De Pere, WI Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Type A
- No employees or customers, by right
- Type B
- 1 employee or customer, needs approval
- Space cap
- 25% of unit or 650 sq ft
- Vehicles
- Only one passenger vehicle allowed
- Tutoring exception
- Up to 4 students allowed by right
Summary
De Pere splits home businesses into Type A, with no employees or customers visiting, and Type B, with one nonresident employee or customer, under Section 14-78(8). Type A operates by right; Type B needs Plan Commission conditional-use approval, and every home occupation is capped at 25 percent of the dwelling's floor area or 650 square feet.
(a) Purpose The home occupation regulations of this section are intended to allow residents to engage in customary home-based work activities, while also helping to ensure that neighboring residents are not subjected to adverse operational and land use impacts (e.g., excessive noise or traffic or public safety hazards) that are not typical of residential neighborhoods. ... 1. Type A Home Occupations Type A home occupations are those in which household residents use their home as a place of work, with no employees, customers or clients coming to the site. 2. Type B Home Occupations Type B home occupation are those in which household residents use their home as a place of work and either one non-resident employee or customer comes to the site. ... e. The area devoted to the conduct of all home occupations present on the property is limited to 25 percent of the dwelling unit’s floor area or 650 square feet, whichever is less. ... h. Only one passenger vehicle may be used in the conduct of a home occupation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-78(8)(a) states the purpose is to let residents work from home while keeping neighbors free of noise, traffic or safety impacts that are not typical of a residential neighborhood. b it can only operate after conditional-use approval under Section 14-123, except that tutoring of up to 4 students at a time is allowed as of right even for a Type B use. Subsection (c) exempts group living, family day care homes, bed and breakfast inns and short-term rentals from the home occupation rules altogether, and lists prohibited home occupations such as vehicle repair, dispatch centers, in-person retail sales and animal care businesses.
The general regulations in subsection 7 cap the space used for all home occupations at 25 percent of the dwelling unit's floor area or 650 square feet, whichever is less, limit the operation to one passenger vehicle on site, bar window displays, prohibit hazardous materials beyond consumer-commodity quantities, and require the business be conducted entirely within the dwelling unit without exterior alterations that change the home's residential character.
Violations & Fines
Operating a Type B home occupation, one with a nonresident employee or customer visits, without the required conditional-use approval, or exceeding the 25 percent/650 square foot space cap, is an unlawful land use under Section 14-151(1)(a) and (c). The development services director enforces the standard under Section 14-150, may withhold or revoke a permit under Section 14-152(2), and the city may issue a municipal citation under Section 1-11 of the municipal code per Section 14-152(3), with each uncorrected day a separate offense under Section 14-151(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Type A and Type B home occupation in De Pere?
How much of my house can I use for a home business in De Pere?
Can I run a tutoring business from my De Pere home without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in De Pere
How De Pere compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Compare De Pere to another location·View the Wisconsin home business overview
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Zoning & Home Occupation Permits in Nearby Cities
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