5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
Waukesha County zoning allows home occupations and professional offices as accessory uses in residential districts when incident to the residential use and conducted in the same dwelling. A business run from a detached garage or accessory building needs a conditional use permit.
Waukesha County Basic Zoning Ordinance (permitted accessory uses)
Home Occupations and Professional Offices as defined in this Ordinance, when incident to the residential use and when situated in the same dwelling, subject to the following conditions...
Under Waukesha County zoning, a home occupation may display a nameplate no larger than three square feet. Larger business or advertising signs are not permitted for a home occupation in a residential district.
Waukesha County Basic Zoning Ordinance (home occupation) (6)(A)
No nameplate exceeding three (3) square feet in area shall be permitted.
Wisconsin, not Waukesha County, sets cottage-food rules. Non-hazardous home baked goods may be sold direct to consumers without a license. Home-canned high-acid foods (pickles) can be sold up to $5,000 a year under Wis. Stat. 97.29 with required labeling.
Wis. Stat. 97.29(2)(b)2.
A person is not required to obtain a license... to sell at retail food products that the person prepares and cans at home... if the food products are pickles or other processed vegetables or fruits with an equilibrium pH value of 4.6 or lower... and the person receives less than $5,000 per year from the sale of the food products.
Wisconsin, not Waukesha County, licenses in-home child care. Under Wis. Stat. 48.65, anyone caring for four or more children under age seven for less than 24 hours a day must be licensed as a family child care center; the county still applies home-occupation zoning.
Wis. Stat. 48.65 (via DCF 250 preface)
Section 48.65, Wisconsin Statutes, requires that persons operating child care centers that provide care and supervision for 4 or more children under 7 years of age for less than 24 hours a day, be licensed by the Department of Children and Families.
A home occupation inside your dwelling that meets the county conditions is a permitted accessory use needing no special permit. But a home business run from an attached garage or accessory building requires a conditional use permit as a Limited Family Business.
Waukesha County Basic Zoning Ordinance (home occupation) (6)(G)
Such use conducted in an attached garage or Accessory Building requires a Conditional Use to be granted in accordance with Section 3.08(7)(KK) of this Ordinance.
3 cities in Waukesha County have their own home business rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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