12 permits · verified 2026-10-09
What permits do you need to open a auto repair shop in Multnomah County?
In short
A auto repair shop in Multnomah County, OR 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. Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division charges $100 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 4 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-09 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Multnomah County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Repair Shop — Oregon license directory positiononly if it applies to you | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division | No fee | not applicable | 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 Multnomah County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multnomah County Business Income Tax (MCBIT) Registration and Return | City of Portland Revenue Division (administering Multnomah County taxes) | Varies — formula on the Multnomah County page | annual; the return is due by the fifteenth day of the fourth month after the end of the tax year (MCC 12.510(A)) | 2026-10-09 |
| Preschool for All Personal Income Tax: Employer Withholdingonly if it applies to you | City of Portland Revenue Division (administering Multnomah County taxes) | Varies — formula on the Multnomah County page | ongoing, through payroll | 2026-10-09 |
| Building Permit for Unincorporated Property (Issued by Portland, Gresham or Troutdale)only if it applies to you | City building permit offices serving unincorporated Multnomah County (Portland, Gresham, Troutdale) | Varies — formula on the Multnomah County page | per permit, under the issuing city's rules | 2026-10-09 |
| Zoning Plan Check and Sign Permit (Unincorporated Multnomah County)only if it applies to you | Multnomah County Department of Community Services, Land Use Planning | Varies — formula on the Multnomah County page | per application | 2026-10-09 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
OR registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Identification Number (payroll)only if it applies to you | Oregon Department of Revenue | No fee | one-time registration, with quarterly reporting after that | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division | $100 one-time filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Corporate Activity Tax Registrationonly if it applies to you | Oregon Department of Revenue | No fee | one-time registration, with annual returns after that | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division | $100 one-time filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division | $100 a year for a domestic entity; $275 for a foreign one | annual — due on the anniversary of the original filing date | 2026-09-03 |
| Seller's Permit — Oregon positiononly if it applies to you | Oregon Department of Revenue | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Oregon position (local, not state)only if it applies to you | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division | No fee | set by the 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 Multnomah 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 Multnomah County, OR, 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 5 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 Multnomah County permits page and the OR state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Multnomah County?
Permits for a auto repair shop in Multnomah County, OR come from 5 separate offices: City of Portland Revenue Division (administering Multnomah County taxes), City building permit offices serving unincorporated Multnomah County (Portland, Gresham, Troutdale), Multnomah County Department of Community Services, Land Use Planning, Oregon Department of Revenue, Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Portland Revenue Division (administering Multnomah County taxes)Issues 2 permits on this page: Multnomah County Business Income Tax (MCBIT) Registration and Return, Preschool for All Personal Income Tax: Employer Withholding503-823-5157www.portland.gov/revenue/business-tax
- City building permit offices serving unincorporated Multnomah County (Portland, Gresham, Troutdale)Issues 1 permit on this page: Building Permit for Unincorporated Property (Issued by Portland, Gresham or Troutdale)www.multco.us/landuse/service-providers-and-regional-land-use-partners
- Multnomah County Department of Community Services, Land Use PlanningIssues 1 permit on this page: Zoning Plan Check and Sign Permit (Unincorporated Multnomah County)503-988-3389multco.us/info/land-use-planning-fees
- Oregon Department of RevenueIssues 3 permits on this page: Business Identification Number (payroll), Corporate Activity Tax Registration, Seller's Permit — Oregon position955 Center Street NE, Salem, OR 97301 · (503) 945-8005www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/businesses/Pages/corporate-activity-tax.aspx
- Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation DivisionIssues 5 permits on this page, including Automotive Repair Shop — Oregon license directory position, Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation255 Capitol Street NE, Suite 151, Salem, OR 97310 · (503) 986-2200sos.oregon.gov/business
What does a auto repair shop need in Multnomah 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 Multnomah County: Automotive Repair Shop — Oregon license directory position.
Automotive Repair Shop — Oregon license directory position
According to the state's own license directory (Oregon Business Xpress), the official register of the licenses, permits and registrations Oregon issues, a search for automotive returns no match, so this record carries no fee. Searching it for repair turns up microwave repair, boiler and pressure vessel work, onsite wastewater systems, heating and refrigeration and three contractor endorsements, but nothing for vehicles; searching for auto body returns nothing, and the autowrecker business license was abolished in 2016. So an Oregon repair shop needs its entity registration, a payroll number if it hires anyone, and whatever its city or county requires — and, with no state sales tax, nothing at all for the parts it sells. Two adjacent licenses do exist and are often confused with this one: the vehicle dealer certificate, which is about selling vehicles, and the environmental quality department's vehicle inspection programme, which is about testing them.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Multnomah County, OR; what each one involves is set out on the Multnomah County permits page. The 7 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across OR and are covered on the OR state page.
How does a auto repair shop compare with other businesses in Multnomah County?
The closest match is a childcare centre, which shares 0 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs Automotive Repair Shop — Oregon license directory position. A childcare centre needs Child Care Facility Health and Sanitation Inspection and Certified 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 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Restaurants | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Retail stores | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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 Multnomah County permits page and the OR state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Oregon Business Xpress license directory — the state's official register of every license, which returns no match for automotive repairOregon Secretary of State · 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.