Jefferson County, MO Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

2890 of the UDO keeps it subordinate to the residential use of the property. The home occupation must stay clearly incidental and secondary to the dwelling, cannot change the home's outside appearance, and is capped at 33% of the dwelling unit's gross floor area. Staffing is limited to the resident and family members living on site, plus one additional worker who does not live there. Deliveries can't require anything larger than parcel-post or similar parcel-service vehicles, and the business cannot generate noise, vibration, smoke, odor, heat, glare, electrical interference or a nuisance beyond what a normal residence produces.

No outside storage related to the business is allowed, and the lot cannot host more than two private commercial single-axle vehicles rated at one ton or less. The Director of Planning approves or denies each home occupation based on whether these standards, plus the underlying zoning district's requirements, are satisfied; a written denial can be appealed to the Planning and Zoning Commission within 14 days of the letter. Home occupations must also carry any required County, State or federal licenses, and operators are encouraged, though not required, to notify their homeowners' association before starting.

Subsection B bars any home occupation not specifically listed as permitted in Table 5-1 of Article V, so not every home-based business qualifies, regardless of how small it is.