zachavm
New member
I came here earlier today looking for some answers as my state (Oklahoma) has now instituted an Essential Business Only shutdown. What I found was a lot of conflicting information as many don't know what is fact and our resources are not always clear. Hence, I'm starting this to help people out and share what I have learned. I'll try to keep this updated with additional info I receive and correct any mistakes I made. Post or DM me if you have anything to add. Let's make this the best it can be to help everyone.
How are Essential Businesses Defined?
For most states, Essential Businesses are defined by the following site:
Note however that each state will still have it's own definition. You need to confirm they are using these guidelines and make sure you make the right call.
Are Car Washes Defined as Essential Businesses?
Yes, under the definitions cited, Car Washes are considered Essential Businesses. Our Federal Industry Code is 811192. This puts us under the greater Industry group of 8111 which is defined as "Automotive Repair and Maintenance".
classcodes.com
On the site previously mentioned under "Transportation and Logistics", it clearly cites "Automotive repair and maintenance facilities" as essential business.
Why are Car Washes Considered Essential Business?
Yes, I know this is confusing. For many of us, our primary customer is suburban Joe trying to keep his barely affordable Camaro nice and shiny. However, for many industrial purposes keeping clean is actually essential to prevent vehicles and equipment from breaking down.
Examples:
How are Essential Businesses Defined?
For most states, Essential Businesses are defined by the following site:
Note however that each state will still have it's own definition. You need to confirm they are using these guidelines and make sure you make the right call.
Are Car Washes Defined as Essential Businesses?
Yes, under the definitions cited, Car Washes are considered Essential Businesses. Our Federal Industry Code is 811192. This puts us under the greater Industry group of 8111 which is defined as "Automotive Repair and Maintenance".
NAICS Code 811192 | Class Codes
This page contains the definition and description for NAICS code 811192. Lookup the definition of NAICS code 811192 here.
classcodes.com
On the site previously mentioned under "Transportation and Logistics", it clearly cites "Automotive repair and maintenance facilities" as essential business.
Why are Car Washes Considered Essential Business?
Yes, I know this is confusing. For many of us, our primary customer is suburban Joe trying to keep his barely affordable Camaro nice and shiny. However, for many industrial purposes keeping clean is actually essential to prevent vehicles and equipment from breaking down.
Examples:
- More rural washes (like my own) will get a lot of traffic from farm vehicles. Keeping this equipment clean is essential to operations and support our food supply.
- Does your wash have a semi truck bay? Semi Trucks experience very high usage and keeping them is very important to preventing issues.
- Does your area experience a lot of winter weather with salt and/or sand on the roads? If so, cleaning that off vehicles is critical for the long term wear and tear.
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