Bossier Parish, LA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Floor area cap
- 25% of dwelling floor area
- Who may work
- Family members residing in the dwelling only
- Sales limit
- Only goods the family itself produces
- Employees
- None permitted
- Zoning status
- Permitted by right in R-A and R-1 districts
Summary
Bossier Parish zoning limits a home occupation to work performed only by family members living in the dwelling, entirely inside it, using no more than 25 percent of the home's floor area, with no goods sold except what the family itself makes. It is a permitted-by-right use in the R-A and R-1 residential districts near Benton.
Home occupation means an occupation for gain or support, conducted only by members of a family residing in a dwelling and conducted entirely within the dwelling, provided that no article is sold or offered for sale, except as may be produced by members of the family residing in the dwelling and, further provided, that the occupation is incidental to the residential use of the premises and does not utilize more than 25 percent of the floor area of the dwelling. Home occupations shall include, in general, personal services when performed by the person occupying the building as his private dwelling, and not including the employment of any additional persons in the performance of such services. ... Sec. 126-819. - Home occupations and nameplates. For the purpose of providing required building site area, a home occupation or nameplate shall be considered as being part of the use to which it is attached.
Full Breakdown
Sec. ' The definition further limits home occupations to personal services performed by the resident, and bars employing any additional person to help perform them. Chapter 126, Article III lists home occupation as a use permitted by right, alongside the primary dwelling and farming, in both the R-A residence-agriculture district (Sec. 126-716(b)(1)) and the R-1 one-family residence district (Sec. 126-717(b)(1)) within five miles of Benton, so no special exception hearing is required to operate one. Sec. 126-819 clarifies that for the purpose of meeting a district's minimum building site area, 'a home occupation or nameplate shall be considered as being part of the use to which it is attached,' meaning it does not require its own separate building site calculation apart from the dwelling.
Violations & Fines
Operating a home occupation that sells goods beyond what the resident family produces, employs outside workers, or occupies more than 25 percent of the dwelling's floor area exceeds the Sec. 126-671 definition and is a Code violation under Sec. 126-815(1). Absent a specific penalty for the offense, the parish-wide default in Sec. 1-13 applies: a fine up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 30 days, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hire an employee for my home business in Bossier Parish?
How much of my house can my home business use?
Do I need a special permit to run a home occupation near Benton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bossier Parish
How Bossier Parish compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Compare Bossier Parish to another location·View the Louisiana home business overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.