5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Guilford County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Home occupations are allowed in Agricultural, all Residential, Mixed Use, and Neighborhood Business zoning districts of unincorporated Guilford County. The business must be conducted entirely within the residence, be clearly incidental to the home's use, and not change the character of the residence.
Guilford County UDO Home Occupation Standards
Home Occupations are permitted in the following zoning districts: Agricultural (AG), all Residential zones (RS & RM), Mixed Use (MXU), and the Neighborhood Business (NB) zones. Home Occupations must be conducted entirely within the residence. Home Occupations are not permitted in a detached garage or other detached accessory structure, except for an accessory dwelling unit.
A home occupation in unincorporated Guilford County may have one freestanding identification sign, no more than four square feet in area and four feet in height. No sign permit is required for that sign, and no outside storage or display of business items is allowed.
Guilford County UDO Home Occupation Standards (Signs; Outside Storage)
Home Occupations are allowed one (1) freestanding identification sign with a maximum of four (4) square feet in area and four (4) feet in height. A permit for the sign is not required. No outside storage or display of items associated with the Home Occupation is permitted.
North Carolina lets you make and sell non-potentially-hazardous foods like baked goods, jams, and candies from your home kitchen without a food-establishment permit. You must register with the NC Department of Agriculture, which inspects the home kitchen; there is no county cottage-food permit.
Under North Carolina law you can care for two or fewer unrelated children at home without a license. Caring for more than two but less than eleven children in your home is a family child care home and must be licensed by the state DCDEE; a home occupation may also
To operate a home occupation in unincorporated Guilford County you must get approval from Planning & Development. Certain uses require a Home Occupation Permit obtained through the county's Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EPL) Civic Access Portal; a Planner issues a Zoning Certificate first.
Guilford County UDO Home Occupation Standards (Approval; Operation)
In order to legally operate a Home Occupation, the operator must obtain approval from the Planning and Development Department. Certain types of uses will require a Home Occupation Permit. Only one (1) person who is not an occupant in the residence may be employed as part of the Home Occupation and report to the residence to work or conduct business.
2 cities in Guilford County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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