5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Washington County, Arkansas.
Verified from official government sources
Washington County runs county planning for its unincorporated Ozark-highlands land, so a home occupation must fit the parcel's land-use rules and stay incidental to the residence. Inside Fayetteville, Springdale, or Prairie Grove, that city's home-occupation ordinance governs instead.
A home-business sign in unincorporated Washington County must fit the county's planning and land-use limits and stay incidental to the residence. Inside Fayetteville or Springdale the city sign code controls, and ARDOT governs any sign in a state-highway right-of-way.
In unincorporated Washington County a home occupation may not generate customer or delivery traffic beyond a normal residential level, and any parking it draws must be met off the street. A new driveway onto a county road needs a road-access permit.
The Arkansas Food Freedom Act lets you make non-hazardous food at your Washington County home and sell it directly to consumers with no license, no health inspection, and no sales cap. Only a product label is required. It is one of the most permissive laws nationally.
Ark. Code § 20-57-503(3)
"Homemade food or drink product" means a food or drink product that is processed at the private residence of the producer, including a farm or ranch where the producer resides, that is exempt from state licensure, inspection, certification, and packaging and labeling requirements, and that is non-time/temperature control for safety food.
Caring for children for pay in a Washington County home requires a license from the Arkansas Department of Human Services. State code makes operating an unlicensed child-care facility unlawful. The county's role is limited to land-use and building compliance.
Ark. Code § 20-78-208(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, group, corporation, organization, or association to operate or assist in the operation of a childcare facility which has not been licensed by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education of the Department of Human Services.
1 cities in Washington County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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