At what point do people working from home need to worry about having a business?

Question

Many people occasionally work for money at home. For example, business owners hire their neighbors to stuff and put stamps on envelopes. Neighbors babysit for neighbors in their own homes. Licensed cosmetologists occasionally cut hair for money at home. Massage therapists may give a massage in their home. However, people don't usually get a business license or zoning changes to do this kind of thing. At what point does working at home become a home business? Are all these people breaking the law?

I'd like to know:
How do zoning laws and commissions feel about this kind of thing?
What do you think should be done?

Answer 1

Zoning laws vary not only by state but also by county and township. You'd need to contact the local zoning authority to find out the specific rules.

The majority of these laws concern an issue regarding traffic. Neighbors are going to complain if you have 20 cars parked on the street everyday in a residential neighborhood. Also, neighbors would complain if they have an issue with the type of business going on next door (for example, if it's an adult bookstore or a backyard cockfight ring).

If a neighbor is babysitting 10 children and its disruptive to neighboring houses, the neighbors are going to complain to the zoning authority. Then the zoning laws give the zoning authority guidance on how to deal with the situation.

Pretty much, unless there are complaints, it is very likely this homegrown business will be able to continue under the radar. In reality, the zoning laws are a lot more about handling neighborhood complaints than they are about policing what people choose to do in their own homes.

I believe that if a neighbor is doing something that does not infringe on my privacy or space it doesn't really matter what the zoning laws are. If a neighbor starts generating more traffic so I have trouble parking in front of my house, is generating a great deal of noise which is distrubing my own peace or is the cause for a lot of questionable characters to be roaming around my neighborhood - I should then file a complaint with the police and/or zoning authority and let them sort it out because that is really what those laws are for.

Answer 2

You would need to check with your local office, whoever handles zoning. Laws vary from community to community. There would be no way for anyone else to tell how your laws would effect you