{"title":"Grand Forks home-based business rules","question":"Can I run a business from my home?","slug":"home-based-business","place":{"path":"ca/bc/grand-forks","name":"Grand Forks","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":"City of Grand Forks","url":"https://www.grandforks.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes, in most residential zones in the City of Grand Forks, as a \"home occupation\" under the Zoning Bylaw, with a City business licence ($75 a year). It must stay inside the home or an accessory building, use no more than 30% of the floor area, and have no outdoor storage.","aliases":["home occupation grand forks","home business licence","work from home business rules"],"cost":"$75 a year for the City business licence (Bylaw 2126). No separate home occupation fee is stated.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"City Hall","value":"7217 4th Street, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0","note":"Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m."},{"type":"phone","label":"City Hall","value":"250-442-8266"},{"type":"email","label":"City Hall","value":"info@grandforks.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Business License Application Form (PDF)","url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Business-Licence-Application-Form-1.pdf"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, consolidated (PDF)","url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"business-licence","title":"Grand Forks business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/business-licence/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Grand Forks zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"secondary-suite","title":"Grand Forks secondary suite and carriage house rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/secondary-suite/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/greenwood","name":"Greenwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/midway","name":"Midway","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/rossland","name":"Rossland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/warfield","name":"Warfield","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/trail","name":"Trail","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/montrose","name":"Montrose","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/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":"Home occupations are a permitted use in R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-4A, R-5 and AUC zones. In R-3 and R-3A only in dwellings that are individually owned and have direct access to the City's roadway network. Home industries (which may have outdoor storage) are permitted only in R-4 and R-4A.","short":"Yes, in listed residential zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 36.1","quotes":["bed and breakfast accommodations; home occupations."]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 40.5","quotes":["40.5    Home occupations are only allowed in dwellings that are individually owned and have","direct access to the City's roadway network."]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 42.2","quotes":["kennels; home occupations; home industries;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"licence":{"label":"Business licence","value":"Yes. Any business, including one run from home, needs a City business licence. The annual fee is $75.","short":"Yes: $75 a year","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2126Business-Licence-Bylaw-1.pdf","title":"Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 3, Schedule A","quotes":["3. No person (for clarity, including a registered society) may carry on any business in the City","1. Annual licence fee is $75.00 unless otherwise set out below."]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/business-licences/","title":"Business Licences, City of Grand Forks","section":"Business license fees","quotes":["Regular Business and Home Based Business is $75.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Home occupation: entirely within the dwelling or an accessory building; at most 30% of the dwelling's floor area; at most 2 employees who do not live on the parcel; no outdoor storage; 1 parking space per 40 m² used. Signs: Zoning s. 19.2 allows one sign of 1 m² or less; Sign Bylaw 2077 allows two signs of 0.6 m² or less each.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 19","quotes":["19.2   There shall be no external display or advertisement other than a sign that shall not exceed","19.3   A maximum of two persons may be employed in a home occupation, that are not residents","19.4   A home occupation shall be conducted entirely within a dwelling or within a building","19.5   The floor area of the home occupation shall not exceed 30% of the entire floor area of the","19.6   No outdoor storage of materials , containers, or finished products shall be permitted ."]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 26.10, Table 2","quotes":["Home occupation, home","one space per every 40 square metres of area used for the"]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2077Sign-Bylaw-2.pdf","title":"Sign Bylaw No. 2077 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 3.4","quotes":["Two (2) Home Occupation Signs are permitted for a residential Premises that","A Home Occupation Sign must not exceed 0.6m2 (6.46 sq. ft.) in Sign area."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"not_allowed":{"label":"Businesses not allowed","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018 (s. 19 Home Occupations) and Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"title","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW NO. 2039, 2018","19     Home Occupations"]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2126Business-Licence-Bylaw-1.pdf","title":"Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"title","quotes":["BUSINESS LICENCE AND REGULATION BYLAW NO. 2126"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":4,"matched":4,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe City of Grand Forks [Zoning Bylaw 2039](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf) allows a \"home occupation\" (an occupation or profession, which may include accessory retail sales, carried out in a dwelling by its residents and secondary to living there) in the R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-4A, R-5 and AUC zones. In R-3 and R-3A, the dwelling must be individually owned and have direct access to the City's roadway network. Home industries, which may have outdoor storage, are permitted only in R-4 and R-4A.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your zone allows a home occupation (see the zoning lookup answer).\n2. Apply for a City business licence, as any business needs one. The annual fee is $75 ([Bylaw 2126](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2126Business-Licence-Bylaw-1.pdf)).\n3. Follow the home occupation rules below.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The business must be carried on entirely within the dwelling or an accessory building, and use at most 30% of the dwelling's floor area.\n- At most 2 employees who do not live on the parcel. No outdoor storage.\n- Parking: 1 space per 40 m² used for the business.\n- Signs: the Zoning Bylaw allows one sign of 1 m² or less; [Sign Bylaw 2077](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2077Sign-Bylaw-2.pdf) allows two signs of 0.6 m² or less each. Ask City Hall which limit to follow.\n- Home industry (R-4 and R-4A): up to 4 non-resident employees, operations on no more than 25% of the parcel, and no flammable or explosive vapours.\n- The bylaws list no business types barred from home occupations, and no limit on customer visits was found. Tents or recreational vehicles may not be used for business.\n- The City's business licence page still cites the repealed Bylaw 1384, though its fees match.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2126Business-Licence-Bylaw-1.pdf","title":"Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2077Sign-Bylaw-2.pdf","title":"Sign Bylaw No. 2077 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/business-licences/","title":"Business Licences, City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/PAYMENT-OPTIONS.pdf","title":"Payment Options (PDF), City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/home-based-business/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/home-based-business.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/home-based-business.json"}}