Auto Repair Shop Permit Requirements in Evansville, IN

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property at retail in Indiana. Indiana charges a flat 7% state sales tax with no additional local sales tax. Register online via INBiz.

   Official government source

   $25 one-time registration fee·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 one-time registration fee

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

2. Indiana Department of Environmental Management — Used Oil and Hazardous Waste Rules

   Indiana auto repair shops must comply with IDEM's used-oil rules at 329 IAC 13, which incorporate the federal standards at 40 CFR 279. Generators of used oil — what a typical repair shop is — are not required to notify IDEM or obtain a U.S. EPA identification number. That requirement applies only to businesses that transport used oil, operate a used oil transfer facility, process or re-refine it, burn off-specification used oil fuel, or market off-spec used oil directly to a burner. Generators must still meet container-management, on-site-burning, spill-cleanup, and off-site-shipment standards; using used oil as a dust suppressant and storing it in surface impoundments are prohibited.

   Official government source

   $0 — no IDEM registration or notification fee applies to a shop that only generates used oil. Real costs are compliant storage containers and a licensed collection or disposal service, priced by private vendors.·Not applicable — a used-oil generator has no IDEM registration to file. Businesses that transport, process, or market used oil must obtain a U.S. EPA identification number through MyRCRAid before operating.

   $0 — no IDEM registration or notification fee applies to a shop that only generates used oil. Real costs are compliant storage containers and a licensed collection or disposal service, priced by private vendors.

   Not applicable — a used-oil generator has no IDEM registration to file. Businesses that transport, process, or market used oil must obtain a U.S. EPA identification number through MyRCRAid before operating.

1. No General Business License in Evansville

   Evansville does not require a general/universal business license for most business types. The City Controller's office issues licenses only for specific activities (e.g., street vending, hotels, pawnbrokers, secondhand dealers) — none apply to a typical service business. Verify zoning compliance and, if applicable, a Certificate of Occupancy with the Area Plan Commission / Building Commission before opening.

   Official government source

   Not applicable (no general license fee)·Not applicable

   Not applicable (no general license fee)

   Not applicable

2. Evansville — Zoning Approval & Certificate of Occupancy for an Auto Repair Shop

   An auto repair shop must operate in a properly zoned commercial or industrial area. Obtain zoning approval and the Improvement Location Permit from the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Area Plan Commission — a Change of Business permit when taking over an existing space, or a change-of-use permit if the building's use classification changes — then building permits and inspections from the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Building Commission. The Building Commission issues the Certificate of Occupancy after the Evansville Fire Department final inspection and all code compliance inspections are passed, and the building may not be occupied or used for its intended purpose until it is issued.

   Official government source

   Area Plan Commission fee schedule effective January 1, 2026: Change of Business $100; Remodeling $100; new structure, addition, or change of use $200 plus $0.05 per sq ft; commercial site review application $200; Zoning Certificate $100. Building Commission permit fees are set separately in its published Permit Fee Schedule.·The Area Plan Commission's Site Review Committee meets weekly — plans submitted by Monday 4:00 p.m. are reviewed the following Monday, and site approval is valid six months. The Certificate of Occupancy issues only after the Building Commission and Fire Department final inspections are passed.

   Area Plan Commission fee schedule effective January 1, 2026: Change of Business $100; Remodeling $100; new structure, addition, or change of use $200 plus $0.05 per sq ft; commercial site review application $200; Zoning Certificate $100. Building Commission permit fees are set separately in its published Permit Fee Schedule.

   The Area Plan Commission's Site Review Committee meets weekly — plans submitted by Monday 4:00 p.m. are reviewed the following Monday, and site approval is valid six months. The Certificate of Occupancy issues only after the Building Commission and Fire Department final inspections are passed.

Official Sources

• City of Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management — Used Oil and Hazardous Waste

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