12 permits · verified 2026-08-26
What permits do you need to open a auto repair shop in Converse?
In short
A auto repair shop in Converse, TX has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Converse Building Operations charges $250 per certificate, non-refundable for the certificate of occupancy. 6 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-26 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Converse
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor Registration | City of Converse Building Operations | $75–$100 initial, then annual renewal | 1 year | 2026-08-26 |
| Fuel Tank and Pump Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Converse Building Operations | $25–$100 per tank or per pump | per permit | 2026-08-26 |
| Site Development Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Converse Building Operations | $2,000 per permit | per permit | 2026-08-26 |
| Grease Trap, Interceptor or Separator Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Converse Building Operations | $100 each | per permit | 2026-08-26 |
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 Converse
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Converse Building Operations | Varies — formula on the Converse page | 365 days for a commercial permit | 2026-08-26 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Converse Building Operations | $250 per certificate, non-refundable | not stated in the published schedule | 2026-08-26 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Converse Building Operations | Varies — formula on the Converse page | per permit | 2026-08-26 |
| Commercial Trade Permit | City of Converse Building Operations | Varies — formula on the Converse page | per permit | 2026-08-26 |
| Fire Protection System Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Converse Fire Marshal | Varies — formula on the Converse page | per permit | 2026-08-26 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
TX registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $300 one-time filing | no expiry | 2026-08-20 |
| Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $25 one-time filing | up to ten years, renewable | 2026-08-21 |
| Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | No fee — there is no fee for this permit | no expiry while actively engaged in business | 2026-08-21 |
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 Converse?
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 Converse, TX, 5 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 5 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $250.00. That is a floor, not a total. 6 of the 12 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Contractor Registration: $75–$100 initial, then annual renewal
Fuel Tank and Pump Permit: $25–$100 per tank or per pump
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Converse permits page and the TX state page.
Is Converse expensive for a auto repair shop?
Comparing like with like — only the permits charged as a single flat fee, since a valuation formula has no figure to rank — Converse sits where the table below puts it against every other TX jurisdiction covered here that publishes the same permit.
Certificate of Occupancy: Converse charges $250. Across 22 jurisdictions it runs from $50 in Waco to $425 in Universal City, with a median of $105. 18 charge less and 3 charge more.
Read the spread rather than the rank. Certificate of Occupancy varies by $375 between the cheapest and dearest jurisdiction here, which is the sort of gap worth knowing before you sign a lease on one side of a city line rather than the other.
Which offices issue these permits in Converse?
Permits for a auto repair shop in Converse, TX come from 4 separate offices: City of Converse Building Operations, City of Converse Fire Marshal, Texas Secretary of State, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Converse Building OperationsIssues 8 permits on this page, including Commercial Building Permit, Certificate of Occupancy, Contractor Registration403 S Seguin Street, Converse, TX 78109www.conversetx.gov/city_services/community_development/building/permits.php
- City of Converse Fire MarshalIssues 1 permit on this page: Fire Protection System Permit403 S Seguin Street, Converse, TX 78109www.conversetx.gov
- Texas Secretary of StateIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation, Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)www.sos.state.tx.us
- Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsIssues 1 permit on this page: Texas Sales and Use Tax Permitcomptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit
What does a auto repair shop need in Converse that other businesses do not?
Contractor Registration
$100 to register and $75 to renew, covering residential, commercial, home improvement, sign, fence, swimming pool and house or building mover contractors alike. Every state-licensed trade registers free — master electrician, plumber, HVAC, irrigator and backflow tester all at $0 — so the fee falls on the trades Texas does not license. A home improvement or general contractor must also file a $5,000 surety bond with the building department, and a commercial building or sign contractor must show general liability cover of $500,000 per occurrence and $1m in aggregate.
Site Development Permit
$2,000, with the review cost structured to reward getting it right first time: the first plan review is free, the second $500 and the third and each one beyond $750. Project meetings work the same way — the first is free and every one after $350. A commercial zoning verification letter is $500, which is dear but is the cheapest way to confirm a use is permitted before spending the $2,000. An administrative surcharge of $25 or five per cent, whichever is greater, is added to every fee in the chapter.
Shared with other businesses in Converse
- Fuel Tank and Pump Permit — City of Converse Building Operations, $25–$100 per tank or per pump, per permit. Also required for retail stores and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the contractors and trades page.
- Grease Trap, Interceptor or Separator Permit — City of Converse Building Operations, $100 each, per permit. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Converse, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Converse permits page. The 3 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across TX and are covered on the TX state page.
How does a auto repair shop compare with other businesses in Converse?
The closest match is a contractor or trade, which shares 3 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs Grease Trap, Interceptor or Separator Permit. A contractor or trade needs Electrical Contractor 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
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 contractors and trades page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Converse permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- City of Converse Code of Ordinances Chapter 8, Buildings and Building Regulations, section 8-103 fee schedule (re-enacted by Ord. No. 620-08-2025, adopted 6 May 2025; amended by Ord. No. 620-08-2026, adopted 3 February 2026; Municode version in force 19 August 2026)City of Converse · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-26
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.