Brunswick County, NC Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Section 5.4.4 of the UDO governs home occupations countywide, outside the incorporated towns. The use must remain clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the dwelling. No goods, products or services may be visible off-site, and there can be no external evidence of the activity such as commercial vehicles, window displays, outside storage, smoke, noise or odors (Section 5.4.4.A). Only handmade items, foodstuffs and crafts made on the premises may be sold directly, though catalog and electronic orders for resold goods may be received, fulfilled and shipped from the home (Section 5.4.4.B).

The business cannot occupy more than 50% of the dwelling unit's gross floor area, and all activity must happen entirely inside the dwelling, not in a detached garage or accessory structure (Section 5.4.4.D). No more than two people who are not residents of the home may work on site (Section 5.4.4.E), and instruction in music, dance or similar subjects is capped at two students at a time (Section 5.4.4.H). Hazardous materials cannot be stored, mobile, processed or disposed of on the premises (Section 5.4.4.I). The ordinance was last amended by Ord.

No. UDO-16-02, Section 24, adopted March 7, 2016. Because this is a county ordinance, it applies only to unincorporated Brunswick County; Leland, Southport, Oak Island, Shallotte, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Calabash and Boiling Spring Lakes each administer separate municipal home-occupation rules.