Coconut Creek, FL Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Section 18-36 of the Coconut Creek Code is the City's home based business rule. It covers cottage food operations too, and it requires every home business to remain clearly incidental and secondary to the residence without changing its residential character. The criteria all apply together. Workers at the dwelling must live there, except for up to two employees or independent contractors who do not reside at the dwelling and work on site. Retail transactions cannot happen in any structure other than the primary residential dwelling. Alterations to the home have to conform to the zoning district, the approved site plan and the residential character and architectural aesthetic of the neighborhood. A garage or other accessory structure cannot be used for repair, storage, manufacturing, retailing or warehousing of goods in a way that stops it from holding the number of vehicles it was designed for.

Storing hazardous or flammable materials is prohibited, outdoor storage or display of goods is prohibited, and signs or advertising of any kind are prohibited unless state or federal law requires them. Noise, smoke, fumes, odors, vibrations or interference cannot create a nuisance for abutting properties, and no public health or safety risk is allowed. Parking demand cannot exceed what a similar residence with no business would produce, and business vehicles and trailers have to sit in legal spaces off the right-of-way, sidewalks and unimproved surfaces. Commercial vehicles and heavy equipment are parked only inside an enclosed garage or building or where neighbors cannot see them.

To apply, the resident files with the director of sustainable development, or designee, listing name, residence location, area of rooms used, the nature of the business and days and hours of operation. After compliance and payment of the business tax, the director issues a business tax receipt, which section 18-37 sets at $102.10 for a home based business. Before any receipt issues, section 18-24 requires the development services department to confirm the location meets zoning, and a $25 nonrefundable fee applies to each new application. A family day care home gets a receipt that stays ineffective for 30 days while the operator provides evidence of compliance with F.S. § 402.301 et seq. and county rules, and without that evidence the receipt is null and void. Receipts expire on the last day of September each year.