{"title":"Gibsons home-based business rules","question":"Can I run a business from my home in Gibsons?","slug":"home-based-business","place":{"path":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"business","name":"Starting and running a business"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Town of Gibsons","url":"https://www.gibsons.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes, in Gibsons a home occupation is a permitted accessory use in any dwelling unit, up to two per property, and it needs a Town business licence ($240 a year). It must stay within the limits in Zoning Bylaw 1342, such as 20% of the floor area and no more than five trips a day.","aliases":["home occupation gibsons","home business licence gibsons","work from home business gibsons","home based business rules gibsons"],"cost":"$240 a year for a Home Occupation licence. The fee drops 10% if paid before the licence period starts and is halved if the business becomes liable after July 31.","how_long":"Licences run January 1 to December 31. Staff usually contact you to pay within two business days of your application.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Town Hall, Town of Gibsons","value":"474 South Fletcher Road, Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (the hours the Town gives for in-person submissions, excluding holidays)"},{"type":"email","label":"Business licences (Bylaw Officer)","value":"beo@gibsons.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Town Hall","value":"604-886-2274"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Business Licences, Town of Gibsons","url":"https://gibsons.ca/business/business-licences/"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025","url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/"}],"related":[{"slug":"business-licence","title":"Gibsons business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/business-licence/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Gibsons short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/short-term-rental/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Gibsons zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/bowen-island","name":"Bowen Island","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lions-bay","name":"Lions Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sechelt","name":"Sechelt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/home-based-business/"}],"topic":{"title":"Home-based business rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/home-based-business/"},"facts":{"allowed":{"label":"Allowed","value":"Yes. A home occupation is a permitted accessory use in any dwelling unit, subject to conditions. No more than two home occupations per property.","short":"Yes, in any dwelling unit; up to two per property","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.7.3","quotes":["Home Occupation is a permitted Accessory Use in any Dwelling Unit, subject to the following","not more than two home occupations are permitted on a property."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"licence":{"label":"Business licence","value":"Yes. A Town business licence is required. Fee: $240 a year for a Home Occupation.","short":"Yes: $240 a year","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.7.3(1.8)","quotes":["a Town Business License is required for the conduct of any Home Occupation"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/","title":"Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Town of Gibsons","section":"Schedule A Part 2","quotes":["H001 HOME OCCUPATION............................................................................ $240.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Only residents of the dwelling may work in it; up to 20% of the dwelling's gross floor area; no outdoor storage; no noise, odour, glare or similar noticeable outside; one sign up to 0.3 m²; one vehicle up to 2.7 tonnes; no more than five delivery or client trips a day.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.7.3(1.5)","quotes":["conducted only by the residents in the Dwelling Unit","more than 20% of the Gross Floor Area (GFA)"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.7.3(1.2), (1.4)","quotes":["must not include outdoor storage of equipment, materials,","except for a single sign not exceeding 0.3 m2 in area;"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.7.3(1.6), (1.7)","quotes":["not more than one vehicle, not exceeding 2.7 metric tonnes","no more than five per day;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"not_allowed":{"label":"Businesses not allowed","value":"Vehicle repair or maintenance, body shops, metal fabrication, sale of goods not produced on the premises, production or sale of highly combustible products, and short-term rental.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.7.3(1.1)","quotes":["a Home Occupation must not include vehicle repair or maintenance, body shops,","or sale of highly combustible products or Short-Term Rental;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025 (s. 3.7.3) and Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.7.3","quotes":["3.7.1. Rescinded...................................................................................................................3-10 3.7.2. Community Care ...................................................................................................... 3-10 3.7.3. Home Occupations ................................................................................................... 3-10 3.7.4. Short-Term Rentals ................................................................................................... 3-11 3.8. Uses Permitted and Uses Prohibited in All Zones ........................................................... 3-12","Zoning Bylaw Bylaw No. 1342 | 2025 Consolidated for convenience to include 1342-01 - June 2026"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/","title":"Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Town of Gibsons","section":"title","quotes":["BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 666"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\n[Zoning Bylaw 1342](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/) (s. 3.7.3) allows a home occupation as an accessory use in any dwelling unit, subject to conditions. No more than two home occupations are allowed per property. A Town business licence is required.\n\nLimits:\n\n- Only residents of the dwelling may work in it.\n- Up to 20% of the dwelling's gross floor area.\n- No outdoor storage.\n- No noise, odour, glare or similar noticeable outside.\n- One sign, up to 0.3 m².\n- One vehicle, up to 2.7 tonnes.\n- No more than five delivery or client trips a day.\n\nNot allowed as a home occupation: vehicle repair or maintenance, body shops, metal fabrication, sale of goods not produced on the premises, production or sale of highly combustible products, and short-term rental (which has its own licence).\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check that your plans fit the limits above.\n2. Complete the Business Licence Application Form and the Supplemental Checklist.\n3. Bring them to Town Hall, fax 604-886-9735 or email beo@gibsons.ca.\n4. Staff check the approvals your business type needs, then contact you to pay.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The fee is $240 a year for a Home Occupation, under [Business Licence Bylaw 666](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/), Schedule A.\n- Food, alcohol, daycare and beauty services also need Vancouver Coastal Health approval.\n- Bylaw 666 also defines \"home occupation\" with its own list of trades. The zoning bylaw is the newer rule; confirm with Town Hall if your business is unusual.","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/60436/","title":"Business Licence Bylaw No. 666, 1992 (consolidated), Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.ca/business/business-licences/","title":"Business Licences, Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/home-based-business/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/home-based-business.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/home-based-business.json"}}