---
title: Comox home-based business rules
question: "Can I run a business from my home in Comox?"
place: Comox, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/comox
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Comox
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/home-based-business/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/home-based-business.json"
---

# Comox home-based business rules

**Question:** Can I run a business from my home in Comox?

**Short answer:** Yes. In Comox, Minor and Major home occupations are permitted as secondary uses in the low-density residential zones and other listed zones. You need a Town business licence, $100 a year, and must follow limits on size, employees, clients and vehicles.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Comox, https://www.comox.ca)  
**Cost:** Home-Based Business licence is $100 a year. New licences issued April 1 to June 30 pay 75%, and July 1 to December 31 pay 50%.  
**How long:** Not stated on the pages read.  
**Where:**
- Online: Business Licences page and online application, https://www.comox.ca/businesslicence
- Phone: Planning Department, 250-339-1118
- In person: Town Hall, 1809 Beaufort Avenue, Comox, BC V9M 1R9 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes. Minor and Major home occupations (and bed and breakfast and vacation rental) are permitted as secondary uses in the low-density residential zones (R-SSMU, R-WF, R-CL, R-LL) and in other zones listed in the bylaw. A home occupation is the use of part of a dwelling unit or accessory building, by a resident of the premises, to operate a business. Minor is run solely by the resident; Major can have one on-site non-resident employee.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 9.2(1); Table 6.5(1); s. 4 definition](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(i) Minor S S S S" … "Home Occupation means the use of a portion of a dwelling unit or accessory building, by a resident" … "Minor home occupations are intended to be operated solely" … "can employ one"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. All home occupations must have a valid Town business licence. The Home-Based Business licence fee is $100 a year. New licences issued April 1 to June 30 pay 75%, and July 1 to December 31 pay 50%.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 6.5(2)(a)](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "All home occupations must have a valid business licence issued by the"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2058 (PDF, consolidated to June 10, 2026), Schedule D](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Bylaw%202058%20Consolidated%20-%20Fees%20and%20Charges%20as%20at%20June%2010%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Cannabis-Related Establishment $150 Financial Institution $100 Home-Based Business $100 Hotels, Motels, Restaurant Not Liquor Licensed $100"
  - Source: [Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882 (PDF, consolidated to March 18, 2026), s. 9(2)](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Bylaw%201882%20Consolidated%20-%20Business%20Regulation%20-%20as%20at%20Mar%2018%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "for a new Licence issued between April 1 and June 30, 75% of the" … "for a new Licence issued between July 1 and December 31, 50% of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** Floor area: 30% of the dwelling, up to 40 m² (60 m² in an accessory building). Minor: no non-resident employees; Major: one. One client at a time. Fully indoors; no outdoor storage; no commercial vehicles over 5,500 kg. Parking: 1 space per Major employee. Signs: one fascia sign, max 0.18 m² (Sign Bylaw 1197).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 6.5(2); Table 8.4.1(1)](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "30% of the subject dwelling unit's floor area, up to a maximum of 40.0" … "Where a home occupation is conducted within an accessory building, the" … "A maximum of one non-resident" … "One client at any given time with the exception of children or adults" … "Outdoor storage or use of shipping containers is not permitted." … "On-site parking of commercial vehicles larger than 5,500 kilograms gross" … "(ii) Major 1.0 space per non-resident on-site employee"
  - Source: [Sign Bylaw No. 1197 (PDF, as at November 17, 2021), Residential Section 2(a)](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-08/Bylaw%201197%20Consolidated%20-%20Sign%20Bylaw%20-%20as%20at%20Nov%2017%202021_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Facia signs for home occupations are permitted limited to one sign per" … "residence of a maximum size of 0.18 square metres giving the name of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Businesses not allowed:** A home occupation may not involve a light industrial, heavy industrial, light automotive and equipment services, heavy automotive and equipment services, or watercraft and equipment services use. Cooking facilities added for a food catering business must be removed if the business stops.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Table 6.5(2)(i), (m)](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "In no instance shall a home occupation involve a light industrial, heavy" … "Should the home occupation cease, the additional cooking facilities must be removed"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 2056, s. 6.5 (Home Occupations); Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2058, Schedule D.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), s. 6.5](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Town of Comox | Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 6.5 Home Occupations Table 6.5(1) Home Occupation Classifications"
  - Source: [Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882 (PDF, consolidated to March 18, 2026), s. 2](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Bylaw%201882%20Consolidated%20-%20Business%20Regulation%20-%20as%20at%20Mar%2018%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "“Home-Based Business” means a Business that is defined as a “Home Occupation”"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The Town of Comox [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf) defines a home occupation as the use of part of a dwelling unit or accessory building, by a resident of the premises, to operate a business. A Minor home occupation is run solely by the resident. A Major one can have one on-site non-resident employee. Both, plus bed and breakfast and vacation rental, are permitted as secondary uses in the low-density residential zones (R-SSMU, R-WF, R-CL, R-LL) and in other zones listed in the bylaw. Other zones allow Minor home occupations in different combinations, so check yours. The dwelling must be your principal residence.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone allows the type of home occupation (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Check the limits below.
3. Apply for a Town business licence through the online application on comox.ca/businesslicence (see the business-licence answer).

## Good to know

- **Fee:** $100 a year. Licences issued new between April 1 and June 30 pay 75%, and July 1 to December 31 pay 50%.
- **Size:** 30% of the dwelling, up to 40 m² (60 m² in an accessory building).
- **People:** one client at a time. Minor allows no non-resident employees; Major allows one, and needs 1 parking space per Major employee.
- **Where and what:** fully indoors, no outdoor storage, and no commercial vehicles over 5,500 kg.
- **Not allowed:** a light industrial, heavy industrial, light or heavy automotive and equipment services, or watercraft and equipment services use. Cooking facilities added for a food catering business must be removed if the business stops.
- **Signs:** one fascia sign, maximum 0.18 m², under the Sign Bylaw 1197.
- An unlawful home occupation bylaw notice is $200 within 14 days and $250 after.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licences, Town of Comox](https://www.comox.ca/businesslicence)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF)](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Comox business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/business-licence.md)
- [Comox zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Comox short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/short-term-rental.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Home-based business rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/home-based-business.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/home-based-business.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/home-based-business.md)
- [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/home-based-business.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/home-based-business.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/home-based-business.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/home-based-business.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2056 (PDF, current to July 8, 2026), Town of Comox](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-09/Consolidated%20Bylaw%202056%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw_at%20July8%202026%20%281%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Business Regulation Bylaw No. 1882 (PDF, consolidated to March 18, 2026), Town of Comox](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Bylaw%201882%20Consolidated%20-%20Business%20Regulation%20-%20as%20at%20Mar%2018%2C%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2058 (PDF, consolidated to June 10, 2026), Town of Comox](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Bylaw%202058%20Consolidated%20-%20Fees%20and%20Charges%20as%20at%20June%2010%2C%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Sign Bylaw No. 1197 (PDF, as at November 17, 2021), Town of Comox](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-08/Bylaw%201197%20Consolidated%20-%20Sign%20Bylaw%20-%20as%20at%20Nov%2017%202021_1.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2004 (PDF, consolidated to June 10, 2026), Town of Comox](https://www.comox.ca/sites/default/files/2026-08/Bylaw%202004%20Consolidated%20-%20Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20as%20at%20June%2010%2C%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Business Licences, Town of Comox](https://www.comox.ca/businesslicence) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Comox. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/home-based-business/_