Raleigh UDO Sec 6.7 permits Home Occupations by right in all residential zoning districts, including R-1 through R-10, RX, and NX. The business must be clearly secondary to the residential use, occupy no more than 25 percent of gross floor area, and have no more than one non-resident employee on site. Most service, consulting, and online businesses qualify without a Zoning Permit.
Raleigh regulates home-based businesses under Unified Development Ordinance Section 6.7 (Home Occupations), which permits them by right in all residential zoning districts. A qualifying home occupation must meet every standard in UDO 6.7.3: the activity is clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use; no more than 25 percent of the gross floor area of the dwelling is dedicated to business; the business employs no more than one person who does not reside at the dwelling; no exterior storage of materials, equipment, or inventory; no pickup or delivery by commercial vehicles exceeding one ton (occasional UPS, FedEx, and USPS are exempt); and the business generates no more than 4 customer or client visits per day with no more than 2 vehicles parked at one time. Professional services (attorneys, accountants, consultants, designers, therapists), online retail, tutoring, freelance writers, software developers, and most knowledge-work businesses fit easily within these standards with no permit required. Businesses outside the standards may qualify as a Customary Home Occupation with a Special Use Permit approved by the Board of Adjustment. Explicitly prohibited uses include auto repair, kennels, medical or dental practices treating patients on site, funeral services, adult entertainment, and any manufacturing involving hazardous materials. Home occupations must still obtain a Raleigh Business Registration ($50 annual) and any applicable NC state professional license. Food preparation for sale is regulated separately under the NC Home Processors rules.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Raleigh code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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