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

Peoria County's Unified Development Ordinance permits home occupations as an accessory use tied to a residential dwelling, provided the business stays secondary to the home's residential character. Under UDO Sec. 2, the use must be conducted entirely within the dwelling or an accessory structure by resident family members, plus at most one non-resident employee for a major occupation, and it cannot produce noise, odor, glare, or other nuisances detectable outside the structure. Sec. 5. Non-impact and minor occupations receive an administrative permit issued by the Zoning Administrator under Sec.

4, while any deviation from the standard requires a special use permit from the County Board under Sec. 5. A resident already operating without a permit gets 14 days from notification by the Zoning Administrator to apply for one under Sec. 6. The permit expires if the occupation changes, ceases for a year or more, or the permittee moves, and Sec. 6, at which point the Zoning Administrator may inspect the property to confirm continued compliance.