An occupation carried on in a dwelling unit by a resident thereof, provided that the use is limited in extent, incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling unit for residential purposes and does not change the character thereof.
Standards and Conditions:
(a) A home occupation may include small offices, service establishments or homecrafts which are typically considered accessory to a dwelling unit. Such home occupations shall involve only limited retailing, by appointment only, associated with fine arts, crafts or personal services as allowed in the B1 Local Business District.
(b) A home occupation shall not involve the conduct of a general retail or wholesale business, a manufacturing business, a commercial food service requiring a license, a limousine business or auto service or repair for any vehicles other than those registered to residents of the property, and shall not involve retailing except as noted in paragraph (a).
(c) A home occupation shall be carried on wholly within the main building. No home occupation shall be allowed in detached accessory buildings or garages.
(d) All home occupation activities in dwelling units of less than 4,000 square feet of total living area, excluding a cellar and attic, shall be conducted by no more than two persons, for one of whom the dwelling unit shall be the principal residence. All home occupation activities in dwelling units of 4,000 or more square feet of total living area, excluding a cellar and attic, shall be conducted by no more than three persons, for one of whom the dwelling unit shall be the principal residence.
(e) No structural alterations or enlargements shall be made to the dwelling for the primary purpose of conducting the home occupation.
(f) Service and teaching occupations shall serve no more than one party per employee at a time and shall not serve groups or classes.
(g) There shall be no exterior storage of equipment, supplies or commercial vehicles associated with the home occupation, nor parking of more than one business car, pick-up truck or small van, nor any additional vehicles except those for permitted employees identified under paragraph (d).
(h) There shall be no detriments to the residential character of the neighborhood due to noise, odor, smoke, dust, gas, heat, glare, vibration, electrical interference, traffic congestion, number of deliveries, hours of operation or any other annoyance resulting from the home occupation.
(i) A home occupation may have an identification sign no larger than two square feet in area, which shall not be located in a required yard.
(j) Home occupations for handicapped persons that do not meet these conditions may be reviewed by the board of zoning appeals, which may modify or waive requirements (a) through (g). For more information visit the Zoning Variances page.
(k) For the purposes of this section , “principal residence” shall mean the dwelling where a person has established a permanent home from which the person has no present intention of moving. A principal residence is not established if the person has only a temporary physical presence in the dwelling unit.
To Certify Home Occupation, please complete the Home Occupation Affidavit. Cottage foods producers, please use the following Cottage Foods Home Occupation Affidavit.
If you have questions about home occupations, contact the Zoning Section of the Department of Safety and Inspections at 651-266-9008 or DSI-ZoningReview@stpaul.gov.
Submit Completed Home Occupation Affidavits to:
Department of Safety & Inspections - Zoning Section
375 Jackson Street, Suite 220
Saint Paul, MN 55101
Or via email at: DSI-ZoningReview@stpaul.gov