Norfolk requires home occupations to comply with zoning standards limiting external evidence, customer visits, and non-resident employees. A Norfolk business license is required for all home-based businesses regardless of size.
Under the Norfolk Zoning Ordinance, home occupations must be clearly incidental and secondary to residential use. Standard conditions include: no external signage beyond a small professional nameplate, no more than one non-resident employee in most districts, no outdoor storage of materials or equipment, limited customer traffic, and no mechanical or electrical equipment creating noise, vibration, or interference beyond normal residential use. All home-based businesses must obtain a Norfolk business license through the Commissioner of the Revenue and pay applicable BPOL (Business, Professional, Occupational License) tax. Certain uses like medical clinics, auto repair, kennels, and restaurants are prohibited as home occupations. Short-term lodging is regulated separately under the STR ordinance.
Zoning violations: notice of violation, civil penalties up to 250 dollars for first offense and up to 500 dollars for subsequent violations under VA Code 15.2-2209.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk prohibits habitual barking that disturbs neighbors under City Code Chapter 6 (Animals). A dog barking continuously for 20 minutes or intermittently f...
Norfolk, VA
Amplified music in Norfolk is prohibited if plainly audible at 50 feet from the source or inside another residence. Granby Street, Waterside District, and Gh...
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk enforces quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM weekdays and 11 PM to 8 AM weekends under City Code Chapter 26. Plainly audible standard applies at 50 feet o...
Norfolk, VA
Virginia has no statutory shared-fence cost law. Norfolk property owners are individually responsible for fences on their own land. Boundary-line fences requ...
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk requires all dogs off their owner's property to be leashed under City Code Chapter 6. Town Point Park, Ocean View Beach, and most city parks require ...
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk limits households to a combined total of 4 dogs and cats over 4 months old without a kennel license. Kennel licenses require zoning approval. Militar...
See how Norfolk's home occupation permits rules stack up against other locations.
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