{"title":"Merritt home-based business rules","question":"Can I run a business from my home?","slug":"home-based-business","place":{"path":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","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 Merritt","url":"https://www.merritt.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes. In the City of Merritt a home-based business with a valid business licence is allowed in every zone except RC1, as a secondary use to a dwelling. Limits include 40% of the home's floor area, one non-resident employee and two clients at a time.","aliases":["home occupation merritt","work from home business licence merritt","home based business rules merritt","home business sign merritt"],"cost":"Same as any business licence: $150 a year plus a $50 one-time non-refundable application fee. Inspections are $50 each if required.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Licensing (Bylaw Services)","value":"250-378-4224"},{"type":"email","label":"Licensing","value":"bylaw@merritt.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Planning & Development Services (zoning questions)","value":"250-378-8615"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 2284, section 4.32 (PDF)","url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf"},{"title":"Business Licence (City of Merritt)","url":"https://www.merritt.ca/business-development/business-licence/"}],"related":[{"slug":"business-licence","title":"Merritt business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/business-licence/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Merritt short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/logan-lake","name":"Logan Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lytton","name":"Lytton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lytton/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/princeton","name":"Princeton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/ashcroft","name":"Ashcroft","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/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-based business with a valid business licence is permitted in all zones except RC1 (Residential Care Housing), as a secondary use to a dwelling. More than one is allowed per dwelling or parcel.","short":"Yes, in all zones except RC1","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (PDF), 2026 consolidation","section":"s. 4.32.1, 4.32.2","quotes":["Home-based Businesses with a valid business licence are permitted in all zones,","except the RC1 zone, as a Secondary Use to a Dwelling Unit.","More than one Home-based Business is permitted at a Dwelling Unit or Parcel."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"licence":{"label":"Business licence","value":"Yes. Home-based businesses need a business licence: regular licence $150 a year plus a $50 one-time non-refundable application fee. Inspections cost $50 each if required.","short":"Yes: $150 a year plus $50 application fee","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (PDF), 2026 consolidation","section":"s. 4.32.1","quotes":["Home-based Businesses with a valid business licence are permitted in all zones,"]},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/renew-your-businesses-licence-due-march-1/","title":"Renew your business licence, City of Merritt","section":"Renew page","quotes":["including home-based operations and transient operators like couriers, are required to maintain a current business licence."]},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Business-Licence-including-ICBLs.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Business Licence Bylaw No. 2268, 2019 (PDF)","section":"Schedules A and B","quotes":["The Regular Business Licence fee in the City of Merritt shall be $150.","All Applicants, except those listed in section 4 of this Schedule A, shall pay $50 at the","For each Inspection by the Building Inspector, Fire Prevention Officer, or Cross"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Up to 40% of the main dwelling's floor area (25% with a B&B), no limit in a detached secondary dwelling or accessory building; no exterior storage; one sign in AR1, R1 and R3 only (0.3 m²); one non-resident employee; no commercial deliveries; two clients at a time; 1 parking space per business.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (PDF), 2026 consolidation","section":"s. 4.32.3-4.32.11, Table 5.18","quotes":["must not occupy more than 40% of the Floor Area of","The Floor Area of the Dwelling used for the Home-based Business is limited to 25% if","No exterior storage for a Home-based Business is permitted.","No more than one person, other than residents of the relevant residence, may be","A Home-based Business must not involve delivery of materials to or from the residence","must not generate more than two clients to the site at any given time.","1 per Home-based","There is no Floor Area limitation for a Detached Secondary Dwelling or Accessory","being so used, except for one home occupation sign in the AR1, R1, and R3 zones, as"]},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/business-development/business-licence/","title":"Business Licence, City of Merritt","section":"Business Licence page, Sign section","quotes":["Sign Area: the area of a home occupation sign shall not exceed 0.3 square metres"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"No floor area limit applies in a detached secondary dwelling or accessory building (s. 4.32.4). Sign zones differ: the City web page says one sign in R1 and R2 only; the Zoning Bylaw (s. 4.32.6) says AR1, R1 and R3 'as permitted by the Sign Bylaw'. Bylaw followed. Sign Regulation Bylaw 1900 was not read."},"not_allowed":{"label":"Businesses not allowed","value":"Not allowed in the RC1 zone. Bed and breakfast and short-term rental are separate uses with their own rules, not home-based businesses. A home business must not create a nuisance.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (PDF), 2026 consolidation","section":"s. 4.32.1, 4.32.8, definition","quotes":["except the RC1 zone, as a Secondary Use to a Dwelling Unit.","A Home-based Business must not create a Nuisance.","HOME-BASED BUSINESS means any business other than a Bed and Breakfast or Short-"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (s. 4.32); Business Licence Bylaw No. 2268, 2019.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (PDF), 2026 consolidation","section":"s. 4.32","quotes":["4.32 Home-Based Businesses 4.32.1 Home-based Businesses with a valid business licence are permitted in all zones, except the RC1 zone, as a Secondary Use to a Dwelling Unit. *","City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 ____________________________________________________________________________"]},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Business-Licence-including-ICBLs.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Business Licence Bylaw No. 2268, 2019 (PDF)","section":"title","quotes":["Business Licence Bylaw No. 2268, 2019"]}],"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 s. 4.32 of the [Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf), a City of Merritt home-based business with a valid business licence is a permitted secondary use to a dwelling in all zones except RC1 (Residential Care Housing). More than one is allowed per dwelling or parcel. Some comprehensive development zones (for example CD1-RC) set stricter conditions, so check your zone.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your zone with Planning at 250-378-8615.\n2. Apply for a City business licence ($150 a year plus a $50 one-time non-refundable application fee). A first-year licence is pro-rated monthly, minimum $25.\n3. Pay for any inspections the City requires ($50 each).\n\n## Good to know\n\n- **Size:** up to 40% of the main dwelling's floor area (25% with a bed and breakfast). There is no floor area limit in a detached secondary dwelling or accessory building.\n- **Staff and visitors:** one non-resident employee, no commercial deliveries, two clients at a time, and 1 parking space per business.\n- **Storage and signs:** no exterior storage. One sign (0.3 m2) is allowed in AR1, R1 and R3 only. The City's web page says R1 and R2 only; the bylaw is followed here, so confirm with the City.\n- **Not allowed:** RC1 zone. A bed and breakfast and a short-term rental are separate uses with their own rules. A home business must not create a nuisance.\n- No list of banned business types was found in the bylaw or licence materials.","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (PDF), 2026 consolidation","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/business-development/business-licence/","title":"Business Licence, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Business-Licence-including-ICBLs.pdf","title":"City of Merritt Business Licence Bylaw No. 2268, 2019 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/renew-your-businesses-licence-due-march-1/","title":"Renew your business licence, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/contact/","title":"Contact, City of Merritt","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 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/home-based-business/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/home-based-business.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/home-based-business.json"}}