Home Business in Story County, IA (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Story County, Iowa.
Verified from official government sources
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
In unincorporated Story County, a home business is allowed only as an accessory use to an occupied dwelling where the owner or co-owner actually lives, under the Land Development Regulations (Chapter 89). Business activity cannot occupy more than 49 percent of the dwelling's total gross floor area, and most home businesses need a Home Business Permit renewed every two years from the Planning and Development Department.
Story County Home Occupation Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsStory County Code of Ordinances § 89.01(1)
Statement of Intent. ... This section on home businesses intends to allow for limited commercial activity accessory to a dwelling in designated districts when in conformance with the following standards for approval. A home business is allowable only on a lot, tract, or parcel of land which contains an occupied dwelling in which the owner of the business resides and in compliance with the stand...
Signage Rules
A home business in unincorporated Story County cannot post any sign without a Sign Permit approved under Section 92.10, and every sign must meet the dimensional limits in Section 89.02. In the AR, R-1, R-2 and RMH residential districts, that caps total sign area at 12 square feet and height at 10 feet, with no illuminated or portable signs allowed.
Story County Home Business Sign Limits
Some RestrictionsStory County Code of Ordinances §§ 89.01(1)(P), 89.02(3)(C)
P. All signs shall be approved through the submittal of an Application for a Sign Permit, as defined in Section 92.10, and the applicable fee. Signs shall be in conformance with Section 89.02 of this chapter. ... ... C. AR, Agricultural-Residential; R-1, Transitional Residential; R-2, Urban Residential; RMH,-Residential Manufactured Housing. (1) Total cumulative area of all external signs on ...
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Home businesses in unincorporated Story County are capped at ten client, employee and delivery visits, twenty vehicle trips, a day, plus one freight delivery and one freight shipment. No more than five parking spaces can serve clients, employees and deliveries, and no more than five of their vehicles can be on site at once.
Story County Home Business Traffic Limits
Some RestrictionsStory County Code of Ordinances § 89.01(1)(I)-(J)
I. It shall not create traffic or delivery concerns in the immediate area. In combination, all home business activities shall not generate traffic (client, employee, and delivery) substantially greater than ten (10) visits (20 trips) a day. In addition, it shall not receive more than one (1) freight delivery or send more than one (1) freight shipment a day. Any visit to the premises by off-si...
Home Daycare
Running an in-home day care out of a single-family home in unincorporated Story County is a permitted accessory use, not something that needs a conditional use hearing. Section 86.04(3)(K) lists a child care home among the accessory uses allowed by right in the A-1 Agricultural District, and Section 85.08(44) defines it as a person or program in a single-family dwelling licensed as such by the Iowa Department of Human Services.
Home Daycare Zoning in Story County
Few RestrictionsStory County Code of Ordinances § 85.08(44); § 86.04(3)(K)
44. "Child care home, in-home day care" means a person or a program located in a single-family dwelling, providing child care and includes child development homes and child care homes as defined by Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS ). ... ... 3. Permitted Accessory Uses. The following are permitted accessory uses in the A-1 Agricultural District: ... ... K. Child care home.
All Story County ordinances
See every category we cover for Story County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Story County Ordinance Hub →