Home Business in Kanawha County, WV (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Kanawha County, West Virginia.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Kanawha County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits

Kanawha County has not adopted countywide zoning, so no county home-occupation permit exists for unincorporated areas. In Charleston, St. Albans, South Charleston, Dunbar, and Nitro, each city's zoning ordinance decides whether you may run a business from home.

Kanawha County Home Business Zoning Rules

Few Restrictions

W. Va. Code §8A-7-2(b)(1)

Regulating the use of land and designating or prohibiting specific land uses

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Cottage Food Operations

West Virginia lets you sell non-potentially-hazardous homemade foods, breads, cakes, candies, jams, honey, dried produce, direct to consumers with no license, permit, or inspection. W. Va. Code §19-35-6 exempts these and preempts Kanawha County and its cities from banning them.

Kanawha County Cottage Food & Homemade Food Sales

Few Restrictions

W. Va. Code §19-35-6(a)

The production and sale of nonpotentially hazardous foods, when done in conformity with this section and the accompanying legislative rules, are exempt from licensing, permitting, inspection, packaging, and labeling laws of this state.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Home Daycare

A family child care home in Kanawha County, four to six children, must hold a certificate of registration from the state, now the WV Department of Human Services, under W. Va. Code §49-2-113. Registration brings background checks, a home inspection, and training, not a county permit.

Kanawha County Home Daycare Registration

Some Restrictions

W. Va. Code §49-2-113(d)

Every family day-care home which operates in this state, including family day-care homes approved by the department for receipt of funding, shall obtain a certificate of registration from the department.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Home Business by City in Kanawha County

1 cities in Kanawha County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

CharlestonPop. 46,536

4 verified rules • Customer Traffic Restrictions, Home Daycare

All Kanawha County ordinances

See every category we cover for Kanawha County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

Kanawha County Ordinance Hub →