5 rules for unincorporated Howard County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Howard County's Zoning Regulations let residents run small home-based businesses as accessory uses. Home-based contractors are allowed in the RR and RC rural districts and on residential lots larger than one acre in the R-ED, R-20, R-12, and R-SC districts, subject to specific limits on vehicles, storage, and employees.
Howard County DPZ, Home-Based Contractor Instructions (Zoning Regulations accessory use)
The Howard County Zoning Regulations have provisions to allow County residents to operate small contracting businesses from their homes in the RR (Rural Residential) and RC (Rural Conservation) districts and from residences on lots greater than one acre in the R-ED, R-20, R-12, and R-SC zoning districts, subject to certain limitations.
Howard County home occupations must remain clearly incidental to the residence, so on-premises business advertising is tightly limited. Outdoor storage tied to a home-based contractor must be screened from neighboring properties and roads by vegetation, fencing, or other appropriate means, keeping the business visually inconspicuous.
Maryland lets Howard County residents sell certain non-hazardous homemade foods, such as baked goods, jams, jellies, hard candy, and honey, from a home kitchen without a food license under COMAR 10.15.03. Annual cottage-food sales are capped at $50,000, and products must carry a required disclosure label.
COMAR 10.15.03 (Maryland cottage food required product label)
Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to Maryland food safety regulations.
Maryland registers, rather than locally zones, family child care homes. A registered provider may care for up to 8 children in their residence, with no more than 2 under age 2. Registration is through the Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care, with training and background checks.
A home-based contractor may operate only after the Department of Planning and Zoning approves an accessory-use permit. The application requires a plot plan showing structures, parking, storage, screening, and driveways, plus a description of the use. The DPZ permit fee is $25.
Howard County DPZ, Home-Based Contractor Instructions, para. k
A home-based contractor shall operate only upon approval of a permit by the Department of Planning and Zoning, based upon compliance with the requirements listed above. The permit application shall include a plot plan showing the location and dimensions of structures, parking and storage areas, screening, and driveways, and a description of the proposed use.
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