Home occupations in unincorporated Dane County are regulated under Chapter 10 (Zoning Ordinance). Most rural-residential and farmland-preservation districts list home occupations as a conditional use, requiring a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from the Zoning and Land Regulation Committee. Agricultural-use businesses on farms generally rely on the Farmland Preservation framework instead.
Dane County's Chapter 10 (Zoning Ordinance) treats home occupations as an accessory use in residential and rural districts. In Rural Residential (RR-1, RR-2, RR-4, RR-8, RR-16), Single-Family Residential (SFR-08, SFR-1, SFR-2), and Farmland Preservation (FP-35) districts, a home occupation that extends beyond the dwelling-incidental scope (e.g., regular customer/client visits, on-premise non-resident employees, exterior signage, or use of accessory buildings) typically requires a Conditional Use Permit issued by the Dane County Zoning and Land Regulation Committee. The Farmland Preservation - Business (FP-B) district is a separate rezone option for established on-farm businesses meeting the Wis. Stat. ch. 91 farmland preservation criteria. CUP applications go through Dane County Planning & Development; the process includes a town board recommendation, a public hearing, and standard CUP findings under Chapter 10 Subchapter 38 (use cannot be detrimental to public health/safety, must be consistent with the comprehensive plan, etc.). State enabling authority for county zoning of unincorporated towns is Wis. Stat. §59.69 and ch. 91. Towns can layer their own home-occupation conditions where they have not opted out of county zoning. Confirm permitted vs. conditional status for your specific district and the current CUP application fee with Dane County Planning at 608-266-4266.
Operating a home occupation that exceeds permitted-use scope without a CUP is a Chapter 10 zoning violation enforceable by Dane County Planning & Development through stop-work orders, daily forfeitures, and circuit court injunction. CUP holders who breach approved conditions face enforcement action and possible CUP revocation by the Zoning and Land Regulation Committee.
See how Middleton's home occupation permits rules stack up against other locations.
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