Washington County, UT Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 10-26-2, General Provisions
- Eligible zones
- FR, R, RA, RE, SFR only
- Operator requirement
- Owner or resident leaseholder only
- Appeal deadline
- 10 calendar days, § 10-2-4
- Civil penalty
- $250 per day after cure notice
- Last rewritten
- Ord. 2026-1321-O, May 19, 2026
Summary
Washington County allows home-based businesses only in the FR, R, RA, RE, and SFR zones, run by the owner or leaseholder who lives on site, under Code § 10-26-2's General Provisions. A minor home occupation needs no business license; anything larger needs a major home occupation license reviewed by Community Development, with revocation and penalties for noncompliance.
A. Home occupations shall be conducted only by the property owner, leaseholder, or defined family members who lives on site. Family members are defined as children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, grandparents, nieces, nephews, aunts, or uncles. ... C. The home occupation shall have a low impact on the residential nature of the zone, neighborhood, or property and shall not introduce noise, fumes, smoke, odor, dust, lighting, traffic, or on-street parking above what is customary for the residential lot, parcel, or neighborhood. ... I. Final decisions by the Community Development director or designee are final administrative decisions, and any appeal is governed by County Ord. § 10-2-4. J. Designees of the Community Development department have inspection authority to determine eligibility and compliance. The dwelling or accessory buildings shall comply with all building and fire codes. Noncompliance by the owner or leaseholder may result in a code enforcement action, revocation of the business license, or other civil or criminal penalties set forth in County Ord. § 10-1-22.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
" Section 10-26-2's General Provisions apply to every home business in the county. Subsection A limits the operation to the property owner, leaseholder, or a defined family member (children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, grandparents, nieces, nephews, aunts, or uncles) who lives on site; the license or equipment cannot be leased or transferred to anyone else. Subsection C caps impact: no noise, fumes, smoke, odor, dust, lighting, traffic, or on-street parking beyond what is customary for the lot or neighborhood, and subsection D bars deliveries by semitruck.
Subsection F excludes the PD-STR zone entirely from home occupations and bars major home occupations from PDR, PD Multifamily zones, and townhouse developments. Subsection G forbids soliciting sales or visits from the general public except by prior appointment, and subsection H bans any home-occupation sign or advertising on the property. § 10-2-4 within ten calendar days. § 10-1-22, which include a $250-per-day civil fine after a 10-day cure notice or prosecution as a class B misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
A home occupation that outgrows minor status without applying for a major home occupation license, or that violates a condition of approval, faces a code enforcement action and license revocation under § 10-26-2(J). County Ord. § 10-1-22 backs that up with a $250 civil penalty for each day a violation continues after a 10-day cure notice, or prosecution as a class B misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What zones allow a home occupation in Washington County?
Does a home business in the county need a license?
How do I appeal a denied home occupation application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
How Washington County compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·Compare Washington County to another location·View the Utah home business overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.