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

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Size limit
25% of dwelling unit floor area
Client limit
One client on-site at a time
Staff limit
Two staff, one must live onsite
Hours
Mon–Sat 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Permit
Certificate of Use, renewed annually

Summary

Miami 21 caps a home-based Home Office at 25% of the dwelling's square footage, limits it to one client and two staff at a time, restricts hours to Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.–6 p.m., and requires an annual Certificate of Use.

Shall be located wholly within Dwelling Unit. Maximum size of Home Office shall be 25% of the size of the Dwelling Unit based on county property records. Home Occupations limited to individual tutoring... Maximum of one client at a time. Maximum of two staff members, one of which must reside on premises. Hours of operation limited to Monday through Saturday 8:00 AM to 6 PM. No equipment or process shall be used which creates undue noise, vibration, glare, fumes, or odors detectable to normal senses off the property. Certificate of Use required.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 | Ordinance 11000 (Previous Zoning Code): Supplement 22 | Miami 21 (Zoning Code): ?).

Full Breakdown

Under Miami 21's Article 6, Table 13, a Home Office must sit wholly inside the dwelling unit and cannot exceed 25% of the unit's floor area, per county property records. Occupations are limited to activities like tutoring, instrument instruction, writing, art, design, sewing and tailoring, plus general office uses other than medical or dental practices. Only one client may be on-site at a time, staffing tops out at two people with one living at the property, and hours run Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Article 4, Table 3 allows Home Office by right citywide in every T3-T6 zone, but requires an annual Certificate of Use.

Violations & Fines

Operating without a Certificate of Use, exceeding the 25% floor-area cap, hosting more than one client, employing more than two staff, or running outside 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Saturday hours violates Miami 21's Home Office standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to run a home business in Miami?
Yes. Miami 21 requires a Certificate of Use for a Home Office, and the Zoning Administrator issues home-occupation Certificates of Use annually, covering January 1 through December 31 each year.
Can I see clients or hire help for a home business in Miami?
You may have one client on-site at a time and up to two staff members, at least one of whom must live at the property, under Miami 21's Home Office rules.
What kinds of businesses qualify as a Home Office in Miami?
Miami 21 limits Home Occupations to things like individual tutoring, instrument instruction, writing, art, design, sewing and tailoring, plus general office uses: medical and dental offices don't qualify.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Miami

All Miami rules

How Miami compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami to another location·View the Florida home business overview

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Zoning & Home Occupation Permits in Nearby Cities

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