{"title":"Kent home-based business rules","question":"Can I run a business from my home?","slug":"home-based-business","place":{"path":"ca/bc/kent","name":"Kent","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":"District of Kent","url":"https://www.kentbc.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes, in most zones in the District of Kent. Home occupations are an auxiliary use and you need a business licence. Only one home occupation is allowed, and size, staff and vehicle limits depend on your zone and business type.","aliases":["home business kent bc","home occupation agassiz","run business from home kent","home based business licence kent"],"cost":"Business licence: $125 for most businesses. $500 plus $1 per m² applies to a home occupation in or partly in a building other than the single family residence.","how_long":"Not stated.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Business Licence Inspector","value":"604-796-2235"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"7170 Cheam Avenue, Agassiz, BC V0M 1A0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"phone","label":"Planning and Development Services","value":"604-796-2235"},{"type":"email","label":"Planning and Development Services","value":"planning@kentbc.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf"},{"title":"Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1747, 2025 (PDF)","url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/4ngnwdaz/bylaw1747.pdf"},{"title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1717, 2023 (PDF, consolidated)","url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/0tcgzwdh/bylaw1717consolidated.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"business-licence","title":"Kent business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/business-licence/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Kent zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Kent short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs","name":"Harrison Hot Springs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/chilliwack","name":"Chilliwack","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chilliwack/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/hope","name":"Hope","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/abbotsford","name":"Abbotsford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/mission","name":"Mission","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/maple-ridge","name":"Maple Ridge","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/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. Home occupations are an auxiliary use in most agricultural, rural residential, lake, RS1 and multiple-dwelling residential zones, as listed in the bylaw's tables, and must be auxiliary to the single dwelling or farm residence. The resident must be a registered owner of the business. Only one home occupation is allowed (a second is allowed if there is no increase in area, staff or vehicles).","short":"Yes, in most agricultural and residential zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","section":"s. 7.12.1","quotes":["Home occupations shall be auxiliary to the single dwelling residential","A home occupation use shall only be permitted when the resident(s) of the"]},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","section":"Table 7.12.6(b)","quotes":["A, A1, MR, RR1, RR2, RR3 RS1, RL, and CD2 (excluding multiple-"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"licence":{"label":"Business licence","value":"Yes. Anyone carrying on business in the District needs a licence. The fee schedule lists $500 plus $1 per m² for a home occupation in or partly in a building other than the single family residence; other businesses not listed pay $125. It has no separate line for a home occupation inside the house; confirm with the Licence Inspector.","short":"Yes: $125, or $500 plus $1 per m² if outside the house","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/4ngnwdaz/bylaw1747.pdf","title":"Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1747, 2025 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.1","quotes":["A person must not engage in or carry on a business within the District unless"]},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/0tcgzwdh/bylaw1717consolidated.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1717, 2023 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"Sch. B, Business licence fees","quotes":["Home Occupation conducted within or","All other Businesses not listed above"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Typical limits (table 7.12.6(b)): inside the house, under 20% of its floor area and at most 46 m² in RS1, RL and CD2; up to 75 m² on rural lots under 0.2 ha and 140 m² on 0.2 ha or more; 1 non-resident employee (up to 2 or 4 on rural lots); 1 business vehicle under 3,900 kg; no unenclosed storage in RS1; no street parking; one sign; no external alterations.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","section":"Table 7.12.6(b)","quotes":["shall occupy less than twenty percent","not to exceed 46 square metres (495 square feet)","Shall not exceed 75 square metres (807 square feet)","Shall not to exceed 140 square metres (1,507"]},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","section":"s. 7.12.5","quotes":["Off-street parking shall be provided for the home occupation use such that no","customer vehicles, business vehicles, or employee vehicles are parked on the"]},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","section":"s. 7.12.1(f)","quotes":["A home occupation shall not involve external structural alterations to the"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"not_allowed":{"label":"Businesses not allowed","value":"Any use not listed is not permitted. Listed as not permitted: auto wrecking, restaurants and cafes, sales of motor vehicles, RVs and boats, vehicle repair shops, cabinet makers, fitness facilities, taxi or courier service, storage facilities, veterinary clinics and boarding kennels, welding shops, second-hand stores, private schools.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","section":"s. 7.12.7","quotes":["Non permitted home occupation uses are those not specifically listed as well as","automotive wrecking and salvage","taxi or courier service","storage facility"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001, s. 7.12; Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1747, 2025","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","section":"s. 7.12","quotes":["7.11 Vision Clearance at Intersections .................................................. 42 7.12 Home Occupations ........................................................................ 42 7.13 Short-term Rentals ......................................................................... 52","Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 February 2002"]},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/4ngnwdaz/bylaw1747.pdf","title":"Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1747, 2025 (PDF)","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["Business Licencing and Regulation"]}],"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\nUnder the District's [Zoning Bylaw No. 1219](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf) (section 7.12), a home occupation is an auxiliary use in most agricultural, rural residential, lake, RS1 and multiple-dwelling residential zones, as the zone tables list. It must be auxiliary to the single dwelling or farm residence, and the resident must be a registered owner of the business. Only one home occupation is allowed (a second is allowed if there is no increase in area, staff or vehicles).\n\nAnyone carrying on business in the District needs a licence under [Bylaw No. 1747](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/4ngnwdaz/bylaw1747.pdf). The [Fees and Charges Bylaw](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/0tcgzwdh/bylaw1717consolidated.pdf) lists $500 plus $1 per m² for a home occupation in or partly in a building other than the single family residence. Other businesses not listed pay $125. There is no separate line for a home occupation inside the house.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your zone and the home occupation table in the Zoning Bylaw.\n2. Contact the Licence Inspector (604-796-2235) to confirm which fee applies.\n3. Apply for the business licence (see the business-licence answer).\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Typical limits (table 7.12.6(b)): inside the house, under 20% of its floor area and at most 46 m² in RS1, RL and CD2; up to 75 m² on rural lots under 0.2 ha and 140 m² on 0.2 ha or more; 1 non-resident employee (up to 2 or 4 on rural lots); 1 business vehicle under 3,900 kg; no unenclosed storage in RS1; no street parking; one sign; no external alterations.\n- Condo and townhouse zones: entirely inside the unit, under 20% of floor area and 19 m², no employees, at most 2 clients at a time.\n- Large trade home occupations (contractor, mechanic, welder, transport truck) need larger lots, 0.4 to 1.6 ha.\n- Not permitted: auto wrecking, restaurants and cafes, sales of motor vehicles, RVs and boats, vehicle repair shops, cabinet makers, fitness facilities, taxi or courier service, storage facilities, veterinary clinics and boarding kennels, welding shops, second-hand stores, private schools. Any use not listed is not permitted.","sources":[{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/5aefsox2/zoning-bylaw_consolidated-october-6-2025.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1219, 2001 (PDF, consolidated October 6, 2025)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/4ngnwdaz/bylaw1747.pdf","title":"Business Licencing and Regulation Bylaw No. 1747, 2025 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/kentbc-ca/media/0tcgzwdh/bylaw1717consolidated.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1717, 2023 (PDF, consolidated)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.kentbc.ca/contacts-directory/","title":"Contacts directory, District of Kent","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/kent/home-based-business/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/home-based-business.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/home-based-business.json"}}