Acworth, GA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

3(B)(2) of Appendix B is written broadly: there shall be no exterior evidence of the home occupation, and no alteration of the residence or accessory buildings to accommodate it. The code specifically bars any internal or external change that would make the dwelling look less residential, and it lists examples, paved parking lots, paving over required setbacks, or adding commercial-style exterior lighting, but the operative language is the flat 'no exterior evidence' standard, which covers signage without needing a separate sign clause. Because the home occupation rule sits inside the zoning ordinance rather than the city's general sign code, a home business owner cannot rely on standard freestanding or wall sign allowances elsewhere in the code: the home occupation section overrides them for this specific use.

The provision also carries a built-in enforcement trigger unrelated to signage directly: any alteration or addition that expands the floor area dedicated to the home occupation automatically voids the existing business license, and a new one cannot issue until the Development Director verifies the property is back in compliance. Outdoor storage of inventory or business materials is banned in the same subsection, closing off the most common workaround of using a visible driveway display in place of a sign.