Caldwell, ID Home Business: Home Occupation Permits (2026)

City Code 10-12-03-22(1) makes it 'unlawful for any person to engage in a home occupation... within the City, without first having received a home occupation permit issued by the City Planning and Zoning Department.' The application must be in writing, signed and sworn by both the resident and the property owner on forms furnished by the Planning and Zoning office (subsection 2). The initial permit fee is 'set by City Council' (subsection 3) rather than fixed in the code, so the current amount should be confirmed with the city. A permit is not transferable from one person to another or from one site to another - a change of site or operator requires a new permit. The applicant must satisfy all the home-occupation standards in subsection 4, and at the Director's discretion may be required to pass a Planning and Zoning inspection before the permit is issued (subsection 4N). An application may be withdrawn, with a 50% refund of the application fee only if withdrawn within ten days of submittal (subsection 4O). The permit may be subject to scheduled or random inspections and may be revoked by the Director for violating any condition or other city law; before revocation, the applicant has 30 days to cure and may request a public hearing within seven days (subsection 5). For violations involving illegal goods or contraband, City Council may impose a civil penalty of up to $2,000 (subsection 6).