Wayne County, NC Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Wayne County Zoning Ordinance § 53 sets the standards Planning and the Zoning Enforcement Officer apply to any home-based business run out of a residence in the unincorporated county. Only one person besides the residents of the home may work in the business; the house has to continue functioning principally as a dwelling, not a storefront. If the operation spills into an accessory building, that structure cannot exceed 25 percent of the total floor area under the roof of the main dwelling, and using it for the home occupation triggers a Special Use Permit application to the Wayne County Board of Adjustment, which under § 120 is the Board of County Commissioners sitting in that capacity.

The ordinance also bars equipment or processes that create noise, vibration, fumes, odors or electrical interference with radio and television reception, prohibits outdoor storage of goods, supplies or equipment tied to the business, requires off-street parking for customers on top of the residence's own parking, and limits every property to one accessory use. Before any use begins, § 111 requires a Zoning Certificate from the Zoning Enforcement Officer confirming the work conforms to the ordinance, and no structure may be occupied without a § 113 Certificate of Occupancy. 4, decided by a majority vote of members present.