Medford, MA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- As-of-right track
- § 94-3.4.1, no permit needed
- Special-permit track
- § 94-3.4.2, board of appeals
- Employee cap on special permit
- Up to two nonresident employees
- Permit duration
- Ends at sale or lease end, § 94-3.4.2.5
- Maximum fine
- $300 per day, § 94-11.3.2
Summary
Medford allows a home occupation as of right if it stays inside the dwelling, is run only by residents, produces no exterior sign larger than two square feet, and generates no customer trips, per Revised Ordinances § 94-3.4.1. A home occupation needing employees or customer visits instead requires a special permit from the board of appeals under § 94-3.4.2.
Sec. 94-3.4. - Home occupations. 94-3.4.1 Home Occupation—As of Right. A home occupation may be allowed as of right on a lot, provided that it: 1.Is conducted solely within a dwelling and solely by the person(s) occupying the dwelling as a primary residence;2.Is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the premises for residential purposes;3.Does not produce offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odors, heat, lighting, electrical interference, radioactive emission or environmental pollution;4.No regular sales of wares of goods shall be conducted on the premises; ... 94-3.4.2 Home Occupation—By Special Permit. One home occupation may be allowed by special permit issued by the board of appeals on a lot, provided that it: ... 2.Is conducted within a dwelling and solely by the person(s) occupying the dwelling as a primary residence and, in addition to the residents of the premises, by not more than two nonresident employees; where employees leave vehicles on the premises while conducting business elsewhere, they shall be counted as nonresident employees; ... 5.The special permit shall terminate at transfer of ownership of the property or end of lease term for the property.
Full Breakdown
Section 94-3.4 splits home occupations into two tracks. The as-of-right track in § 94-3.4.1 lets a resident run a home occupation without any permit at all, but only if it is conducted solely within the dwelling by the people who live there as their primary residence, is clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use, produces no offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odor, heat, glare, electrical interference or radioactive emission, and involves no regular sale of goods on the premises. The special-permit track in § 94-3.4.2 is for anyone who needs to go beyond those limits: it lets the board of appeals authorize a home occupation with up to two nonresident employees, counting anyone who leaves a vehicle on site while working elsewhere, and lets the board attach conditions on hours of operation, maximum floor area, off-street parking and the number of daily customer trips.
A special permit is not permanent: § 94-3.4.2.5 states it terminates automatically when the property is sold or the lease ends, so an incoming owner or tenant must apply again rather than inherit the prior operator's permit. Both tracks are administered by the building commissioner for permit compliance and by the board of appeals for the special-permit track, under the general administration provisions of § 94-11.1 and § 94-11.4.
Violations & Fines
Running a home occupation that exceeds the as-of-right limits of § 94-3.4.1 without first obtaining a board of appeals special permit under § 94-3.4.2 is a violation of Chapter 94. The building commissioner investigates under § 94-11.3.1 and can order the violation abated; conviction carries a fine of up to $300.00 for each day the violation continues under § 94-11.3.2, or the city may use the noncriminal fine ladder of $25 to $200 per offense under § 94-11.3.3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a home business in Medford?
Can I hire employees for my Medford home business?
Does my home occupation permit transfer if I sell the house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Medford
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