Pasco, WA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Floor area cap
- 20% of home's gross floor area
- Garage limit
- Up to 600 sq ft if used
- Decision window
- 10 working days, max 30 calendar
- Appeal body
- Hearing Examiner
- Licensing office
- Business Licensing Service
Summary
Pasco allows a home business only as a use clearly subordinate to a residence, licensed through the Business Licensing Service and reviewed by the Director of Community and Economic Development under Chapter 25.150 PMC's environmental standards.
All home occupations shall conform to the following standards: (1) Be clearly subordinate to the principal use of the property for residential purposes; (2) Not involve modification of the property or exterior of its structures that indicates other than residential uses of the premises; (3) Is performed entirely within a permanent structure upon the premises... (14) The home occupation shall not occupy more than 20 percent of the gross floor area of the residence. All of an attached or detached garage may be used for a home occupation provided the area of the garage to be utilized does not exceed 600 square feet.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).
Full Breakdown
150 PMC creates a home occupation framework so a business can operate as an accessory use in a residential district without disrupting the neighborhood. 020 bars several uses outright regardless of standards compliance: dog boarding or kenneling, vehicle repair or maintenance, motor rebuilding, vehicle painting, welding, sheet metal shops, upholstering, firewood cutting, and any Group H occupancy under the adopted International Building and Fire Code. 040 requires the business to be clearly subordinate to the residential use, performed entirely inside a permanent structure, conducted solely by people residing in the dwelling, and confined to no more than 20 percent of the home's gross floor area (a garage may be used if the portion utilized does not exceed 600 square feet). 050. 90 PMC. 090; the existing license does not transfer.
Violations & Fines
Operating outside the environmental standards of 25.150.040, or running a prohibited use listed in 25.150.020, exposes the license to revocation by the City Planner under 25.150.070. Anyone may file a written complaint under 25.150.080, triggering an investigation; if it substantiates noncompliance, revocation follows the same procedure, and the license holder's only recourse is an appeal to the Hearing Examiner under 25.150.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
What home businesses are banned outright in Pasco?
How much of my house can a home occupation use?
How long does Pasco take to approve a home occupation license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasco
How Pasco compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Compare Pasco to another location·View the Washington home business overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.