Home Business in Carteret County, NC (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Carteret County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
In unincorporated Carteret County, a home-based business is a home occupation under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 2902 and must stay subordinate to the residential use. Minor home occupations (offices, tutoring, day-care for six or fewer) need no special permit; major home occupations, including day-care for seven or more and bed-and-breakfasts, require a special use permit from the Planning Commission.
Carteret County Home Occupation Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsCarteret County Zoning Ordinance § 2902
2902. - Standards for home occupations. ... A.Classes of Home Occupation.1.Minor Home Occupations. Home occupations that have little or no impact on the surrounding residential area, such as:a.Personal home business and professional offices; a service-oriented business use. ... d.Day-care for six or fewer individuals, whether for adults or children.2.Major Home Occupations. Home occupations tha...
Signage Rules
A home occupation's sign allowance in unincorporated Carteret County depends on its classification. Section 2902.C.2 bars any sign for a minor home occupation in a residential district. A major home occupation, approved by special use permit, gets signage under Chapter 2100, including the four-foot, six-square-foot on-premises sign residential districts allow under Section 2107.
Home Business Sign Rules in Carteret County
Some RestrictionsCarteret County Zoning Ordinance §§ 2107, 2902, 3320
In addition to the signs listed under section 2105, the following regulations shall apply in residential districts. All these signs shall be required to have a zoning permit. ... .02Home occupations shall be permitted to have one on-premises sign not exceeding four feet in height and not exceeding six square feet in sign area. ... 2.No signage identifying the minor home occupation is permitted ...
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Major home occupations in unincorporated Carteret County, such as bed-and-breakfasts and larger day-cares approved by special use permit, face client-traffic limits under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 3320. On-site customer or client contact is capped at one appointment at a time and no more than eight visits per day, with day-care allowed more if the Planning Commission approves it.
Carteret County Home Business Visit Limit
Some RestrictionsCarteret County Zoning Ordinance § 3320.C
3320. - Requirements for major home occupations as a special use. Home occupations can have widely varying impacts on a neighborhood. Those home occupations with little or no visual, audible, or other impacts are classified as minor and do not require a special use permit. ... B.Parking as required by Chapter 2100 but, at a minimum, two off-street parking spaces shall be provided, unless the pl...
Home Daycare
Unincorporated Carteret County splits home day-care into two zoning tracks. Care for six or fewer children or adults is a minor home occupation needing no special permit under Sec. 2902, while care for seven or more is a major home occupation under Sec. 3320 needing a special use permit and 100 square feet of fenced outdoor play space per child.
Carteret County Home Day-Care Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsCarteret County Zoning Ordinance § 3320.G
3320. - Requirements for major home occupations as a special use. ... G.If the major home occupation is day-care for children, 100 square feet of fenced outdoor play space is required per child. The play area must be at the side or rear of the house and a drop-off area for two cars must be provided.H.See also Section 2902, general requirements for all home occupations.
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