10 permits · verified 2026-10-10
What permits do you need to open a auto repair shop in Somerset County Nj?
In short
A auto repair shop in Somerset County Nj, NJ has 1 permit that applies to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services charges $75 a year; $30 for a nonprofit for the annual report. 3 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-10 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Somerset County Nj
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection)only if it applies to you | New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, Division of Consumer Affairs | STATE-SET fees under N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.7: scales up to and including 1,000 lb capacity, $25.00 per scale, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; scales over 1,000 lb capacity, $100.00; fuel pump dispensers, $25.00 per dispenser hose, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; any other device not listed, $40.00; late fee $10.00. Paid to the State, not a county fee | one year from the date of issuance (N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.3(c)); renewed annually | 2026-10-10 |
| Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Motor Vehicle Commission Position (New Jersey)only if it applies to you | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Business Licensing Services Bureau | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-03 |
| Auto Body Repair Facility Licenseonly if it applies to you | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Business Licensing Services Bureau | $350 biennial license, plus a $20 non-refundable application fee | biennial — in force until 30 September of every other year | 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.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Somerset County Nj
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Planning Board Land Development Review (Site Plan and Change of Use)only if it applies to you | Somerset County Planning Board (Land Development Review) | Varies — formula on the Somerset County Nj page | one-time fee per application; revision fees per revised submission | 2026-10-10 |
| County Road Opening Permit (Work in a Somerset County Road Right-of-Way, Including Driveways)only if it applies to you | Somerset County Engineering Division, Department of Public Works | Varies — formula on the Somerset County Nj page | permit expires one year after issuance | 2026-10-10 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
NJ registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $75 a year; $30 for a nonprofit | annual — due the last day of the entity's anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — New Jersey Business Action Center Positiononly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | No fee | set by the municipality | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Business Registration (Form NJ-REG) | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | No fee | one-time registration — no renewal | 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 Somerset County Nj?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a auto repair shop in Somerset County Nj, NJ, 1 apply to every business of this type and 9 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
3 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection): STATE-SET fees under N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.7: scales up to and including 1,000 lb capacity, $25.00 per scale, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; scales over 1,000 lb capacity, $100.00; fuel pump dispensers, $25.00 per dispenser hose, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; any other device not listed, $40.00; late fee $10.00. Paid to the State, not a county fee
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Somerset County Nj permits page and the NJ state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Somerset County Nj?
Permits for a auto repair shop in Somerset County Nj, NJ come from 5 separate offices: Somerset County Planning Board (Land Development Review), Somerset County Engineering Division, Department of Public Works, New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, Division of Consumer Affairs, New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Business Licensing Services Bureau. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Somerset County Planning Board (Land Development Review)Issues 1 permit on this page: County Planning Board Land Development Review (Site Plan and Change of Use)County Administration Building, 20 Grove Street, P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876-1262 · 908-231-7021www.somersetcountynj.gov/government/public-works/planning/land-development
- Somerset County Engineering Division, Department of Public WorksIssues 1 permit on this page: County Road Opening Permit (Work in a Somerset County Road Right-of-Way, Including Driveways)20 Grove Street, P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876 · 908-231-7024www.somersetcountynj.gov/government/dept-of-engineering-planning/engineering
- New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, Division of Consumer AffairsIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection)www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/OWM
- New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise ServicesIssues 5 permits on this page, including Annual Report, General Business License — New Jersey Business Action Center Position, Certificate of Incorporation33 West State Street, 5th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608-1214 · (609) 292-9292www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Business Licensing Services BureauIssues 2 permits on this page: Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Motor Vehicle Commission Position (New Jersey), Auto Body Repair Facility License225 East State Street, PO Box 170, Trenton, NJ 08666-0170 · (609) 292-6500www.nj.gov/mvc/business/autobodylic.htm
What does a auto repair shop need in Somerset County Nj that other businesses do not?
2 of the 3 permits particular to a auto repair shop here apply to no other business type we cover in Somerset County Nj: Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Motor Vehicle Commission Position (New Jersey) and Auto Body Repair Facility License.
Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection)
N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.3(a) states that no person shall operate or use a weight and measure for commercial purposes in New Jersey unless it is registered with the State Superintendent, so this is a State registration with a State fee, not a county license. The certificate expires one year from issuance (13:47F-1.3(c)). The fee figures are those printed in N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.7, a State regulation readopted effective September 23, 2024 with a new expiration date of September 23, 2031. The county's role is inspection: the Somerset County Weights and Measures page describes the office as 'a state mandated office' that inspects all commercial weighing and measuring devices and performs random commodity audits for items sold by weight or measure. Under N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.5, a county weights and measures department that inspects and tests devices is eligible to receive 70 percent of the fees collected for them. The record applies to a shop selling goods by weight, and to an auto repair business only where it sells fuel. Contact the county office at 908-231-7125.
Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Motor Vehicle Commission Position (New Jersey)
The Motor Vehicle Commission's business licensing FAQ states that 'The MVC will only license repair facilities that repair vehicles that have been damaged because of a collision,' so there is no state license fee for a general mechanical repair shop; the same FAQ refers complaints about mechanical repairs to the Division of Consumer Affairs. What a general shop does owe is conduct rather than licensure: written authorisation before work begins, a written estimate, a copy of everything the customer signs, and the deceptive practices rules enforced under the Consumer Fraud Act — plus tax registration and usually a municipal mercantile license. One warning: some sources cite an administrative code section for repair dealer licensing that is incoherent and in any case applies to auto body work only.
Auto Body Repair Facility License
Collision work is where New Jersey does license, and doing it unlicensed carries penalties up to $5,000 for a first offence and $20,000 after. There is no surety bond; instead $300,000 of garage liability cover, $50,000 of garage keepers' liability and workers' compensation. Three classes exist — full service, limited, which cannot paint and must subcontract in writing, and new dealer sublet, which by rule is confined to new car dealers, so a used-car dealer doing collision work needs its own full or limited license. One license covers one site with no branches. At least one employee, or a tenth of the staff, must have completed a recognised training course in the year before applying or renewing. Since 2016 only the $20 is collected up front, with the $350 billed after preliminary approval and a site inspection. Restoration work on undamaged vehicles is outside the regime.
The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Somerset County Nj, NJ; what each one involves is set out on the Somerset County Nj permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NJ and are covered on the NJ state page.
How does a auto repair shop compare with other businesses in Somerset County Nj?
The closest match is a retail store, which shares 1 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Motor Vehicle Commission Position (New Jersey) and Auto Body Repair Facility License. A retail store needs nothing here that 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Coffee shops | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Restaurants | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 3 | 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 Somerset County Nj permits page and the NJ state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- N.J.A.C. 13:47F, Fees for Registration, Inspection and Testing of Weighing and Measuring Devices (Division of Consumer Affairs PDF; last revision date June 20, 2011)State of New Jersey, Division of Consumer Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Somerset County Office of Weights and Measures pageCounty of Somerset, New Jersey · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, readoption notice for N.J.A.C. 13:47F (56 N.J.R. 2091(b))New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-05
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission — business licensing FAQ, confirming only collision repair facilities are licensedNew Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- New Jersey Administrative Code chapter 13:45A, subchapter 26C — automotive repair, which imposes disclosure duties and creates no licenseNew Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission — auto body repair facility license packetNew Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission · 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.