Home Occupations

Some of the basic rules for home occupations are: 

• business must be conducted entirely within the principal dwelling or accessory building
• no outside storage of goods and materials related to the business
• no nuisances by way of noise, vibration, smoke, dust, fumes, odours, heat, glare or electrical/radio interference that are detectable beyond the property limits 
• no more than a maximum of 30 per cent of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling occupied by the business
• no businesses that require utility or mechanical servicing beyond what would generally be expected for a residential use
• no businesses that require a significant amount of cash or valuables to be stored on site

This is not an exhaustive list of rules that apply to home occupations.  For complete information on regulations that a home occupation must meet, refer to Section 9.5 of the Land Use Bylaw.

Home Occupation - Class 1

You can apply for a business license for a Home Occupation - Class 1 online on our Business Licenses webpage.

Home Occupation - Class 2

Before applying for your business license, you will need to apply for a development permit. 

Complete information on how to apply for a development permit, including fees, timelines, application forms and checklists can be found on our Development Permits webpage.

A Home Occupation may have one identification sign, with a maximum area of 0.5 m², displayed in the window of the home, in accordance with Section 9.5.1 of the Land Use Bylaw.

In addition to the two parking stalls required for the principal dwelling, a minimum of one extra on-site parking stall must be provided in accordance with Section 8.19 of the Land Use Bylaw. For every on-site employee that lives outside of the dwelling, an additional parking stall must be provided.