Macon County, IL Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

008 defines HOME OCCUPATION as an occupation carried on by a member of the immediate family residing on the premises, not involving a wholesale, retail or manufacturing business, subject to eight conditions. No one other than a resident family member may work in it; there can be no exterior display indicating business use beyond one sign no larger than one square foot, non-illuminated and mounted flat against the principal building's wall; products must be produced only on the premises; use of the dwelling for the occupation must stay clearly incidental and subordinate to its residential use, capped at 25% of the dwelling unit's floor area; the occupation must be confined to the principal structure, with no accessory building used for it; it cannot generate traffic beyond normal residential volumes or park beyond the street or front yard; it cannot use equipment or a process that creates off-lot noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or electrical interference; and a professional may use the residence for consultation, emergency treatment or religious rites, but not general practice, with barber and beauty shops, dentists, physicians, insurance and real estate offices specifically excluded from being HOME OCCUPATIONS at all.

100, so a qualifying home occupation needs no special use permit or Zoning Board of Appeals hearing, only compliance with these eight conditions and the generally applicable zoning certificate process administered by the Zoning Administrator's office.