Auto Repair Shop Permit Requirements in Nashua, NH

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. New Hampshire — No Sales Tax

   New Hampshire has no state sales tax and no local sales taxes, so businesses need no sales tax permit or resale registration for sales tax purposes. Businesses may instead owe the Business Enterprise Tax and the Business Profits Tax, both administered by the NH Department of Revenue Administration; BET paid can be credited against BPT. Restaurants, caterers and lodging operators separately collect the Meals and Rooms (Rentals) Tax and must hold a DRA license for it. Filing and payment are handled through DRA's Granite Tax Connect portal.

   Official government source

   No fee to register for business taxes with DRA. For taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025, a BET return is due from any enterprise with more than $298,000 in gross receipts or an enterprise value tax base above $298,000; the BET rate is 0.55%·Immediate — registration and filing are done online through Granite Tax Connect

   No fee to register for business taxes with DRA. For taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025, a BET return is due from any enterprise with more than $298,000 in gross receipts or an enterprise value tax base above $298,000; the BET rate is 0.55%

   Immediate — registration and filing are done online through Granite Tax Connect

2. New Hampshire DES — Used Oil and Hazardous Waste Compliance

   Auto repair shops must comply with NHDES hazardous waste and used oil rules covering proper storage, labeling and disposal of used oil and automotive fluids. NHDES runs Hazardous Waste Coordinator Certification for small and large quantity generators and a self-certification program for very small quantity generators, backed by a hazardous waste helpline, inspections and enforcement. Notification of activity, transportation and disposal is handled through the NHDES Reporting and Information Management Section and the EPA eManifest program.

   Official government source

   Not published as a set fee — costs depend on generator category, certification course and the disposal contractor used·Not published by NHDES

   Not published as a set fee — costs depend on generator category, certification course and the disposal contractor used

   Not published by NHDES

1. City of Nashua — No General Business License

   The City of Nashua does not require a general business license. The City Clerk's Office licenses only specific enumerated activities: chauffeurs (taxi drivers), taxicabs, pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers, itinerant vendors and hawkers/peddlers, amusement devices, and shows such as carnivals and concerts, plus separate permits for raffles, tag days and public events. A business outside these categories does not need a Nashua business license; confirm with the City Clerk (603-589-3010) if unsure.

   Official government source

   Not applicable for most businesses; enumerated categories are published: taxicab $100/year, chauffeur $80/year, pawnbroker/secondhand dealer $50/year, shows $50, vendors $10/day, $25/week or $100/year, raffles $10, tag days free·Not applicable

   Not applicable for most businesses; enumerated categories are published: taxicab $100/year, chauffeur $80/year, pawnbroker/secondhand dealer $50/year, shows $50, vendors $10/day, $25/week or $100/year, raffles $10, tag days free

   Not applicable

2. City of Nashua Code Enforcement and Building Safety — Zoning Compliance and Certificate of Occupancy

   An auto repair shop must operate in a properly zoned commercial or industrial location. Zoning and housing-code compliance is enforced by Nashua's Code Enforcement Department within the Community Development Division, and the Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Nashua Building Safety Department. Both are city departments — Hillsborough County has no zoning or occupancy function.

   Official government source

   Set by the City's permit fee schedule adopted in Ordinance O-21-045 and published on the Building Safety Department's Permits page; no separate zoning-compliance fee is published by Code Enforcement·Not published by either department

   Set by the City's permit fee schedule adopted in Ordinance O-21-045 and published on the Building Safety Department's Permits page; no separate zoning-compliance fee is published by Code Enforcement

   Not published by either department

Official Sources

• City of Nashua City Clerk
• New Hampshire DES — Used Oil and Hazardous Waste

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