Home Occupations

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A home occupation is a business conducted out of your home instead of in a workplace. This can include selling goods off-site or over the internet, running your business out of your home office, or doing the accounting and paperwork for a business performed in other people’s homes, like pet-sitting, tutoring, landscaping, or housecleaning, among others.

Requirements for Home Occupations

Requirements for all home occupations are listed below.

The business must be performed by an occupant of the home.
The home occupation must not interfere with the quality and character of the neighborhood.
You must apply for and receive an approved Home Occupation Clearancebefore commencing your business.

Depending on your zoning district and the type of business you are running, different regulations may apply to your business. Find your zoning district through our County GIS.

Rural Area Home Occupation Regulations

Note: Regulations marked with an asterisk (*) are eligible for special exception.

Application Required	Minor Home Occupation Clearance	Major Home Occupation Clearance
Area of home occupation	No more than 25% of gross floor area of dwelling, or 1,500 sf max, whichever is less*	No more than 25% of gross floor area of dwelling, or 1,500 sf max, whichever is less*
May be performed in an accessory structure	No	Yes
Accessory structure setbacks	N/A	Same as primary structure
Clients or customers to home	No	Up to 10 vehicle trips/day or 30 vehicle trips/week, up to 6 days/week, 7:00am - 8:00pm*
Sales at home	No	Only items crafted on-site or directly related to the home occupation
Signs	No	One sign permitted
Parking of vehicles used in home occupation or belonging to employees, clients, and customers	On-site. No street parking permitted.	On-site. No street parking permitted.
Storage of materials	Must be inside enclosed structure, except for natural landscaping materials (mulch, plants)	Must be inside enclosed structure, except for natural landscaping materials (mulch, plants)
Employees permitted to home (not residents of home)	No	Up to 2 employees, 6 days/week, 7:00am - 8:00pm
Vehicles used by home occupation store at site	Up to 2 motor vehicles and 2 trailers	Up to 2 motor vehicles and 2 trailers
Prohibited home occupations	Any use requiring a special use permit Animal rescue centers Junkyards Restaurants Storage yards Gun sales, unless guns are hand-crafted on-site On-site pet grooming Body shops Equipment, trailers, vehicles, or machinery rentals Shooting ranges Commercial stables Rummage or garage sales, unless they are occasional as determined by the zoning administrator Veterinary clinics or hospitals Pyrotechnic (fireworks or bomb) device manufacture or sales Any use not expressly listed that is determined by the zoning administrator to be contrary to the purpose and intent of the Rural Area	Any use requiring a special use permit Animal rescue centers Junkyards Restaurants Storage yards Gun sales, unless guns are hand-crafted on-site On-site pet grooming Body shops Equipment, trailers, vehicles, or machinery rentals Shooting ranges Commercial stables Rummage or garage sales, unless they are occasional as determined by the zoning administrator Veterinary clinics or hospitals Pyrotechnic (fireworks or bomb) device manufacture or sales Any use not expressly listed that is determined by the zoning administrator to be contrary to the purpose and intent of the Rural Area

Residential District Home Occupation Regulations

Note: Regulations marked with an asterisk (*) are eligible for special exception.

Residential Districts include R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10, R-15, PUD, PRD, NMD.

Application Required	Class A Home Occupation Clearance	Class B Special Use Permit
Area of home occupation	No more than 25% of gross floor area of dwelling, or 1,500 sf max, whichever is less	No more than 25% of gross floor area of dwelling, or 1,500 sf max, whichever is less
May be performed in an accessory structure	No	No
Accessory structure setbacks	N/A	Same as primary structure
Clients or customers to home	Up to 7/week	Up to 7/week
Sales at home	Only items crafted on-site	Only items crafted on-site
Signs	No	One sign permitted
Parking of vehicles used in home occupation or belonging to employees, clients, and customers	On-site. No street parking permitted.	On-site. No street parking permitted.
Storage of materials	Must be inside enclosed structure	Must be inside enclosed structure
Employees permitted to home (not residents of home)	No	Up to 2 employees
Vehicles used by home occupation store at site	Up to 1 motor vehicle and 1 trailer	Up to 1 motor vehicle and 1 trailer
Prohibited home occupations	Homestays Assisted living or skilled nursing facilities Child day centers Private schools	Homestays Assisted living or skilled nursing facilities Child day centers Private schools

Apply for a Home Occupation Clearance

HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?

Frequently Asked Questions?

Expand/Contract Questions and Answers

Do I need a Home Occupation Clearance for a Homestay (Airbnb/Guesthouses/VRBO/Stay Charlottesville/Bed and Breakfast)?
No, but you need a Homestay Clearance. Learn about Homestays or apply online for a Homestay Clearance.
Do I need a Home Occupation Clearance if I work at my dining table/sofa?
Yes. If you run a business out of your home, and your business is not registered at another location, you must obtain a Homestay Clearance, regardless of whether you have a designated “home office.”
Do I need a Home Occupation Clearance if my employer allows me to work from home?
No. If the business you are working for is primarily operated at another physical location (not a P.O. Box), you do not need a Home Occupation Clearance for occasional work-from-home. However, if you are operating as a 1099 contracted employee, you are not an employee of another business, and you must obtain a Home Occupation Clearance.
Can I be a pet sitter as a home occupation?
Pet sitters who visit the pet owner’s home to take care of the pet may apply for a Home Occupation Clearance. Pet sitters may not bring the animals home to their residence. Similarly, mobile dog groomers, trainers, and dog walkers are eligible for a Home Occupation Clearance, but must perform their business on the property of the pet owners, not on their own property.
Can I have an in-home daycare as a home occupation?
Learn about the County’s regulations on Family Day Homes.
Can I teach piano/woodworking/yoga/etc at my house as a home occupation?
If you are located in the Rural Area, you may have up to 10 students per week come to your house under a Major Home Occupation. If you are located in a Residential district, you may have up to 7 students per week come to your house. See the regulations chart above.
Do I have to pay taxes on my home occupation?
You must obtain a Business License for your home occupation. Contact the Finance department at 434-296-5851, Option #3, or email them at albemarlecountyfinance@albemarle.org to discuss obtaining a Business License and paying taxes on your home occupation.

Learn about obtaining a Business License.
Do I need a permit if my business doesn’t make a lot of money?
Yes. Regardless of how profitable your business is, you need a Home Occupation Clearance. You also must obtain a Business License, although you may be exempt from Business License fees.

Learn about obtaining a Business License.

Albemarle County, VA

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Home Occupations

Frequently Asked Questions?

Do I need a Home Occupation Clearance for a Homestay (Airbnb/Guesthouses/VRBO/Stay Charlottesville/Bed and Breakfast)?

Do I need a Home Occupation Clearance if I work at my dining table/sofa?

Do I need a Home Occupation Clearance if my employer allows me to work from home?

Can I be a pet sitter as a home occupation?

Can I have an in-home daycare as a home occupation?

Can I teach piano/woodworking/yoga/etc at my house as a home occupation?

Do I have to pay taxes on my home occupation?

Do I need a permit if my business doesn’t make a lot of money?