Zoning explained · Palm Beach County

Automotive Commercial Delray Beach, Florida

Automotive Commercial provides specific regulations for automotive and related uses not located within Commerce or Industrial Districts. Principal uses are vehicle sales, lease and rental; repair-type uses are conditional or accessory to dealerships.

22 buildings zoned AC16 permitted business types
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Insights › Zoning & land use › Delray Beach — AC
Permitted uses

What you can operate in AC, Delray Beach

The businesses the AC district in Delray Beach allows. The ones on the left are permitted by right; the ones on the right need a special approval first. (Zoning codes are set by each municipality, so AC here means specifically Delray Beach's AC district.)

Allowed by right
Full service automotive dealershipsThe sale, lease, or rental of automobilesThe sale, lease, or rental of boatsThe sale, lease, or rental of recreational vehicles, including Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs)The sale, lease, or rental of trucksThe sale, lease, or rental of motorcyclesRetail and wholesale sales of vehicular parts, equipment, and accessories without on-site installationThe sale of new utility trailers (trailers over 24 feet in length may not be stored on the premises)
With special approval
Bus terminalsTaxi stands, taxi terminals, or taxi dispatch facility at which more than one taxi may be located at the same timeLimousine serviceWash establishments for vehiclesGasoline and Service StationsSpecialized Service Shops, e.g., muffler shops, brake shops, tire shops, lubrication and oil change, window tinting, detailingFull service vehicle repairCommercial parking lots (only if secondary to an existing legal conforming use; per Sec. 4.6.9)
Build envelope

Development standards

Headline dimensional limits for this district. Confirm exact figures against the current code for your specific parcel.

StandardSale/lease/rental of automobiles, boats, RVs or trucks requires lot with min frontage 125 ft, min width 125 ft, min depth 200 ft, min area 1.5 acres (waivable for legally established nonconforming sites)
North Federal Highway Areafront setback min 5 ft, max 15 ft
StandardRepair facilities and paint and body shops at least 100 ft from residentially-zoned property; fuel pump islands and automated wash facilities at least 100 ft from residential; wash facilities in completely enclosed building
StandardNo outdoor sales/display other than automobiles, trucks, pickups, vans, jeeps, motorcycles and recreation vehicles; no industrial equipment sold, leased, rented or stored
StandardOutside display areas need 3 ft hedge/berm buffer and 6 ft masonry wall where adjacent to residential zoning
StandardExterior lighting max 25 ft height; max 100 foot-candles in display areas, 40 elsewhere
StandardOff-loading/loading areas at rear and at least 100 ft from residentially-zoned lots
Building height/FARper Sec. 4.3.4 matrix (not in PDF)
Accessory usesPaint and body shops (accessory to full-service automotive dealerships); Repair shops and garages (accessory to full-service automotive dealerships); Limousine service (accessory to full-service automotive dealerships); Towing service (accessory to full-service automotive dealerships); Vehicle preparation area (accessory to sale, lease or rental of used cars, trucks and recreational vehicles); Parking lots for customers, employees, temporary storage of vehicles awaiting repair, and display of vehicles; Refuse and delivery/loading areas; Storage of inventory within same structure as the sale of goods or in a separate structure on the same parcel (not shared or leased independent of the primary commercial use)
StandardRead from LDR Sec. 4.4.10; permitted = by right, conditional = needs conditional-use / special-exception approval
The fine print

In plain English

BY RIGHT No hearing needed

If your business is on the by-right list, you can occupy a space in this district and open — no zoning hearing. Building permits and licensing still apply, but the use itself is already allowed.

SPECIAL Approval first

Special-approval uses can work here too, but they go through a public review before opening. Plan for extra time and possible conditions — we'll tell you which path a space needs.

Looking for space zoned AC in Delray Beach?

Tell us what you'll run in it — we'll match you to the right building in Delray Beach and flag anything that needs approval.

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Based on the Delray Beach zoning code.
Educational content — not legal or zoning advice. Verify permitted uses with the municipality for your specific parcel.