Oconee County, SC Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

2 defines 'home occupation' as any occupation or profession carried on entirely within a dwelling or accessory building on the same parcel by one or more of its occupants, and its first condition expressly states that an in-home, duly licensed daycare counts as a qualifying home occupation rather than a separate commercial use. To qualify, the use has to stay clearly incidental and secondary to the dwelling's residential purpose, occupy no more than 25 percent of the home's total floor area, avoid any outside or window display, use no mechanical or electrical equipment beyond what is normal for domestic or hobby purposes, and employ no more than one person who does not live in the dwelling.

16, 'Home occupations and businesses' carry a 'C' for conditional use in every base district that allows them, meaning the operator needs administrative approval against the conditions in Article 5 rather than a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing. 7 adds a parking standard for home occupations: the operator must provide off-street parking sufficient for the average expected traffic, with at least two spaces off the public thoroughfare, and parking should sit at the rear of the property whenever that is feasible. Because a licensed home daycare is treated as a home occupation rather than under the separate 'Day Care Facilities' line in the use matrix, it does not need the special-exception review that a stand-alone day care center can require in several districts.