Montgomery County, MD Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Floor area cap
- 33% of dwelling or 1,500 sq ft
- Low Impact employees
- 1 non-resident, in any 24 hrs
- Major Impact employees
- 2 non-resident, in any 24 hrs
- Registration agency
- Dept. of Permitting Services (DPS)
- Excluded cities
- Rockville, Gaithersburg, 5 others
Summary
Montgomery County zoning caps home occupations at 33% of dwelling floor area or 1,500 sq ft, whichever is less, and requires DPS registration for any Low or Major Impact tier that hires non-resident help.
Home Occupation means any occupation that provides a service or product and is conducted within a dwelling unit by a resident of the dwelling unit. ... The maximum amount of floor area used for the Home Occupation must not exceed 33% of the total eligible area of the dwelling unit and any existing accessory building on the same lot, or 1,500 square feet, whichever is less.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-90: Montgomery County Code contains legislation effective through May 7, 2026 | Zoning Updated Effective: April 13, 2026 | COMCOR Regulations effective as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 59 defines Home Occupation and splits it into three tiers: No Impact (resident-only, no registration, 5 visits/week cap), Low Impact (1 non-resident employee, DPS registration, 20 visits/week), and Major Impact (2 non-resident employees, DPS registration or conditional use, 35 visits/week). All tiers must stay within 33% of eligible floor area or 1,500 sq ft, ban exterior storage and in-home vehicle repair, and bar hazardous-material use. This zoning chapter does not apply inside Rockville, Gaithersburg, Brookeville, Poolesville, Laytonsville, Barnesville, or Washington Grove, which set their own rules.
Violations & Fines
DPS inspects on complaint, must rule within 90 days, and issues a warning notice giving 30 days to correct before citing under Division 7.8 or requiring a conditional-use hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a business from my Montgomery County home?
Can I store business inventory in my garage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery County
How Montgomery County compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Compare Montgomery County to another location·View the Maryland home business overview
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