Winston-Salem requires a Zoning Use Permit for any home occupation operated from a residence. The UDO limits the business to the principal resident, caps the use at a small percentage of the dwelling floor area, and prohibits outside employees, retail foot traffic, and exterior evidence of the business.
Winston-Salem UDO Chapter B Article II Section 2.5 defines home occupations as customary accessory uses conducted entirely within the dwelling by residents only. The business may not occupy more than 25 percent of the floor area. No non-resident employees may report to the home. No outdoor storage, no exterior display, and no signage larger than 2 square feet is allowed. Client visits are limited and may not generate more traffic than normal residential use. Prohibited home occupations include auto repair, kennels, restaurants, medical clinics, and adult businesses. Applicants file a zoning use permit application with the City-County Planning Department and pay a small fee. A separate privilege license may be required for specific professions under state law.
Violations are enforced by the Inspections Division. Initial notice of violation grants time to cure; continuing violations result in civil penalties and potential revocation of the zoning permit.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem driveways require permits for new curb cuts and must meet UDO standards for width and paving material. Residential driveways limited to 24 feet...
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem street parking is free in residential areas with 72-hour maximum stays. Downtown has metered parking with enforcement 8 AM to 6 PM Monday throu...
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem defines abandoned vehicles as those parked on public streets over 72 hours or inoperative vehicles on private property. Police tag suspicious v...
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem prohibits parking of commercial vehicles over 1 ton in residential zoning districts. Semi-trucks, dump trucks, and large delivery vehicles cann...
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem is not in a designated high-severity wildfire zone, but wooded neighborhoods along Salem Creek, Muddy Creek, and the western edge near Pilot Mo...
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem permits recreational fire pits under the NC Fire Code (Section 307) when fires are contained, attended, and set back at least 25 feet from stru...
See how Winston-Salem's home occupation permits rules stack up against other locations.
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