---
title: Tofino home-based business rules
question: "Can I run a business from my home in Tofino?"
place: Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/tofino
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Tofino
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/home-based-business/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/home-based-business.json"
---

# Tofino home-based business rules

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

**Short answer:** In Tofino you can run a home occupation as an accessory use if the zone allows it and a Permanent Resident lives on the lot. It still needs a business licence. It may use at most 40% of the main dwelling and have at most one non-resident employee.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Tofino, https://tofino.ca)  
**Cost:** Business licence fee follows the business type (for example $233.70 for professional services in 2026) plus a $77.90 processing fee. There is no separate home-based class.  
**How long:** Not stated for this question; see business-licence.  
**Where:**
- Phone: District of Tofino (business licensing), 250-725-3229
- Email: Business licensing, business@tofino.ca
- Online: Business licence portal, https://citywideportal.com/auth/signup/tofino

## Key facts

- **Allowed:** Yes, as an accessory use to an established residence in zones that list home occupations, run by a Permanent Resident living on the lot. Up to 3 home occupations on a lot zoned for single-family only; 2 per dwelling unit on two-family or multi-family lots.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "Home occupations are only permitted as an accessory use to an established" … "The maximum number of home occupations on a lot that is zoned to permit" … "only single family dwellings is 3." … "two-family dwellings or multi-family dwellings is 2 per dwelling unit." … "Shall only be permitted when operated by a Permanent Resident"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Business licence:** Yes. Every business needs a licence (s. 3(1)). The fee schedule has no separate home-based class; the fee follows the business type, for example Professional Services $233.70 (2026) or Artists and Artisans I, no employees or retail space, $116.90 (2026), plus a $77.90 processing fee.
  - Source: [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 (PDF, consolidated), s. 3(1), Schedule A](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/163656/)
  - Official wording: "A person must not carry on any business within the District unless that person holds a valid and" … "Professional Services $226.90 $233.70 $240.70" … "Artists and Artisans I - No Employees or Retail Space $113.50 $116.90 $120.40" … "Processing Fee $75.60 $77.90 $80.20"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** At most 40% of the main dwelling unit's area; at most one employee who is not a Permanent Resident; all parking off-street; only a sign allowed by the sign bylaw; no change to the dwelling's look; no noise, dust, smell or fire hazard beyond a normal dwelling.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2, s. 4.3.2(f) and (g)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "Shall not exceed, except in the case of a Short Term Rental use, an" … "area of more than 40% of the principal dwelling unit on the lot;" … "employ on" … "the lot more than one non-Permanent Resident employee;" … "Shall provide all off street parking necessary for the operation of the" … "No alterations shall be made to the principal building, that" … "changes its character as a dwelling."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Businesses not allowed:** Anything selling goods not made on the premises, and cannabis retail or production. A bed and breakfast and a short-term rental cannot run on the same lot at once.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "Shall not involve the sale or offering for sale, of any article which is" … "not produced on the premises." … "A Bed and Breakfast use and Short Term Rental use cannot be operated on" … "the same lot at the same time." … "which is carried on within a dwelling unit by a permanent resident of the dwelling unit, and excludes" … "Cannabis Retail and Cannabis Production."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (s. 4.3.2) and Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997"
  - Source: [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 (PDF, consolidated), Title](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/163656/)
  - Official wording: "District of Tofino Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under section 4.3.2 of the District of Tofino's [Zoning Bylaw No. 770](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/), a home occupation is allowed as an accessory use to an established residence in zones that list it, and must be run by a Permanent Resident living on the lot. A single-family-only lot may have up to 3 home occupations; two-family and multi-family lots may have 2 per dwelling unit. Some downtown core comprehensive zones (CD-DC1, CD-DC3, CD-DC4) allow none. Check your zone on the zoning map.

Every business also needs a licence under the [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/163656/).

The limits are:


- At most 40% of the main dwelling unit's area.
- At most one employee who is not a Permanent Resident.
- All parking off-street, and only a sign allowed by the sign bylaw.
- No change to the dwelling's look, and no noise, dust, smell or fire hazard beyond a normal dwelling.

## Good to know

- Not allowed: selling goods not made on the premises, and cannabis retail or production.
- A bed and breakfast and a short-term rental cannot run on the same lot at once.
- Permitted examples include professional offices, artist and craft studios, woodworker or locksmith shops, urban agriculture, residential childcare, bed and breakfast and short-term rental.
- Artists and Artisans I (no employees or retail space) is $116.90 in 2026, plus the $77.90 processing fee.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (PDF), s. 4.3.2](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
- [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 (PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/163656/)

## Related questions

- [Tofino business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/business-licence.md)
- [Tofino zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Tofino short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/short-term-rental.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Home-based business rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/home-based-business.md)
- [Ucluelet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/home-based-business.md)
- [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/home-based-business.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/home-based-business.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/home-based-business.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/home-based-business.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/home-based-business.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 (PDF, consolidated)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/163656/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Tofino. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/home-based-business/_