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

# Port Coquitlam home-based business rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes. In Port Coquitlam you can run an accessory home business if you live in the home, it does not change the home's residential character, and it follows the Zoning Bylaw limits. You need a City business licence, $90 a year. Retail, food preparation, medical services and similar uses are not allowed.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Port Coquitlam, https://www.portcoquitlam.ca)  
**Cost:** $90 a year (Schedule A, Business Bylaw 3725), half if issued after July 31.  
**How long:** Licences run January 1 to December 31. The City says licences are usually issued within four weeks.  
**Where:**
- Email: Business Licensing Division, businesslicensing@portcoquitlam.ca
- Phone: Business Licensing Division, 604-927-5238

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes. An accessory home business is a permitted use in the agricultural zone and in the residential zones, if run by a resident of the dwelling unit and it does not change the residential character or appearance of the dwelling, building or lot.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3630, Table 1.3; Table 2.3; Section I](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Accessory home business ■" … "Accessory ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ home business" … "for the conduct of a business, occupation or profession that does not change the residential character or appearance of the dwelling unit, building or lot."
  - Source: [Business Licencing, Accessory Home-Based Business](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/business-development/doing-business/business-licencing)
  - Official wording: "Certain types of businesses may operate from home, with some restrictions."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Business licence:** Yes. All businesses, including home-based ones, need a City business licence. Accessory Home Business fee: $90 a year (half if issued after July 31). Licences expire December 31; the $25 late fee applies if not renewed before March 1 (the City page says payments after December 31 may be penalized).
  - Source: [Business Licencing, Business Licencing page](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/business-development/doing-business/business-licencing)
  - Official wording: "All businesses, including temporary and home-based businesses, require a valid business licence to operate in Port Coquitlam."
  - Source: [Business Bylaw 3725, Schedule A Part 1; s. 22](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3725%20-%20Business%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Accessory Home Business For each business $90.00" … "(a) $25.00 for an Accessory Home Business;" … "shall be reduced by one-half in respect of a Licence issued after July 31st in any year." … "fails to renew the Licence prior to March 1st of the next year, then, in addition to the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits:** Up to the lesser of 46 m² or 20% of the dwelling unit's floor area; fully inside the home (not outdoors or in an accessory building); customers only 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. In houses, duplexes and similar: no more than three people work there (one may live elsewhere) and five business visitors a day including deliveries (tutorials and personal services: one employee, three clients at once, 10 visitors; pet grooming: one employee, four pets a day). (Sources differ: Townhouse and apartment units (s. 9.3): at most two people working, both living there, enclosed in the unit, no more than five visits a day. The Zoning Bylaw (s. 9.1) no longer lists a parking requirement; an older City excerpt of the Zoning Bylaw (labelled section 5) says the dwelling must have at least two off-street parking spaces, so that excerpt is out of date. Bylaw followed.)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3630, Section III, s. 9.1 and 9.2](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Occupy not more than the lesser of 46m2 of floor area and 20% of the floor area of the dwelling unit;" … "Completely enclosed within the residential building and may not be conducted outdoors or in any accessory building." … "except a short-term rental accommodation are limited to 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m." … "No more than three persons may work in the dwelling unit in connection with the business of whom not more than one may reside elsewhere;" … "Other types of businesses are restricted to five business visitors per day including" … "Tutorial and home-based personal services businesses are restricted to one employee, a maximum of three clients at one time, and up to 10 business visitors per day;" … "Pet grooming businesses are restricted to one employee and a maximum of four pets in one day; and"
  - Source: [Accessory Home Businesses, excerpt from Zoning Bylaw 3630, Excerpt s. 5-2(e) (older)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/media/file/accesory-home-business-zoning-bylaw-3630-str-update-002)
  - Official wording: "The dwelling must have at least two off-street parking spaces."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Businesses not allowed:** Not allowed: boarding or child care in the dwelling unit; medical or dental services; veterinary care, breeding or boarding of animals; commercial food handling or preparation; retail sale, rental or leasing of goods from the premises; exterior display or storage; fire hazards; on-site manufacturing or welding; or anything causing extra traffic, noise, smoke, dust or odour. Personal services and pet grooming are banned in townhouse or apartment units.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3630, Section III, s. 9.1 and 9.3](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The dwelling unit must not contain a boarding or child care use;" … "Commercial food handling or preparation;" … "Retail sale, rental or leasing of goods from the premises;" … "Exterior display or storage of materials or products;" … "On-site manufacturing, welding or other industrial uses; or" … "Home-based personal service and pet grooming businesses are prohibited;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw, 2008, No. 3630, Section III, s. 9 (Accessory Home Businesses); Business Bylaw, 2010, No. 3725
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3630, Title page](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW, 2008 Bylaw No. 3630"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3630, Section III, s. 9](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf)
  - Official wording: "9. ACCESSORY HOME BUSINESSES"
  - Source: [Business Bylaw 3725, s. 1](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3725%20-%20Business%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Business Bylaw, 2010, No. 3725"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Zoning Bylaw 3630](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf), Section III, s. 9, allows an accessory home business in the agricultural and residential zones if a resident of the dwelling runs it and it does not change the residential character of the home or lot. The City of Port Coquitlam also requires a business licence for home-based businesses.

## Steps

1. Read the Home-Based Business Information Package.
2. Complete the Accessory Home-Based Business application.
3. Email it to businesslicensing@portcoquitlam.ca or bring it to the Business Licensing Division at the City Hall Annex.

## Good to know

- Space: no more than the lesser of 46 m² or 20% of the dwelling's floor area, fully inside the home (not outdoors or in an accessory building). Customers only 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Houses, duplexes and similar: no more than three people working there (one may live elsewhere) and five business visitors a day, including deliveries. Tutorials and personal services: one employee, three clients at once, 10 visitors. Pet grooming: one employee, four pets a day.
- Townhouses and apartments: at most two people working, both living there, enclosed in the unit, no more than five visits a day. Personal services and pet grooming are banned.
- Not allowed: boarding or child care; medical or dental services; veterinary care, breeding or boarding of animals; commercial food handling or preparation; retail sale, rental or leasing of goods from the premises; exterior display or storage; fire hazards; on-site manufacturing or welding; or anything causing extra traffic, noise, smoke, dust or odour.
- Licences expire December 31. A $25 late fee applies if not renewed before March 1 (the City page says payments after December 31 may be penalized).

## Official forms and pages

- [Home-Based Business Information Package (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/media/file/accesory-home-business-zoning-bylaw-3630-str-update-002)
- [Application form, Accessory Home-Based Business (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/media/file/business-licence-application-accessory-home)
- [Zoning Bylaw 3630 (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Port Coquitlam business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/business-licence.md)
- [Port Coquitlam short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/short-term-rental.md)
- [Port Coquitlam zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/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)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/home-based-business.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/home-based-business.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/home-based-business.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/home-based-business.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/home-based-business.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/home-based-business.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licencing, City of Port Coquitlam](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/business-development/doing-business/business-licencing) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw 3630 (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2025-12/3630%20-%20Zoning%20Bylaw%202008.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Bylaw 3725 (PDF)](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/3725%20-%20Business%20Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Accessory Home Businesses, excerpt from Zoning Bylaw 3630](https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/media/file/accesory-home-business-zoning-bylaw-3630-str-update-002) (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 Port Coquitlam. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/home-based-business/_