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Home Business in Santa Rosa County, FL (2026)

4 rules for unincorporated Santa Rosa County, Florida.

Verified from official government sources

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

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits

Santa Rosa County's LDC 5.02.07 sets performance standards rather than a standalone permit: no more than two non-family employees, no more than four customer vehicles per day, only one stored work vehicle, and no outdoor equipment or heavy machinery in residential subdivisions.

Home occupation performance standards

Some Restrictions

Santa Rosa County LDC 5.02.07.A.6-7

6. Employment of more than two (2) non-family members of the dwelling unit in the conduct of the home occupation. 7. The home occupation shall not generate more than four (4) customer vehicles per day.

Signage Rules

Santa Rosa County prohibits any exterior sign, display, or device that would indicate from the outside that a dwelling or accessory building is being used as a home occupation (LDC 5.02.07.A.1). Home businesses must be visually invisible from the street.

No home occupation signs allowed

Some Restrictions

Santa Rosa County LDC 5.02.07.A.1

Exterior displays, or a display of goods or chattels visible from the outside or exhibited on the premises by any method or device whatsoever, including signs which would indicate from the exterior that the dwelling unit or accessory building is being utilized in whole or in part as a home occupation.

Cottage Food Operations

Florida's cottage food law (FS 500.80) lets residents make and sell certain non-hazardous foods from a home kitchen without a state permit or inspection, as long as annual gross sales stay under $250,000 and products are prepackaged with a proper label.

Cottage food operations (FS 500.80)

Some Restrictions

FS 500.80(1)-(6)

A cottage food operation may sell... cottage food products... provided that the cottage food operation's annual gross sales of cottage food products do not exceed $250,000. Cottage food products must be prepackaged with a label... Only upon receipt of a complaint, the department's authorized officer or employee may enter and inspect the premises of a cottage food operation.

Home Daycare

In-home child care in Florida is governed by state law (FS 402.302), not county zoning. A family day care home may care for a maximum of six children, and most Santa Rosa County providers register annually with DCF unless a county ordinance requires licensing.

Family day care homes (FS 402.302)

Some Restrictions

FS 402.302(8)

"Family day care home" means an occupied residence in which child care is regularly provided for children from at least two unrelated families and which receives a payment, fee, or grant for any of the children receiving care... A family day care home shall be allowed to provide care for a maximum of six children.

All Santa Rosa County ordinances

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