Boone County, MO Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- A-1, A-2, A-R, R-S, R-D, R-M
- Outside employees
- None permitted
- Exterior sign
- Nameplate only, 3 sq ft max
- Retail sales
- Only goods made on-site
- Permit needed
- None, if criteria met
Summary
Boone County allows a home occupation by right in its agricultural and most residential zoning districts, but only if it stays family-run with no outside employees, exterior signage, or retail sales.
Home Occupation: Any occupation or profession carried on by a member of the immediate family, residing on the premises, in connection with which there is used no sign other than a nameplate, not more than three square feet in area, or no display that will indicate from the exterior that the building is being utilized in whole or part for any purpose other than that of a dwelling; there is no commodity sold upon the premises except that prepared on the premises; no person is employed other than a member of the immediate family residing on the premises; and no mechanical equipment is used except such as is customary for purely domestic household purposes.
Hospital: An establishment providing physical or mental health services, inpatient or overnight accommodations, and medical or surgical care of the sick or injured. Hospital includes sanitariums.
10 BOONE COUNTY ZONING REGULATIONS, BOONE COUNTY, MISSOURI SECTION 2
Hotel: A building in which lodging is provided and offered to the public for compensation, and which is open to transient guests an is not a rooming or boarding house as herein defined.
Hours of Operation, Daytime: � April through October, 6:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time � November through March, 6:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Central Standard Time
Daytime hours of operation may be further limited as a specific condition to a conditional
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
The Zoning Ordinance lists 'Home Occupation' as a permitted use in the A-1, A-R, R-S, and R-M districts (§ 5.A(1),(5),(7),(11)), and it carries over into A-2 and R-D through those districts' cross-reference to A-1 and R-S permitted uses. Section 2's definition sets the standard: the business must be run by a family member living on site, employ no one outside the immediate family, use no exterior sign beyond a three-square-foot nameplate, sell nothing except goods prepared on the premises, and use no equipment beyond ordinary household machinery. A use meeting these limits needs no separate zoning permit.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the home-occupation limits (hiring outside staff, adding a business sign, or selling outside goods) is a zoning violation under § 18: a misdemeanor enforced by the Department of Planning and Building Inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a home business in Boone County's A-1 district?
Can I hire employees for a home-based business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boone County
How Boone County compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Compare Boone County to another location·View the Missouri home business overview
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