Home Business in Portsmouth, VA (2026)
4 verified home business rules for Portsmouth, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Portsmouth permits up to two home occupations per residence under Sec. 40.2-217(I)(3)(g), capped at 25 percent of the home's floor area, run only by residents, with no more than two business vehicles and no outdoor storage, in-person retail sales, or exterior changes to the dwelling.
Portsmouth Home Occupation Zoning Standards
Some RestrictionsPortsmouth Zoning Ordinance § 40.2-217(I)(3)(g)
Home Occupation. In addition to general requirements, a home occupation shall be permitted as accessory to a principal dwelling unit, provided that:(i)The use shall be conducted within the principal dwelling or accessory structure(s).(ii)A maximum of two home occupations are permitted for a residence.(iii)The business or service does not exceed 25 percent of the gross floor area of the principa...
Signage Rules
Portsmouth gives home occupations no special sign allowance: any sign for a home-based business must meet the city's general sign standards, Sec. 40.2-307, the same rule that lets a residence post one sign of two square feet or less without a permit.
Portsmouth Home Occupation Sign Limit
Some RestrictionsSec. 40.2-217(I)(3)(g)(viii); Sec. 40.2-307(G)(2)
(viii)Signs are only permitted in accordance with Sec. 40.2-307 Signage. ... (G) Signs Not Requiring a Zoning Permit ... (2)For each residential structure, and for each public entrance to a nonresidential or mixed-use structure, one sign that is permanently attached to the structure if the sign does not exceed two square feet in area.
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Portsmouth limits home-based personal service businesses, hair stylists, tutors, estheticians, and the like, to one customer receiving service at a time. The rule sits in the city's home occupation standards, Zoning Ordinance Sec. 40.2-217(I)(3)(g)(xi), alongside a two-home-occupation cap per residence and a ban on on-site retail sales.
Portsmouth Home Business Customer Limit
Some RestrictionsSec. 40.2-217(I)(3)(g)(xi)
(xi)Personal services provided as home occupations are subject to the following requirements:a.That no more than one customer may be provided service at the same time, andb.That the operator obtain and maintain in effect all required permits and licenses.
Home Daycare
A family day home caring for five to twelve children under 13 is a permitted use in Portsmouth's residential districts, but the Zoning Administrator must first mail adjoining property owners notice by registered or certified letter. If any neighbor objects in writing within 30 days, the zoning permit is denied and the provider must instead apply for a discretionary Use Permit.
Portsmouth Family Day Home Zoning Rules
Significant RestrictionsPortsmouth City Code §§ 40.2-211 (Definitions), 40.2-217(E)(1)(b)
FAMILY DAY HOME—A licensed child day program offered in the residence of the provider or the home of any of the children in care for five through 12 children under the age of 13, exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home, when at least one child receives care for compensation. (b)Family Day Home. In addition to general requirements, family day homes shall ...