Zoning Laws for Running a Home-Based Business

UPDATED: Jun 29, 2022

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UPDATED: Jun 29, 2022Fact Checked

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Jeffrey Johnson

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Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...

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UPDATED: Jun 29, 2022

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It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.

We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.

UPDATED: Jun 29, 2022

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.

We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.

UPDATED: Jun 29, 2022Fact Checked

Before starting a home business, check your local zoning ordinance to be confident you will not be in violation of its provisions, and run the risk of penalties and possible shut down.

 Reading and Understanding Your Local Zoning Ordinance

Since zoning laws vary in each jurisdiction, look carefully at your local zoning ordinance. Some zoning ordinances restrict the type of allowable business activities in your residence zone. For instance, you might be able to offer piano lessons, but only during specified hours without any type of outside advertising. Some ordinances are vague and permit all typical home businesses. Zoning provisions might list specifically approved occupations such as law, dentistry, and photography as being acceptable home businesses. However, license fees may be imposed to generate city revenue. Other zoning ordinances prohibit all home businesses, but local officials generally overlook noncompliance with those activities such as software design, which historically does not disrupt the neighborhood.

Consider an Appeal

If your proposed home business is not allowed, but your neighbors do not object to the business activity and believe it will be permitted in the near future, consider appealing to the local zoning board. The local agency may decide to amend the restrictive zoning ordinance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jeffrey Johnson

Insurance Lawyer

Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...

Insurance Lawyer

Mary Martin

Published Legal Expert

Mary Martin has been a legal writer and editor for over 20 years, responsible for ensuring that content is straightforward, correct, and helpful for the consumer. In addition, she worked on writing monthly newsletter columns for media, lawyers, and consumers. Ms. Martin also has experience with internal staff and HR operations. Mary was employed for almost 30 years by the nationwide legal publi...

Published Legal Expert

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.

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