---
title: Fernie home-based business rules
question: "Can I run a business from my home?"
place: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/fernie
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Fernie
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/home-based-business/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/home-based-business.json"
---

# Fernie home-based business rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes, in the City of Fernie you can run a "home occupation" in zones that permit it, but it needs a City business licence and must follow the Zoning Bylaw's rules, such as no outside storage and one sign no bigger than 0.2 m². The licence fee is $100 or $150; confirm with Bylaw Services.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Fernie, https://www.fernie.ca)  
**Cost:** A business licence is required. Bylaw 2028 Schedule A says $100 a year (half if first licensed after July 1); the City's web page and application form say $150 ($75 pro-rated after July 1). Confirm the current fee with Bylaw Services. There is no separate home-business fee.  
**How long:** No processing time is stated. Licences run January 1 to December 31.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-423-2244
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylawservices@fernie.ca
- Phone: Planning (zoning questions), 250-423-6817

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes. A home occupation is a permitted accessory use in the R-SS, R-3, R3-R, R-4, R-5R, R-MH and RR residential zones, and in several commercial, agricultural and comprehensive development zones, but it needs a valid business licence. It must be incidental to residential use.
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, s. 2 'Home Occupation'; s. 4.2.1(3); s. 4.2.8(3); s. 3.5](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "an occupation, service, profession or craft which is clearly incidental to the use of a Dwelling Unit for residential purposes or to the residential use of a parcel occupied by a Dwelling Unit," … "3. Accessory Uses 1. home occupation; 2. buildings and structures accessory to a permitted use." … "1. Uses, buildings and structures accessory to a permitted use, 2. Home Occupation." … "No home occupation shall be permitted unless there is a valid and subsisting business"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes, a valid business licence is required (Zoning s. 3.5(7)). Fee: the bylaw's Schedule A says $100 a year (half if first licensed after July 1), but the City's web page and application form say $150 ($75 pro-rated after July 1). Confirm with Bylaw Services. (Sources differ: Bylaw (Schedule A, consolidated to Amendment 8, Bylaw 2529, 2024) says $100; the web page says $150. Bylaw wins. The web page may reflect a later fee change not yet in the consolidation.)
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, s. 3.5(7)](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "No home occupation shall be permitted unless there is a valid and subsisting business" … "license for such use."
  - Source: [Business Licences, When is a Business Licence Required?; Fees](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences.html)
  - Official wording: "This includes home based businesses, commercial and industrial establishments and owners of apartment rental properties." … "The annual business licence fee to operate a business in Fernie is $150.00."
  - Source: [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028, Schedule A; s. 6(3)](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
  - Official wording: "A. Licence other than a Short-Term Rental (Annual Fee) $100" … "Where an applicant becomes Licenced after the first day of July in any calendar" … "year, excluding the year 2016, the Licence fee shall be one-half of the Annual Fee"
  - Source: [Business Licence Required Documentation Checklist, Required Documentation Checklist, Fees](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/163408/)
  - Official wording: "☐ $150 BL Fee" … "☐ $75 Pro-rated BL Fee (after July 1)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** Only residents of the dwelling may carry it on, wholly inside the dwelling or an accessory building, with no outside storage of materials. One business vehicle (up to 5,300 kg gross, one ton) with a parking space. One sign up to 0.2 m² (2.2 sq ft). Parking for all vehicles on site. No retail sales except goods the business makes or assembles.
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, s. 3.5](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "it shall be carried on only by residents of the dwelling unit;" … "it shall be conducted entirely within the dwelling unit or an accessory building;" … "it shall not involve the storage of materials outside the dwelling unit or accessory" … "a maximum of one home occupation related vehicle shall be permitted provided it is no" … "larger than one ton with a gross vehicle weight of 5300 kg. and a parking space" … "one (1) sign not" … "exceeding 0.2 m² (2.2 sq. ft.) in area may be affixed to the dwelling unit or accessory" … "shall not involve the retail sale of goods except those produced or assembled by the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Businesses not allowed:** No list of banned business types. A home business may not have non-resident workers, store materials outside or sell retail goods other than those it makes or assembles. Wrecking and repair of vehicles and storing more than one derelict vehicle are barred on residential parcels, but a commercial activity that complies with the home occupation rules is not counted as wrecking.
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, s. 3.5; Residential zones general regulations s. 4.1](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "it shall be carried on only by residents of the dwelling unit;" … "shall not involve the retail sale of goods except those produced or assembled by the" … "No person shall use or permit the use of any portion of a parcel in a residential zone for the wrecking and repair of vehicles or for the storage of derelict vehicles except for the storage of not more than one derelict vehicle in other than the front yard." … "nor does it include a commercial activity which is in compliance with the definitions of home occupation."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750 (s. 3.5 Home Occupation); Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028
  - Source: [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, s. 3.5](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)
  - Official wording: "3.5 HOME OCCUPATION" … "CONSOLIDATED ZONING BYLAW NO. 1750"
  - Source: [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028, Title](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573)
  - Official wording: "Consolidated Bylaw No. 2028, cited as the Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under [Zoning Bylaw 1750](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505) s. 3.5, a home occupation is a permitted accessory use in the R-SS, R-3, R3-R, R-4, R-5R, R-MH and RR residential zones, and in several commercial, agricultural and comprehensive development zones. It must be incidental to residential use, and it needs a valid business licence. Short-term rentals count as home occupations in the zoning definition but have their own rules (see the short-term rental answer).

## Steps

1. Ask Planning (250-423-6817) to confirm your property's zone permits a home occupation.
2. Contact Bylaw Services (250-423-2244 or bylawservices@fernie.ca) for the Business Licence Application.
3. Submit the application with proof of residency and pay the fee.

## Good to know

- **Conditions:** only residents of the dwelling may carry it on, wholly inside the dwelling or an accessory building, with no outside storage of materials. No retail sales except goods the business makes or assembles.
- **Vehicle and sign:** one business vehicle (up to 5,300 kg gross, one ton) with a parking space. One sign up to 0.2 m² (2.2 sq ft). Parking for all vehicles must be on site.
- **Banned types:** no list of banned business types. Wrecking and repair of vehicles is barred on residential parcels.
- **Fee conflict:** the bylaw says $100 a year, but the City's page and form say $150 ($75 if first licensed after July 1). Confirm with Bylaw Services.
- **Fine:** an unauthorized home occupation is a $100 municipal ticket per offence ([Bylaw 2041](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/55199)).
- The sources set no floor-area limit or customer-visit limit.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licences, City of Fernie](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences.html)
- [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw 1750 (PDF), section 3.5 Home Occupation](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505)

## Related questions

- [Fernie business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/business-licence.md)
- [Fernie zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Fernie short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/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)
- [Sparwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sparwood/home-based-business.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/home-based-business.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/home-based-business.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/home-based-business.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/home-based-business.md)
- [Creston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/home-based-business.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licences, City of Fernie](https://www.fernie.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences.html) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Consolidated Zoning Bylaw No. 1750 (PDF), City of Fernie](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/197505) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2028 (PDF), City of Fernie](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/573) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licence Required Documentation Checklist (PDF), City of Fernie](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/163408/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 2041 (PDF), City of Fernie](https://fernie.civicweb.net/document/55199) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Fernie. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/home-based-business/_