Home Occupation Registration
Any homeowner in Montgomery County, who operates a home-based business which generates more than five visits to the site per week, or who has a non-resident employee, must register his or her business with DPS. In addition, all home-health practitioners and lawn maintenance services are required to register.
A Home Occupation is required for any occupation that provides a service or product and is conducted within the dwelling unit by individuals residing in the dwelling.
No Impact home occupation: No non-resident employees coming to the site for any reason during the day, no more than 5 customer/client vehicle visits to the property each week. No retail sales. This you can do as a matter of right, with no registration.
Low Impact home occupation: One non-resident employee allowed. No more than 20 customer/client vehicle visits to the property each week, but no more than 5 per day. No retail sales. Registration is required through the Department of Permitting Services.
Major Home Occupation: Two non-resident employees allowed. This requires a Conditional Use (Special Exception) and the Hearing Examiner or Board of Appeals determines the number of client/customer visits after a public hearing.
A home occupation does not include the following: bed and breakfast establishment, boardinghouse, day care facility, display of furniture not made in the home for sale in the home or at an offsite location, landscape contractor, private educational institution, tourist home, or the repair and maintenance of motor vehicles. Additionally, in the AR zone this use may be prohibited by Section 3.1.5 Transferable Development Rights.
All lawn maintenance businesses in Montgomery County are required to register as a Home Occupation.
Sales are NOT permitted except for Low Impact Home Occupations and Major Home Occupations in person sale of goods is limited to:
- handcrafts, art products or similar hand-made products or services such as dressmaking, hand-weaving, block-printing, jewelry, pottery, and musical instruments, which are produced on-site by a resident of the dwelling;
And, no more than 5 sales per month of items ordered for delivery later to customers at other locations (delivery of goods must occur off-site).
Persons licensed or certified by a board under the MD Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and have an advanced degree and wish to have a home office need to register as a Home Health Practitioner.