5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Marion County, Oregon.
Verified from official government sources
Rural Marion County treats a home occupation as a subordinate, income-producing use of a dwelling. Whether it is allowed, and under what conditions, depends on your property's zone, and land-use approval is required before you operate.
Marion County Rural Zone Code Ch. 17.110.270
...any business or professional activity engaged in the production of income by a resident of a dwelling or dwelling unit as a subordinate use of the building and its premises, and in conformance with the provisions of this ordinance.
Home businesses face tight sign limits so neighborhoods keep their residential look. In Salem, a home occupation may post one small, non-illuminated sign up to one square foot without a sign permit; larger or lit signs are generally not allowed.
Oregon's Cottage Food Exemption lets residents make and sell certain non-perishable foods, like baked goods and jams, from a home kitchen without an inspection, up to an annual sales cap. Exceeding the cap requires an ODA Domestic Kitchen license.
Home child care is licensed by the state, not the county. A Registered Family Child Care home may care for up to 10 children, and Oregon law treats a family child care home as a residential use, so cities and counties generally cannot zone it out.
Rural Marion County offers two paths: a Limited Home Occupation, allowed by meeting set standards, and a Conditional Home Occupation, which needs a Conditional Use permit. Resource zones allow only Conditional Use Home Occupations, with up to five employees.
Marion County Rural Zone Code Ch. 17.110.270
For the County's resource zones (Exclusive Farm Use, Farm/Timber, Special Agriculture, etc.), provisions are included for Conditional Use Home Occupations allowing up to five employees.
1 cities in Marion County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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