---
title: Parksville home-based business rules
question: "Can I run a business from my home?"
place: Parksville, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/parksville
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Parksville
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/home-based-business/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/home-based-business.json"
---

# Parksville home-based business rules

**Question:** Can I run a business from my home?

**Short answer:** Yes. The City of Parksville allows home-based businesses in zones that list them, if they meet Division 300 of the zoning bylaw. You need a City business licence ($75 a year). The business is limited to 50 m² and one occupant plus one additional employee, and must be carried on totally inside the dwelling or an accessory building.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Parksville, https://www.parksville.ca)  
**Cost:** $75 a year (Business Licence Bylaw 1550, Schedule A).  
**Where:**
- Email: Business licences, biz@parksville.ca
- Phone: Business licences, 250 954-4650
- Email: Planning (zoning questions), planning@parksville.ca

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, as an accessory use in zones that list it (including RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, MH-1, A-1, C-3 and SLR-1), if it meets Division 300: accessory to a permitted residential use and carried on totally within the dwelling or an accessory building.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000, Division 300 (consolidated, PDF), s. 202.1, s. 301(1), (2)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
  - Official wording: "Home Based Business must be in accordance with Division 300 of this Bylaw." … "Must be accessory to a permitted residential use;" … "The use must be conducted totally within the dwelling unit or accessory building"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. A valid City business licence is required, and the Schedule A fee for a Home Based Business is $75 a year.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000, Division 300 (consolidated, PDF), s. 301(8)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
  - Official wording: "Must have a valid City of Parksville business licence;"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule A](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)
  - Official wording: "Home Based Business $75"
  - Source: [Business Licences brochure](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID48atID12295.pdf)
  - Official wording: "limits, including home-based businesses, require a business licence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** Maximum 50 m² of floor area; only one occupant plus one additional employee; no external storage; one sign under the Sign bylaw; off-street parking per Division 400; only one car with utility trailer, van or pickup; one home business per parcel (per dwelling unit in multiple family or duplex); no frequent bulk deliveries; limited retail.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000, Division 300 (consolidated, PDF), s. 301(3) to (6), (10), (12), (14), (17)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
  - Official wording: "Does not exceed a maximum floor area of 50 m2;" … "No person other than one occupant of the dwelling unit and one additional employee may be engaged in the home occupancy use;" … "Does not involve the external storage of materials, containers, equipment or finished products;" … "Not more than one home based business shall be permitted per parcel" … "Does not involve retail sales except"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Businesses not allowed:** Repair, servicing or painting of vehicles or boats, transportation terminal, industrial uses, explosives manufacturing, cabinet making, welding or machine shop, animal care, parking use, warehousing, medical marihuana production, mini storage, outdoor storage, fast food outlet, food catering facility, escort service, and retail trade (except as allowed). Cannabis trade is prohibited.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000, Division 300 (consolidated, PDF), s. 301(13), (18)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
  - Official wording: "Shall not include repair, servicing or painting of vehicles or boats, transportation terminal, industrial uses, explosives manufacturing, cabinet making, welding or machine shop, animal care, parking use, warehousing" … "mini storage, outdoor storage, fast food outlet, food catering facility, escort service or retail trade" … "Cannabis trade is prohibited as a home based business."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000, Division 300 (s. 301); Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000, Division 300 (consolidated, PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
  - Official wording: "DIVISION 300 HOME BASED BUSINESS 301 Home Based Business shall be carried out in conformity with the following:" … "CITY OF PARKSVILLE ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT BYLAW, 1994, NO. 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS" … "(h) Must have a valid City of Parksville business licence where required pursuant to "Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550", and all amendments or successors thereto."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated, PDF), s. 1](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)
  - Official wording: "Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Parksville's [Zoning and Development Bylaw 2000](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161) allows a home-based business as an accessory use in zones that list it (including RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, MH-1, A-1, C-3 and SLR-1). It must be accessory to a permitted residential use and carried on totally within the dwelling or an accessory building. A valid City business licence is required.

## Steps

1. Check that your zone allows it (see zoning-lookup).
2. Make sure the business stays within the limits below.
3. Apply for a business licence ($75 a year under [Business Licence Bylaw 1550](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)). See the business-licence answer.

## Good to know

- Limits (Division 300): maximum 50 m² of floor area; only one occupant plus one additional employee; no external storage; one sign under the Sign bylaw; off-street parking per Division 400; only one car with utility trailer, van or pickup; one home business per parcel (per dwelling unit in multiple family or duplex); no frequent bulk deliveries (more than 4 a year).
- Retail is limited to goods made on site by a resident artist or crafter, items incidental to services, or goods the customer does not pick up on site. Individual instruction is limited to two pupils at a time, in a single family dwelling only.
- Not allowed: repair, servicing or painting of vehicles or boats, transportation terminal, industrial uses, explosives manufacturing, cabinet making, welding or machine shop, animal care, parking use, warehousing, medical marihuana production, mini storage, outdoor storage, fast food outlet, food catering facility, escort service, and other retail trade. Cannabis trade is prohibited.
- Child care programs on single family parcels may use the rear yard as a play area.
- The licence runs for the calendar year and expires December 31.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licences brochure (PDF)](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID48atID12295.pdf)
- [Zoning and Development Bylaw 2000, Division 300 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161)
- [Business Licence Application (PDF)](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID477atID11058.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Parksville business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/business-licence.md)
- [Parksville zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Home-based business rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/home-based-business.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/home-based-business.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/home-based-business.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/home-based-business.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/home-based-business.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/home-based-business.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/home-based-business.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning and Development Bylaw, 1994, No. 2000, Division 300 (consolidated, PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/70161) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated, PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licences brochure (PDF), City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID48atID12295.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licences, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=48) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Parksville. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/home-based-business/_