Cleveland does not require a separate home occupation permit for most low-impact home businesses, but all home occupations must comply with Part 11 zoning conditions. Businesses that register with the state also file local business and income tax registrations through the Central Collection Agency and obtain a vendor license if selling tangible goods.
Part 11 of the Cleveland Codified Ordinances defines a home occupation as an accessory use clearly incidental to the residential use of the dwelling. Conditions include: the business is conducted entirely within the dwelling by the resident, no more than one non-resident employee, no exterior evidence of the business other than a permitted two square foot nameplate, no outdoor storage, no commercial deliveries beyond normal package service, no change to the residential character of the building, and no equipment or process that creates noise, odor, vibration, glare, smoke, or interference with radio and television reception detectable at the property line. Prohibited home occupations include vehicle repair, welding, machine shops, animal boarding, commercial food service other than cottage food, and short-term rentals not registered under the STR ordinance. Compliant home occupations such as consulting, tutoring, writing, bookkeeping, remote software work, online sales, and cottage food do not require a separate zoning permit. Business owners still register a trade name with the Ohio Secretary of State if applicable, file with the Central Collection Agency for municipal income tax, and obtain an Ohio vendor license at tax.ohio.gov for taxable sales.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how Cleveland's home occupation permits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.