5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Verified from official government sources
Home occupations are a permitted accessory use in Hamilton County's residential zones, allowed in the operator's own dwelling as long as no advertising sign, merchandise, products, or equipment is displayed for advertising. Inside cities, the municipal zoning code governs instead.
Hamilton County Zoning Regulations, Art. IV (Accessory Uses Permitted)
Home occupations, offices, and studios, when situated in the building used by the person engaged in the occupation as his or her private dwelling provided no advertising sign, merchandise, products or equipment is displayed for advertising purposes.
A home occupation in unincorporated Hamilton County may display no advertising sign except one nameplate no larger than two square feet. On parcels mapped "Live & Work" in the East Brainerd Corridor plan, one non-illuminated nameplate up to nine square feet is allowed.
Hamilton County Zoning Regulations, Art. IV (Accessory Uses Permitted)
Home occupations, offices, and studios, when situated in the building used by the person engaged in the occupation as his or her private dwelling provided that no advertising sign be displayed except one nameplate, which shall not exceed two (2) square feet in area except for parcels identified as “Live & Work” within the adopted East Brainerd Corridor Community Land Use plan.
Under the Tennessee Food Freedom Act, homemade foods like baked goods, candies, jams, and dried mixes can be sold directly to consumers without a license, permit, or state inspection. There is no sales cap. Proper labeling is required and some perishable items remain restricted.
A day care center in unincorporated Hamilton County needs a special permit approved by the county, with a site plan, county-approved access, a secured playground, and the neighborhood's residential character maintained. Small home childcare is also licensed by the Tennessee Department of Human Services.
Hamilton County Zoning Regulations, Art. VI, Section 419 (Day Care Centers)
A Special Permit may be granted for a day care center, in districts where a permit is required, by the Hamilton County, subject to: (1) A site plan being submitted ...; (3) The installation of a secured playground; (4) The residential character of the neighborhood being maintained.
Hamilton County allows home occupations as an accessory use without a separate license if they meet the zoning standards: only residents may work there, no more than 25% of the dwelling's floor area is used, no on-site sales, and no outside evidence of the business.
Hamilton County Zoning Regulations, Art. II (Definitions – Home Occupation)
HOME OCCUPATION: An occupation conducted in a dwelling unit, provided that: (1) No persons other than those residing on the premises shall be engaged in such occupation; (2) ... not more than twenty-five (25) percent of the floor area of the dwelling unit shall be used in the conduct of the home occupation.
1 cities in Hamilton County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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