--- title: Sicamous home-based business rules question: "Can I run a business from my home in Sicamous?" place: Sicamous, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/sicamous category: Starting and running a business owner: municipal owner_body: District of Sicamous sources_read: 2026-11-09 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/home-based-business/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/home-based-business.json" --- # Sicamous home-based business rules **Question:** Can I run a business from my home in Sicamous? **Short answer:** Sicamous has a home-based business licence category for work that is secondary to the residential or agricultural use of your property. Describe the activity and address in your licence application. **Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Sicamous, https://www.sicamous.ca) ## Key facts - **Allowed:** Sicamous has a home-based business licence category for work that is secondary to the residential or agricultural use of your property. - Source: [Get a Business Licence, What Kind of Business Licence Do I Need?](https://www.sicamous.ca/DOING-BUSINESS/BUSINESS-LICENSING) - Official wording: "* Home Based business means operating a business in your home that is accessory to the residential or agricultural use of your property." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 - **Business licence:** The operator needs a valid District business licence where the use is permitted. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024, Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, home-based businesses, paragraphs (a)–(b)](https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687) - Official wording: ".5 Home Based Businesses Where permitted in this Bylaw all of the following conditions must be satisfied for the establishment and continued use of a Home Based Business: a. a person must not carry on the use unless the person holds a valid Business Licence issued under the provisions of this Bylaw and the Business Licence Bylaw;" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 - **Limits:** A permanent occupant operates the business. Up to one full-time or two part-time employees may work on the parcel. The combined business area is limited to 50 m² and traffic to four vehicles per hour between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024, Home-based businesses, paragraphs (b)–(e)](https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687) - Official wording: ".5 Home Based Businesses Where permitted in this Bylaw all of the following conditions must be satisfied for the establishment and continued use of a Home Based Business: a. a person must not carry on the use unless the person holds a valid Business Licence issued under the provisions of this Bylaw and the Business Licence Bylaw; b. the use may generate no more than 4 Vehicles per hour between 8:00AM and 9:00PM; c. the use must be solely operated by the permanent occupant the Dwelling Unit and must not involve the employment of more than 1 full-time or 2 part-time employees on the Parcel; d. the use must be conducted entirely within 1 or more Buildings or Structures, except for Urban Agriculture; e. the maximum combined Floor Area of the Dwelling Unit and Accessory Buildings and Structures shall not exceed 50 m2 for the purposes of operating a Home Based Business;" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 - **Businesses not allowed:** No outdoor or unenclosed storage, vehicle or boat repair, machinery servicing or distillery. Retail sales are limited to goods produced on the parcel or accessory to the business. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024, Home-based businesses, paragraphs (f)–(l)](https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687) - Official wording: "f. the use must not involve the display or selling of goods, wares or merchandise as the primary Home Based Business but may involve the display and sale of a good, produce, wares or merchandise that is either produced on the Parcel, or is Accessory to the Home Based Business; g. no Outdoor Storage, unenclosed storage or Storage Facility use is permitted; h. no Vehicle, boat, or other machinery servicing or repair is permitted; i. the total display area of any outdoor advertising Sign is subject to the District of Sicamous Sign Bylaw; j. Home Based Business’ must not discharge or emit the following across Parcel lines:" … "k. Off-Street Parking must be provided in accordance with Schedule D; l. no distillery use is permitted." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 - **Bylaw:** District of Sicamous Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024, PDF p. 1](https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687) - Official wording: "District of Sicamous Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 Effective Date – September 11, 2024" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09 ## How it works Describe how the work would change daily activity at the home. A desk used by one resident presents different zoning questions from customers visiting the property, employees coming to work or goods being stored outdoors. The operator needs a valid District business licence where the use is permitted. ## Steps 1. Check the local business instructions in [Get a Business Licence](https://www.sicamous.ca/DOING-BUSINESS/BUSINESS-LICENSING). Write down the proposed service, floor area, number of workers, customer visits, deliveries, signs and storage. Identify the property's zoning. 2. Compare the activity with the home-business provisions and the local licensing instructions. Give the office your operating details if the business could fit more than one category. ## Good to know - A permanent occupant operates the business. Up to one full-time or two part-time employees may work on the parcel. The combined business area is limited to 50 m² and traffic to four vehicles per hour between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. - No outdoor or unenclosed storage, vehicle or boat repair, machinery servicing or distillery. Retail sales are limited to goods produced on the parcel or accessory to the business. - Use the online business licence application for the applicable category or the District’s application package. The District processes the application after payment is received. - Open the Sicamous Map Hub and choose the Property Information app. - Read the applicable provisions in [Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)](https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687). ## Related questions - [Sicamous backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/backyard-chickens.md) - [Sicamous zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/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) - [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/home-based-business.md) - [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/home-based-business.md) - [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/home-based-business.md) - [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/home-based-business.md) - [Sun Peaks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/home-based-business.md) - [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/home-based-business.md) ## Sources - [Get a Business Licence](https://www.sicamous.ca/DOING-BUSINESS/BUSINESS-LICENSING) (read 2026-11-09) - [Get a Business Licence](https://www.sicamous.ca/doing-business/business-licensing) (read 2026-11-09) - [District of Sicamous Mapping](https://www.sicamous.ca/maps) (read 2026-11-09) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)](https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687) (read 2026-11-09) _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 District of Sicamous. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/home-based-business/_