Allentown allows home occupations as an accessory use to a residential dwelling but caps them at 25% of the principal building's gross floor area, prohibits exterior changes that make the building look commercial, and expressly bans a long list of intensive uses such as vehicle repair, restaurants, animal boarding, and equipment rental.
Under Section 660-48 of the Allentown Zoning Ordinance (No. 16166, effective Jan. 1, 2026), home occupations are 'jobs or professions conducted as an accessory use to an allowed household living use.' Both Type 1 and Type 2 home occupations 'must be accessory and subordinate to the principal residential use of the property and may not occupy more than 25% of the gross floor area of the principal building,' whether located in the principal building, an accessory building, or both (660-48.G(1) and 660-48.H(1)). External structural alterations or site improvements that change the physical residential form of the building - such as commercial-like exterior lighting or a separate building entrance visible from abutting streets - are prohibited. Section 660-48.F lists uses expressly prohibited as home occupations, including: assembly/repair of vehicles or equipment with internal-combustion engines or large appliances; dispatch centers; equipment or supply rental businesses; taxi/limo/van/bus services; tow-truck services; restaurants; funeral or interment services; animal care, shelter, or boarding establishments; commercial food preparation; and any use involving outdoor storage of vehicles, products, parts, or machinery. Rather than listing every permitted use, the ordinance 'establish[es] performance standards for all home occupations' (660-48.E).
A home occupation exceeding the 25% floor-area cap, making prohibited exterior alterations, or conducting a prohibited use is a zoning violation. Under Section 660-123, the zoning officer may order discontinuance of the illegal use and removal of illegal structures; a person found liable in a civil enforcement proceeding pays a judgment of up to $500.00 plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees, with each day a separate offense.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Allentown, PA
Article 710.03(C)(12) requires every motor vehicle to have a working muffler with no cutout or bypass, bars idling longer than 15 minutes per hour within 150...
Allentown, PA
No Allentown ordinance directly regulates in-flight aircraft noise; federal law (49 U.S.C. section 40103 and City of Burbank v. Lockheed) preempts local cont...
Allentown, PA
Allentown prohibits storing abandoned, inoperable, or unregistered vehicles on public streets or visible on private property. Vehicles may be tagged and towe...
Allentown, PA
Allentown regulates electric vehicle charging infrastructure for residential and commercial properties. Building codes may require EV-ready parking in new co...
Allentown, PA
Allentown does not impose a blanket residential overnight on-street parking ban, but a vehicle parked in one place on a public street for more than 72 consec...
Allentown, PA
Allentown requires pool barriers meeting safety codes to prevent drowning. Fences must be at least 4 to 5 feet tall with self-closing, self-latching gates.
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Lehigh County.
See how other cities in Lehigh County handle zoning restrictions.
See how Allentown's zoning restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.