Grand Forks home-based business rules
Can I run a business from my home?
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.
Key facts
| Allowed | 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40), s. 36.1; Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40), s. 40.5; Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40), s. 42.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingbed and breakfast accommodations; home occupations. 40.5 Home occupations are only allowed in dwellings that are individually owned and have direct access to the City's roadway network. kennels; home occupations; home industries; |
|---|---|
| Business licence | Yes. Any business, including one run from home, needs a City business licence. The annual fee is $75.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, s. 3, Schedule A; Business Licences, Business license fees · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording3. 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. Regular Business and Home Based Business is $75.00 |
| Limits | 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40), s. 19; Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40), s. 26.10, Table 2; Sign Bylaw No. 2077, s. 3.4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording19.2 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 . Home occupation, home one space per every 40 square metres of area used for the 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. |
| Businesses not allowed | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
| Bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018 (s. 19 Home Occupations) and Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40), title; Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingZONING BYLAW NO. 2039, 2018 19 Home Occupations BUSINESS LICENCE AND REGULATION BYLAW NO. 2126 |
How it works
The City of Grand Forks Zoning Bylaw 2039 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.
Steps
- Confirm your zone allows a home occupation (see the zoning lookup answer).
- Apply for a City business licence, as any business needs one. The annual fee is $75 (Bylaw 2126).
- Follow the home occupation rules below.
Good to know
- 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.
- At most 2 employees who do not live on the parcel. No outdoor storage.
- Parking: 1 space per 40 m² used for the business.
- Signs: the Zoning Bylaw allows one sign of 1 m² or less; Sign Bylaw 2077 allows two signs of 0.6 m² or less each. Ask City Hall which limit to follow.
- 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.
- 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.
- The City's business licence page still cites the repealed Bylaw 1384, though its fees match.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Greenwood · Midway · Rossland · Warfield · Trail · Montrose
Home-based business rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40) (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126 (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Sign Bylaw No. 2077 (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Business Licences, City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Payment Options (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
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. How answers are checked.