Wausau, WI Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

28(4) defines it as an economic activity performed within a residential dwelling unit, giving personal and professional services, handicrafts, and online retail as examples, and states the intent is to accommodate a small home-based or professional business without rezoning to a commercial district. The operative standards are numbered (a) through (q). The business must be conducted only within the enclosed dwelling unit or garage, by a resident for whom the address is their principal residence. m. Floor area devoted to the occupation cannot exceed 20 percent of the principal structure or 300 square feet, whichever is less, and the work must be carried out by immediate family living on-site plus at most one non-resident employee.

A permit from the Department of Inspections and Zoning is mandatory: the applicant submits a completed application, the Zoning Administrator confirms compliance with these standards before issuing it, and the permit runs for 365 days (January through December), renewable annually. The permit is issued to an individual, is not transferable to another resident, address, or occupation, and becomes null and void when the permit holder's residency ends. Approvals from other regulatory bodies, such as Health, Police, or Fire, must be secured before the zoning permit issues.