Home Business in Wausau, WI (2026)
4 verified home business rules for Wausau, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Wausau lets residents run a home-based business under Municipal Code § 23.03.28(4), but only inside the dwelling or garage, with no more than two clients on-site at a time and a 20 percent floor-area cap. A zoning permit from the Department of Inspections and Zoning is required and must be renewed every year.
Home Occupation Zoning Rules in Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 23.03.28(4)
(4)Home occupation: Economic activities performed within a residential dwelling unit. Examples include personal and professional services, handicraft's, and retail conducted online. Home occupations are intended to provide a means to accommodate a small home-based family or professional business without the necessity of a rezoning from a residential to a business district. home occupations are ...
Signage Rules
Wausau bars any exterior sign or visible trace of a home-based business. Municipal Code § 23.03.28(4)(e) requires 'no exterior evidence of the home occupation' and no exterior alterations changing the look of a single-family home, and (f) extends that to visible storage or display of business materials.
No Signage for Home Businesses in Wausau
Heavy RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 23.03.28(4)(e)-(f)
(e)There shall be no exterior evidence of the home occupation and no exterior alterations which change the character of the structure as a single family dwelling unit.(f)No storage or display of materials, goods, supplies, or equipment related to the operation of the home occupation shall be visible outside any structure located on the premises.
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Wausau caps home-based businesses at two clients on site at any given time, and bars client visits between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., under City Code Section 23.03.28(4)(c)-(d). The rule applies to any home occupation permit issued by the Inspections and Zoning Division.
Home Occupation Client Limits in Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 23.03.28(4)(c)-(d)
(4)Home occupation: Economic activities performed within a residential dwelling unit. Examples include personal and professional services, handicraft's, and retail conducted online. Home occupations are intended to provide a means to accommodate a small home-based family or professional business without the necessity of a rezoning from a residential to a business district. home occupations are ...
Home Daycare
Wausau zoning allows licensed in-home daycare for four to eight children as an accessory use permitted by right in residential districts under Municipal Code § 23.03.28(5). Care for fewer than four children falls outside the zoning code's regulation entirely.
Home Daycare Zoning Rules in Wausau
Some RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 23.03.28(5)
(bb)In-home daycare (four to eight children). ... (5)In-home daycare: Occupied residences in which a licensed person or persons provide childcare for four to eight children. The care of less than four children is not subject to the regulations of this title.
Looking for Marathon County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Wausau city rules.
Home Business in Marathon County →