Portland's home occupation rules at PCC 33.203 explicitly prohibit signs and external evidence of the home business. PCC 33.203.040(D) requires that home occupations 'show no exterior evidence' from off-site, which means no business signs, no window signs, no exterior lighting, no merchandise display, and no special parking signage. This is one of the strictest home-business signage rules in the Pacific Northwest.
PCC 33.203 (Home Occupations) sets the standards for any business operated from a residential dwelling. PCC 33.203.040(D) ('Operating Standards') is unambiguous: 'There must be no signs on the site or other exterior evidence of the home occupation. The dwelling must look like a dwelling.' This rule applies even to small placards, sandwich boards, window decals, and vehicle wraps on a commercial vehicle parked at the home. The general residential sign rules at PCC 32.32 are also restrictive — single-family residential zones generally allow only nameplates, address numbers, and limited holiday/political signs, none of which may be commercial in nature. A home daycare is one narrow exception because it's treated as a Household Living use (not a home occupation) under PCC 33.910, but even there, commercial signage is not allowed. Businesses needing visible signage must locate in a commercial zone (CN, CM, CG, CX) where PCC 32.32 commercial signage standards apply.
Posting a sign for a home occupation is enforced by BDS as a violation of PCC 33.203.040 and PCC 32.32. Standard procedure is a notice to remove the sign within 14-30 days; non-compliance triggers PCC 33.700 civil enforcement with fines starting at $250/day and potential revocation of any home-business permit. Repeated violations can lead to the city ordering the home occupation to cease entirely.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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