Tofino home-based business rules
Can I run a business from my home in Tofino?
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.
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.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingHome 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 |
|---|---|
| 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.Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 (PDF, consolidated), s. 3(1), Schedule A · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingA 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 |
| 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2, s. 4.3.2(f) and (g) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingShall 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. |
| 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingShall 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. |
| Bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (s. 4.3.2) and Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2; Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 (PDF, consolidated), Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingZoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 District of Tofino Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 |
How it works
Under section 4.3.2 of the District of Tofino's Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 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.
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
The same question in other places
Ucluelet · Gold River · Port Alberni · Cumberland · Courtenay · Comox
Home-based business rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), s. 4.3.2 (read 2026-11-08)
- Business Licence Regulation Bylaw No. 1239, 2022 (PDF, consolidated) (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. How answers are checked.