Home Business Rules
See also: Illegal Businesses
What Is It?
You’re allowed to run a business out of your home in Seattle as long as it doesn’t interfere with other residents in the neighborhood. The home occupation rules in the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) contain limits designed to minimize the impact your commercial activity has on your residential neighborhood.
What It Isn’t
This code section does not cover:
- illegal businesses in commercial properties
- bed and breakfasts
- marijuana businesses
Rules to Follow
Our ordinance requires that you:
- Live in the unit where you operate your home business.
- Use only small signs to identify your business from the outside to discourage drop-in traffic.
In addition, your business can't produce noise, odors, or other emissions that can be detected from your property line. You can't change the character of the dwelling from residential to commercial. Our rules are slightly different for home-based child care programs. Bed and breakfasts are subject to different rules.
Read the Code
- Director's Rule 8-87, Home Occupations
Fines
You could be charged penalties of $150 to $500 a day if you violate the home occupation standards. Your fines can accumulate if you do not correct the violation in a timely way. We'll also charge for inspections.