{"title":"Port Moody home-based business rules","question":"Can I run a business from my home in Port Moody?","slug":"home-based-business","place":{"path":"ca/bc/port-moody","name":"Port Moody","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 Port Moody","url":"https://www.portmoody.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes. Port Moody's Zoning Bylaw allows three kinds of home occupation: Type A (home office), Type B (home-based business) and Type C (low-impact). Every business needs a City licence; home occupation is in the Basic Licence Category at $155 a year.","aliases":["home occupation port moody","home office licence port moody","work from home business licence","home based business zoning port moody"],"cost":"$155 a year (Basic Licence Category); half the fee if you start after July 31 (Fees Bylaw 3524).","how_long":"Not stated by the City.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Licensing","value":"604-469-4541"},{"type":"email","label":"Licensing","value":"licence@portmoody.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Planning (land use questions)","value":"604-469-4540"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw BL2937, section 5.2.3 Home Occupation (PDF)","url":"https://api.ghdcdn.com/portmoody-edocs/v1/eDocs/Get?docnumber=461917"},{"title":"Business Licence Application (PDF)","url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/media/j5qpvejk/business-licence-application.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"business-licence","title":"Port Moody business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/business-licence/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Port Moody short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/belcarra","name":"Belcarra","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/anmore","name":"Anmore","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/coquitlam","name":"Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-westminster","name":"New Westminster","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-coquitlam","name":"Port Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/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 Occupation Types A (home office) and B (home-based business) are secondary uses in single detached zones such as RS1; Type C (low-impact) is allowed in all zones where residential use is permitted.","short":"Yes, Types A and B in single detached zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://portmoody-edocs.ghdcdn.com/v1/eDocs/PortMoody?docnumber=461917","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated)","section":"s. 5.2.3 and 8.4.2 (RS1)","quotes":["A Home Occupation – Type C – Low-Impact Home-Based Business shall be permitted in all zones where residential use is permitted","Home Occupation – Type B","Home Occupation – Type A"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"licence":{"label":"Business licence","value":"Yes. Every business needs a City licence. Home Occupation falls in the Basic Licence Category at $155 a year; half the fee if you start after July 31.","short":"Yes: $155 a year","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/eDocs/Get?docnumber=493693","title":"Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw, 2015, No. 3000 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"s. 5.1 and 5.15","quotes":["Every person carrying on, maintaining, owning, or operating with the City any profession, business, trade, occupation, calling, or undertaking shall hold a subsisting licence","shall be reduced by one half in respect of the person who becomes liable to be licensed after the 31st day of July"]},{"url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/eDocs/Get?docnumber=669753","title":"Fees Bylaw, 2025, No. 3524 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"Business Licence and Bylaw Enforcement","quotes":["Basic Licence Category","Home Occupation","Home Daycare of 10 children or less 155.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Type B: resident plus up to two non-resident employees; within the dwelling or accessory building, 50 m² max; no significant traffic; 1 parking space per non-resident employee; signs per Sign Bylaw. Type A: resident only, no customer visits, no signs. Type C: resident only, enclosed, up to five visits a day. No outside storage.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://portmoody-edocs.ghdcdn.com/v1/eDocs/PortMoody?docnumber=461917","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated)","section":"s. 5.2.3","quotes":["not more than two non-resident employees on the premises;","not exceed 50m2 of Floor","not generate customer visits","not involve more than five visits to the premises per","outside storage of materials, equipment, or finished products is not permitted"]},{"url":"https://portmoody-edocs.ghdcdn.com/v1/eDocs/PortMoody?docnumber=461917","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated)","section":"s. 6.3.1","quotes":["Home Occupation – 1 space per non-resident employee. Type B"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"not_allowed":{"label":"Businesses not allowed","value":"Veterinary care, animal daycare or boarding, breeding of animals, and retail sale or lease of goods from the premises unless the goods are produced there.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://portmoody-edocs.ghdcdn.com/v1/eDocs/PortMoody?docnumber=461917","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated)","section":"s. 5.2.3(a)(iv)","quotes":["Veterinary care, Animal Daycare or boarding, or breeding of animals","Retail sale or lease of goods from the premises unless the goods are produced on the premises."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"City of Port Moody Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937, s. 5.2.3; City of Port Moody Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw, 2015, No. 3000","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://portmoody-edocs.ghdcdn.com/v1/eDocs/PortMoody?docnumber=461917","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated)","section":"s. 5.2.3","quotes":["City of Port Moody Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937"]},{"url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/eDocs/Get?docnumber=493693","title":"Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw, 2015, No. 3000 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["City of Port Moody Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw, 2015, No. 3000"]}],"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\nThe [Zoning Bylaw 2937](https://portmoody-edocs.ghdcdn.com/v1/eDocs/PortMoody?docnumber=461917) (s. 5.2.3) treats home occupation as a secondary use. Types A and B are secondary uses in single detached zones such as RS1; Type C is allowed in all zones where residential use is permitted. Other zones list their own secondary uses, so check your zone's table.\n\n- **Type A, home office:** the resident only, no customer visits, no signs.\n- **Type B, home-based business:** the resident plus up to two non-resident employees; within the dwelling or an accessory building, 50 m² maximum; no significant traffic; 1 parking space per non-resident employee; signs per the Sign Bylaw. Not allowed on a lot with a Bed and Breakfast, Boarding or Child Care use.\n- **Type C, low-impact:** the resident only, enclosed, up to five visits a day.\n\nAll types: no outside storage, no offensive noise, smoke or odours, and no exterior alterations inconsistent with residential character.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your zone and business type in section 5.2.3.\n2. Get a City business licence (see the business-licence answer). Under the [Business Licensing Bylaw](https://www.portmoody.ca/eDocs/Get?docnumber=493693), every business needs one.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Not allowed as a home occupation: veterinary care, animal daycare or boarding, breeding of animals, and retail sale or lease of goods from the premises unless the goods are produced there.\n- Planning (604-469-4540) answers land use questions; Licensing (604-469-4541) handles the licence.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/business-development-and-planning/business-licences-and-permits/","title":"Business Licences and Permits, City of Port Moody","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://portmoody-edocs.ghdcdn.com/v1/eDocs/PortMoody?docnumber=461917","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/eDocs/Get?docnumber=493693","title":"Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw, 2015, No. 3000 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/eDocs/Get?docnumber=669753","title":"Fees Bylaw, 2025, No. 3524 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portmoody.ca/business-development-and-planning/zoning/","title":"Zoning, City of Port Moody","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/port-moody/home-based-business/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/home-based-business.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/home-based-business.json"}}