---
title: Cumberland home-based business rules
question: "Can I run a business from my home?"
place: Cumberland, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/cumberland
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Cumberland
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/home-based-business/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/home-based-business.json"
---

# Cumberland home-based business rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes, in the Village of Cumberland you can run a home occupation in residential zones if you live in the dwelling on the same lot and hold a Village business licence. The size, employee and client limits depend on whether it is minor, standard or major.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Cumberland, https://cumberland.ca)  
**Cost:** Business licence: Tier 1 basic $125 application and $25 yearly (no customers or employees in the home); Tier 2 $275 and $100 (needs a fire inspection).  
**How long:** The Village does not state a processing time.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 2673 Dunsmuir Avenue, Cumberland, BC (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-336-2291
- Email: Village Office, info@cumberland.ca

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, as a home occupation. Residential zones: minor in all (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-MHP, R-RTMU, R-MU); standard in R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-MHP; major in R-3 only. Also allowed in MU zones, FSG and some Interchange zones. The operator must live in the dwelling on the same lot.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 10.2(1); Table 6.4(2)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Minor S S S S S S" … "Standard S S S S -- --" … "Major -- -- S -- -- --" … "The home occupation must be operated by an individual whose principal residence is the dwelling on the same lot as the" … "Standard -- S S" … "Minor S S S"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Business licence:** Yes. All home occupations must have a valid Village business licence. Fees: Tier 1 basic licence $125 application and $25 yearly (businesses with no customers or employees in the home); Tier 2 (needs a fire inspection) $275 and $100.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 6.4(2), Licencing Requirements](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)
  - Official wording: "All home occupations must have a valid business licence issued by the Village of Cumberland."
  - Source: [Business Licences, Fees](https://cumberland.ca/business-licences/)
  - Official wording: "Application Fee $125, Yearly Licence Fee $25" … "Application Fee $275, Yearly Licence Fee $100"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** Floor area: minor 20.0 m² or 25% of the lot's buildings, standard 50.0 m², major 100.0 m² (whichever is less). Non-resident employees: minor none, standard one, major two. Clients at once: minor one, others two. One sign, 1.5 m² max. No outdoor storage or containers; no commercial vehicles over 5,500 kg.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 6.4(2); Table 9.4.1(2)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)
  - Official wording: "20.0 m2 or 25% of the" … "50.0 m2 or 25% of the" … "100.0 m2 or 25% of" … "Outdoor storage or use of containers is not permitted." … "On-site parking of commercial vehicles larger than 5,500 kilograms gross vehicle weight is not permitted." … "1.0 space per non-resident on-site employee" … "maximum number of signs per home occupation: 1" … "maximum sign area must not exceed 1.5 square metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Businesses not allowed:** None set. Cumberland's zoning bylaw gives no list of banned business types.
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025 (s. 6.4, Table 10.2(1)); Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2025
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, s. 1.1](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as “Village of Cumberland Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025”."
  - Source: [Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2025, amended by Bylaw No. 1262, s. 1.1](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Bylaw-1239-Business-Licensing-and-Regulation-Bylaw-2025-amd-1262-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be cited as the “Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1239,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

[Zoning Bylaw No. 1238](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf) allows a home occupation in residential zones. Minor is allowed in all (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-MHP, R-RTMU, R-MU); standard in R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-MHP; major in R-3 only. It is also allowed in MU zones, FSG and some Interchange zones. The operator must live in the dwelling on the same lot.

Limits:

- Floor area: minor 20.0 m² or 25% of the lot's buildings, standard 50.0 m², major 100.0 m² (whichever is less).
- Non-resident employees: minor none, standard one, major two.
- Clients at once: minor one, others two.
- One sign, 1.5 m² at most. No outdoor storage or containers, and no commercial vehicles over 5,500 kg.

Where there are two or fewer dwelling units on a lot, a home occupation may use up to 50.0 m² or 25%, employ one non-resident employee and have two clients. Retail sales are limited to goods made on site or directly related; virtual sales are permitted.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone allows your home occupation (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Apply for a Village business licence using the home occupation form (see the business-licence answer).
3. Pay the fees: Tier 1 $125 application and $25 yearly; Tier 2 $275 and $100 (needs a fire inspection).

## Good to know

- All home occupations need a valid Village business licence.
- The bylaw gives no list of banned business types; it limits effects instead (no nuisance, no outdoor storage, retail sales not the main purpose).
- Cannabis retail has its own rules.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licences, Village of Cumberland](https://cumberland.ca/business-licences/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, consolidated July 27, 2026 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf)

## Related questions

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

- [Business Licences, Village of Cumberland](https://cumberland.ca/business-licences/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bylaw-1238-consolidated_27Jul2026_nav.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2025, amended by Bylaw No. 1262 (PDF)](https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Bylaw-1239-Business-Licensing-and-Regulation-Bylaw-2025-amd-1262-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Cumberland. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/home-based-business/_