Vienna, VA Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

The Town of Vienna Zoning Ordinance treats signage as one of the most restrictive conditions on home occupations, reflecting the town's commitment to preserving residential neighborhood character. The general rule is that no external evidence of a home business may be visible from any street, sidewalk, or adjoining property. This means no yard signs advertising the business, no window signs or decals, no illuminated or neon displays, no wall-mounted plaques identifying the business, and no A-frame sidewalk signs. Magnetic signs on personal vehicles parked visibly in the driveway or street can trigger enforcement if they effectively function as advertising of the home business. Vehicle wraps on commercial vehicles stored overnight at a home also draw scrutiny and often run into Vienna's separate commercial vehicle parking restrictions in residential districts, which limit commercial vehicles over a certain weight or dimension. Mailboxes and entry plaques that simply include a family name are fine; those listing a business name are not. Permitted exceptions are very narrow: licensed professional offices (doctors, lawyers) in certain mixed-use districts may have a small nameplate under specific conditions, but these are not typically in R-districts. Temporary event signage (garage sale, open house) follows different rules with short durations and size limits. Exterior customer lighting or after-hours illumination that makes it obvious a business operates from the home can also be cited as a home occupation violation even if no sign is present. The underlying principle is that passersby should not be able to tell a business is operating at the address. Business promotion online, on business cards, or through social media is unrestricted; only physical signage at the home is prohibited.