Citrus County, FL Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Section 3190 of the Land Development Code lets a resident run a home occupation in any residential zoning district in unincorporated Citrus County, provided the business is first registered under Chapter 94, Article II, Business Tax, of the county code and then follows several operating standards. The signage allowance is narrow: Section 3190(A) permits only a single non-illuminated nameplate of four square feet or less, mounted flat against the exterior wall of the home, no freestanding or lit signs. Section 3190(C) requires the property to keep looking like an ordinary residence from the street; any exterior modification made to accommodate the business must match the surrounding neighborhood's residential character and architecture.

Retail is largely off the table under Section 3190(D): a home occupation cannot conduct retail transactions at any structure other than the residence itself, though incidental business activity on the property is allowed. Section 3190(F) is the catch-all: the occupation must remain secondary to the home's residential use and cannot generate noise, vibration, heat, smoke, dust, glare, fumes, or odors beyond what an ordinary residence produces without a business. The county caps staffing too, allowing up to two off-site employees to work at the home under Section 3190(E), with additional employees permitted only if they work remotely rather than at the dwelling.

These standards, part of Ordinance No. 2026-A16 effective June 22, 2026, apply only in unincorporated Citrus County; Crystal River and Inverness regulate home businesses under their own separate municipal codes.