Home Business in Lakewood, WA

If you live in Lakewood or are thinking about moving there, home business are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Lakewood has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of home business, and some of them might surprise you.

Home Daycare

Lakewood, Washington treats family day care as a permitted residential use under LMC 18A.40.110(B)(6), provided the operator holds a state license under Chapter 43.216 RCW. The home must still meet the zoning district's lot size, setback, building coverage and hard surface coverage standards, and a certified safe passenger loading area is required if children are dropped off by car.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 18A.40.110(B)(6). State license required: Chapter 43.216 RCW. Zoning conformance: Lot size, setback, coverage of home's zone. Loading area: Certified by child care policy licensor if needed. Use classification: Permitted (no conditional use permit).

Operating family day care without the required state license, or in a manner that does not conform to the zoning district's setback and coverage standards, is a City Code violation. Absent a more specific penalty, LMC 1.44.040 sets a general civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day of violation, and the City Manager or designee can issue a notice of violation before further enforcement.

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits

Lakewood, Washington permits home occupations in residential zones under LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7), but the business must stay subordinate to the home's residential use, run entirely indoors, and be staffed only by a resident family member plus at most one outside employee. A City business license is required.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7). Non-resident staff limit: 1 employee not living on-site. Activity location: Must be conducted entirely indoors. License required: City business license, subsection (h). Prohibited uses: Auto/boat repair, heavy equipment, taxi/limo service.

Operating a home occupation without the required City business license, exceeding the one-employee limit, or running a prohibited use such as auto body work from a residence is a City Code violation. LMC 1.44.040's general civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day applies unless a more specific fine is set, and the City Manager or designee may first issue a notice of violation under Chapter 1.44 LMC.

Customer Traffic Restrictions

Lakewood, Washington allows on-site client contact for a home occupation, but LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7)(d) caps it at no more than two vehicle trips per hour to the licensed residence. Client activity must stay inside the home or an accessory building, and the business cannot create a public nuisance.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7)(d). Client trip cap: 2 vehicle trips per hour. Location of client contact: Inside residence or accessory building only. Additional condition: No public nuisance permitted. Penalty for exceeding limit: Up to $500/day, LMC 1.44.040.

Exceeding the two-vehicle-trips-per-hour limit, or allowing client activity to spill outdoors, is a violation of the home occupation conditions in LMC 18A.40.110(B)(7)(d). Absent a specific fine for this subsection, LMC 1.44.040's general civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day of violation applies, and the City Manager or designee may issue a notice of violation before further enforcement.

The Bottom Line

Lakewood's home business rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Lakewood is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Lakewood's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.