{"title":"District of North Vancouver home-based business rules","question":"Can I run a business from my home in the District of North Vancouver?","slug":"home-based-business","place":{"path":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","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 North Vancouver","url":"https://www.dnv.org"},"short_answer":"In the District of North Vancouver (not the City), you can run a home occupation in the single- family zones, including R1 and R2, if you live there and meet the Zoning Bylaw limits. It may use at most 20% of the floor area or 46 m². You also need a business licence.","aliases":["home business district of north vancouver","home occupation dnv","work from home licence north vancouver district","home based business bylaw dnv"],"cost":"Business licence fee depends on the business category (Bylaw 6481, Schedule E), plus a $20 non- refundable processing fee for a business run from a dwelling unit. A business not listed (one or two people) is $193.90.","how_long":"Not stated in the documents we could read.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Business Licences","value":"604-990-2480"},{"type":"email","label":"Business Licences email","value":"businesslicences@dnv.org"},{"type":"phone","label":"Planning Department","value":"604-990-2387"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf"},{"title":"Business Licence Bylaw 4567 (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%204567.pdf"},{"title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481 (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf"},{"title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"business-licence","title":"District of North Vancouver business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/business-licence/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"District of North Vancouver short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/short-term-rental/"},{"slug":"secondary-suite","title":"District of North Vancouver secondary suite and carriage house rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/secondary-suite/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/belcarra","name":"Belcarra","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/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/port-moody","name":"Port Moody","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/richmond","name":"Richmond","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/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 an accessory use in the single-family (RS) zones and in the R1 and R2 zones, if run by a resident of the dwelling unit and meeting section 405.","short":"Yes, in RS, R1 and R2 zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 501.1(b)(i)","quotes":["Accessory Uses: (i) home occupations;"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","section":"Subsection 525-1.50 and 3.10(9)","quotes":["Home Occupation means a use that that is located within a Dwelling Unit and subordinate to a","Home Occupations: Refer to Section 405."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"licence":{"label":"Business licence","value":"Yes, a business licence is required. The fee follows the business category in Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481, Schedule E, with a non-refundable $20 processing fee for a business run from a dwelling unit. A business not listed (one or two people) is $193.90; Schedule C lists a $0 fee for some office-type operators, so confirm with Business Licences.","short":"Yes: by category, $20 processing fee; $193.90 if unlisted","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%204567.pdf","title":"Business Licence Bylaw 4567 (PDF)","section":"s. 406(1)","quotes":["a non-refundable processing fee of $20.00 for a non-resident business","or a resident business operated from a dwelling unit"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481 (PDF)","section":"Schedule E, Licence Fees E","quotes":["Every person carrying on within the Municipality any business, trade, employment, occupation, or","One or two persons engaged in the business $193.90","The fee for operators in this"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Home occupation may use at most 20% of the floor area or 46 m², whichever is less. No more than two people on the premises, one a resident. All materials stored inside. Nothing detectable outside (noise, odour). Only a 1 sq ft name-plate sign. Only goods made on the premises sold. Max two home occupations.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 405(1)","quotes":["shall not occupy more than 20% of the total gross floor area or 46 square metres whichever is lesser.","a total of not more than two persons shall be engaged in the occupation","with the exception of a single name-plate not exceeding one square foot","No commodity shall be sold on the premises except that which is made on","No more than two home occupations shall be conducted from the"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"not_allowed":{"label":"Businesses not allowed","value":"Gun shops and social escort services are prohibited as home occupations. Pet care establishments and veterinaries are prohibited; pet services allowed with no more than 3 dogs on the property at any time.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 405(2), (3), (4)","quotes":["Gun shops are prohibited as home occupations.","Social escort services are prohibited as home occupations.","Pet care establishments and","veterinaries are prohibited as home occupations."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw 3210, 1965, s. 405 (Home Occupations); Business Licence Bylaw 4567, 1974","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","section":"s. 405","quotes":["(a) Accessory Uses are permitted and are limited to: (i) Home Occupations in accordance with the regulations in Section 405 of the Zoning Bylaw, 1965","ZONING BYLAW 1965 BYLAW 3210 Effective Date - 1965"]},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%204567.pdf","title":"Business Licence Bylaw 4567 (PDF)","section":"cover","quotes":["THE DISTRICT OF NORTH VANCOUVER BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW BYLAW 4567 Effective Date - October 15, 1974","326 Dining Room Repealed. (5335) 326A Dwelling Unit \"Dwelling Unit\" has the meaning given to it in Part 2 of Zoning Bylaw No. 3210, 1965. (8727)"]}],"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\nA home occupation is an accessory use in the single-family (RS) zones and in the R1 and R2 zones, if it is run by a resident of the dwelling unit and meets section 405 of [Zoning Bylaw 3210](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf>). Other zones were not read. This is the District of North Vancouver, not the City of North Vancouver.\n\nLimits in s. 405:\n\n- At most 20% of the floor area or 46 m², whichever is less.\n- No more than two people on the premises, one of them a resident.\n- All materials stored inside, and nothing detectable outside (noise, odour).\n- Only a 1 sq ft name-plate sign.\n- Only goods made on the premises may be sold.\n- Maximum two home occupations (only one where the premises has a bed and breakfast).\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your zone and the s. 405 limits (see zoning-lookup).\n2. Get a business licence (see business-licence). The fee follows the business category in [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf>), Schedule E, with a non-refundable $20 processing fee for a business run from a dwelling unit.\n3. Confirm the fee with Business Licences (604-990-2480, businesslicences@dnv.org). Schedule C lists a $0 fee for some office-type operators.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Gun shops and social escort services are prohibited as home occupations. Pet care establishments and veterinaries are prohibited; pet services are allowed with no more than 3 dogs on the property at any time.\n- Short-term rental is not a home occupation (see short-term-rental).\n- No customer-visit or parking limit was found in s. 405. Ask Planning (604-990-2387).","sources":[{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/fence-height-regulations.pdf","title":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/fence-height-regulations.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-single-family-residential-edgemont-zone.pdf","title":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-single-family-residential-edgemont-zone.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-section-525.pdf","title":"Section 525 to Zoning Bylaw 3210, R1 and R2 zones (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%204567.pdf","title":"Business Licence Bylaw 4567 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481 (PDF)","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/north-vancouver-district/home-based-business/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/home-based-business.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/home-based-business.json"}}