowa position

No fee is recorded. The Iowa Economic Development Authority's Business License Information Center states that Iowa does not have a general business license and that requirements depend on the nature of the business. The Iowa Department of Transportation's dealer licenses and requirements page covers businesses that buy and sell vehicles, plus vehicle recyclers, rebuilders and used-parts dealers, and its only repair rule there is a written-disclosure duty on dealers who repair new vehicles; that page describes no license for a repair-only shop. No official page addresses repair-only shops directly, so a shop owner with a specific filing question should contact the Department of Transportation.

The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Johnson County Ia, IA; what each one involves is set out on the Johnson County Ia permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across IA and are covered on the IA state page.

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

The closest match is a childcare centre, which shares 0 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Iowa position. A childcare centre needs Child Care Centre License, which a auto repair shop does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Johnson County Ia, IA, compared with a auto repair shop
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a auto repair shopOnly a auto repair shop needsOnly it needs
Childcare centres1011
Coffee shops5015
Contractors and trades4014
Fitness studios3013
Food trucks4014
Restaurants5015
Retail stores4014
Salons and barbers3013
Veterinary clinics1011

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 Johnson County Ia permits page and the IA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Iowa Economic Development Authority — stating plainly that Iowa has no general business licenseIowa Economic Development Authority · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04

Related

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