Home Business in Johnson County, IA (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Johnson County, Iowa.
Verified from official government sources
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Johnson County's UDO splits home-based work into three permit tiers: home occupations, home businesses, and home industries, each with different districts, approval bodies, and residency conditions. Purely no-customer occupations need no permit at all; anything busier needs Zoning Administrator or Board of Adjustment sign-off.
Johnson County Home Occupation Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsJohnson County UDO § 8:1.24(S)(1)
S. Home Occupations, Home Businesses, Home Industries, and No-Impact Home-Based Businesses. Home occupations and no-impact home-based businesses are accessory uses in the A, AR, SF, RS, RM, RC, RMH, and AG-T districts; home businesses are conditionally permitted in the A, AR, SF, RS, RM, RC, RMH, and AG-T districts; and home industries are conditionally permitted in the A, AR, SF, RS, RC, and A...
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Johnson County caps how many customers a home-based business can host under its zoning intensity table: two customers at a time and 30 per month for a bare home occupation, rising to 50 at a time and 500 per month for a home industry conditional use.
Johnson County Home Business Customer Limits
Some RestrictionsJohnson County UDO § 8:1.24(S)(2)
2. With the exception of no-impact home-based businesses, each permit type is limited by a variety of intensity criteria. Uses shall not exceed any of the criteria listed below... Intensity Criteria Home Occupation Home Business Home Industry... Customers on site at any one time 2 10 50... Customers on site per month 30 150 500... The Board of Adjustment may impose stricter limits if necessary ...
Home Daycare
Running a small daycare out of a single-family home in unincorporated Johnson County is allowed by right as long as headcount stays within the county's two-tier limit: up to five children makes it a Child Care Home, and six or more makes it a Child Development Home. Cross into seven or more and the county reclassifies the operation as a Child Care Center needing Board of Adjustment approval.
Johnson County Home Daycare Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsJohnson County UDO Secs. 8:1.4(47)-(48), 8:1.6(B)(9)-(10)
47. Child Care Home. A facility providing child care or preschool activities within a single-family dwelling, for up to five (5) children at any one time. 48. Child Development Home. A facility providing child care or preschool activities within a single-family dwelling for six (6) or more children at any one time. ... B. Accessory Structures and Uses. The following structures and uses are perm...
Home Business by City in Johnson County
1 cities in Johnson County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Johnson County ordinances
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