Vehicle Repairs and Services - business guide

Any business operations that include repairing, sanding or painting a motor vehicle, retail sales of incidental products or that service and repair motor vehicles will require municipal licensing.

Examples of businesses that do require municipal licensing:

• Auto body painting
• Frame repair
• Dent repair
• Paintless dent repair
• Alignment shops
• Muffler and transmission repair shops
• Brake shops
• Mechanic shops
• Mobile mechanic
• Vehicle repair and service
• Windshield and glass repair
• Window tinting
• Car detailers
• Car washes
• Fuel sales
• Gas station
• Auto wrecking yard
• Tire repair

Examples of businesses that do not require municipal licensing:

• Parking lots
• Motor vehicle registry

If your business does not require a licence, you still require a Business ID and land use approval. Visit businesses not requiring a municipal licence​ for more information.

As part of The City’s efforts to accelerate the business license approvals process, customers with a myID business account can receive a digital copy of their business licence via email. This is available to customers applying for a new business licence or renewing an existing licence. To learn more about the benefits of a myID business account and to sign-up today, please visit myID business account (calgary.ca). 

​Pre-treatment systems installation

Automotive businesses must install a pre-treatment system to remove or capture any solids, fluids or chemicals released from the business, to prevent unwanted substances from going into the wastewater system or the environment. The Pre-treatment system must be cleaned regularly to prevent clogged pipes or sewer backups, and each maintenance must be recorded in a logbook. For more information, review the Drainage Bylaw​ and the Wastewater Bylaw.

Home businesses

While many Motor Vehicle Repair and Service businesses are suitable to take place in residential garages, there are certain types of businesses that involve significant quantities of vehicle exhaust, as well as flammable or combustible liquids and gases. Some of these businesses can have an impact on the surrounding community that exceeds that envisioned by the Land Use Bylaw. In some cases, special ventilation systems, and other significant upgrades to the garage’s exterior wall construction may be required to comply with the National Building Code (Alberta Edition). The below table summarizes the most common types of these businesses and what Safety Codes permits are required:

Note: Electrical, plumbing or gas permits may also be required if the work involves installation of or alterations to electrical, plumbing or gas systems.

Mobile businesses

Businesses doing mobile paint or dent repair require a business licence for each premises or mobile business unit where the business operates. This means that one business set up in many parking lots across the city requires a separate licence for each location.

Fuel sales/storage

The business of storing, distributing or selling liquid fuel, lubricating oils and associated fluids for motor vehicles including the retail sale of incidental products requires a licence. Any gas station or fuel wholesaler requires this type of licence and other applicable licence types, depending on how the business operates.

If your business sells bulk fuels or imports/exports fuel, registration with Alberta Finance and Enterprise (1-780-427-3044) is required.

Rooftop units/mechanical equipment

Spray booths, auto body and paint shops and motor vehicle repair and service shops often require rooftop units or mechanical equipment to handle the ventilation requirements specific to the business. If you are proposing new mechanical equipment on the roof of a building as part of a commercial building permit, a plan showing the height and material of the screen, or a letter stating the equipment will not be visible from the street is required. If you are proposing new mechanical equipment attached to the exterior of the building (not on the roof), a development permit for exterior renovations may be required.

Once you apply for your business licence, outstanding approvals must be completed before the business licence is issued.

A business licence will often have multiple licence types associated with it. Below is a chart of all the related licence types that fall under this business activity. If your business requires multiple licence types, approval processes are only generated once per licence. For example, only one fire inspection is required even if multiple licence types require that inspection.

Required approvals