{"title":"Saanich home-based business rules","question":"Can I run a business from my home in Saanich?","slug":"home-based-business","place":{"path":"ca/bc/saanich","name":"Saanich","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 Saanich","url":"https://www.saanich.ca"},"short_answer":"Usually yes. Saanich allows a home occupation in most zones if you meet the conditions in Zoning Bylaw s. 5.5, and you need a home-based business licence ($100 a year; $50 for home crafts). In apartment, townhouse and similar zones only office use and child daycare are allowed.","aliases":["home occupation saanich","home based business licence saanich","work from home business saanich","home business rules saanich"],"cost":"Home-based business licence $100 a year; home crafts $50. The fee is halved for new businesses applying after July 31.","how_long":"The licence is issued after all approvals. Planning checks zoning; Inspections, Fire and Island Health may need to approve.","where":[{"type":"online","label":"Home-Based Business licence","value":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/business-licence-types/home-based-business-licence.html"},{"type":"phone","label":"Business Licences","value":"250-475-5401"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Saanich Municipal Hall","value":"770 Vernon Ave., Victoria BC V8X 2W7"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Home-Based Business licence, District of Saanich","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/business-licence-types/home-based-business-licence.html"},{"title":"Business licence fees, District of Saanich","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/fees.html"}],"related":[{"slug":"business-licence","title":"Saanich business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/business-licence/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Saanich zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Saanich short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/short-term-rental/"},{"slug":"secondary-suite","title":"Saanich secondary suite and carriage house rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/secondary-suite/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/oak-bay","name":"Oak Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/esquimalt","name":"Esquimalt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/victoria","name":"Victoria","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/central-saanich","name":"Central Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/home-based-business/"},{"place":"ca/bc/colwood","name":"Colwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/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. Any use permitted in any zone may be carried on as an accessory home occupation if it meets the conditions in Zoning s. 5.5. In apartments, townhouses and similar zones (RC, RT, RM, RA, RP and others) only office use and child daycare are allowed.","short":"Yes, in any zone as an accessory use","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Planning/zone8200.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200 (PDF)","section":"ss. 5.5, 5.6","quotes":["Any use permitted in any zoned contained in this bylaw may be carried out as an accessory home","The only Home Occupation uses permitted in any RC, RT, RM, Ra, RP, MFC-CH, or MFI-Ch","Zones are Office Use, and Daycare, Child."]},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/business-licence-types/home-based-business-licence.html","title":"Home-Based Business licence, District of Saanich","section":"Home-Based Business page","quotes":["Yes, you can run certain types of businesses from your home."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"licence":{"label":"Business licence","value":"Yes. Home-based business licence $100 a year; home crafts $50. Licences run January 1 to December 31; the fee is halved for new businesses applying after July 31.","short":"Yes: $100 a year ($50 home crafts)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/fees.html","title":"Business licence fees, District of Saanich","section":"Fees page","quotes":["Home-based: $100","Home crafts*: $50","We will reduce the license fee by 50% for new businesses that apply after July 31st."]},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/business-licence-bylaw-2002-no-8213.pdf","title":"Business Licence Bylaw, 2002, No. 8213 (PDF)","section":"s. 3","quotes":["No person shall carry on within Saanich, any business unless he or she is the holder of a valid"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Residents only; indoors, no outside storage; at most 20% of floor area or 50 m²; no noise, vibration or odour detectable outside; nothing sold or displayed; two clients at a time (not child daycare, up to 12 children, or B&B); one work vehicle parked outdoors, under 4,200 kg. Multi-unit homes: office use only, 15 m², no clients or staff, no sign.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Planning/zone8200.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200 (PDF)","section":"ss. 5.5, 5.6","quotes":["Only residents of the dwelling unit shall engage in the Home Occupation Use.","whichever is lesser.","There shall be no outside storage of materials, commodities, or finished products.","No commodity shall be sold or displayed on the premises.","There shall be no more than two clients or patrons of the home occupation use on the","In no case shall the gross vehicle weight of this vehicle","Shall not occupy more than 15 m2 (161 ft2) of the Gross Floor Area of the","premises at any one time, except for Daycare, Child operations and Bed and Breakfast","(i) shall not accommodate more than twelve (12) children in a Home Occupation setting;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"Child daycare, bed and breakfast and other special cases have exceptions (daycare up to 12 children). The Home-Based Business Regulations PDF on the licence pages quotes an older version of s. 5.5 (lettering and some limits differ); the Zoning Bylaw text was followed."},"not_allowed":{"label":"Businesses not allowed","value":"Repair of internal combustion engines or automotive repairs is prohibited, and no commodity may be sold or displayed on the premises. In apartment, townhouse and condo zones only office use and child daycare are allowed. B&B licences are not issued for secondary suites or garden suites.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Planning/zone8200.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200 (PDF)","section":"s. 5.5(i), (k); 5.6","quotes":["A home occupation use involving the repair of any internal combustion engine or","automotive repairs shall be prohibited.","No commodity shall be sold or displayed on the premises."]},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/business-licence-types/bed-and-breakfast-licence.html","title":"Bed and Breakfast licence, District of Saanich","section":"Bed and Breakfast page","quotes":["Bed & Breakfast Licences will not be issued to secondary suites and garden suites."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200 (ss. 5.5 and 5.6); Business Licence Bylaw, 2002, No. 8213","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf","title":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf","section":"Schedule 5","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW, 2003, NO. 8200"]},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/business-licence-bylaw-2002-no-8213.pdf","title":"Business Licence Bylaw, 2002, No. 8213 (PDF)","section":"title","quotes":["BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW, 2002, No. 8213"]}],"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\nAny use permitted in any zone may be carried on as an accessory home occupation if it meets the conditions in s. 5.5 of the [Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200](https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Planning/zone8200.pdf). In apartments, townhouses and similar zones (RC, RT, RM, RA, RP and others), only office use and child daycare are allowed.\n\nConditions in s. 5.5 include:\n\n- Residents only; carried on indoors, with no outside storage.\n- At most 20% of the floor area or 50 m².\n- No noise, vibration or odour detectable outside.\n- Nothing sold or displayed on the premises.\n- Two clients at a time (child daycare, up to 12 children, and B&B have their own rules).\n- One work vehicle parked outdoors, under 4,200 kg.\n\nIn multi-unit homes: office use only, 15 m², no clients or staff, and no sign.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer).\n2. Apply for a home-based business licence through your MySaanich account.\n3. Planning checks zoning; Inspections, Fire and Island Health may need to approve. The licence is issued, and the fee charged, after all approvals.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Repair of internal combustion engines and automotive repairs are prohibited.\n- Licences run January 1 to December 31.\n- A B&B licence is not issued for a secondary suite or garden suite.\n- Saanich's Home-Based Business Regulations PDF quotes an older version of s. 5.5. If the two differ, the Zoning Bylaw wins; confirm with Planning.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Planning/zone8200.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/business-licence-types/home-based-business-licence.html","title":"Home-Based Business licence, District of Saanich","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/fees.html","title":"Business licence fees, District of Saanich","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/business-licence-bylaw-2002-no-8213.pdf","title":"Business Licence Bylaw, 2002, No. 8213 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/business/business-licences/business-licence-types/bed-and-breakfast-licence.html","title":"Bed and Breakfast licence, District of Saanich","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf","title":"https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.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/saanich/home-based-business/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/home-based-business.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/home-based-business.json"}}