Web page revised 1.1.26

What is a Home Business?

Home businesses are commercial activities carried on within a dwelling by a member or members of the family who occupy the dwelling. The home business is secondary to the use of the dwelling for living purposes, and the residential character of the dwelling must be maintained.

In Clark County, home businesses must be owned and operated by the resident owner or renter with owner consent. If more than one home business is operated out of the home, all businesses in combination must not exceed the applicable standards. Uses that are otherwise listed as permitted outright, a conditional use, or a use subject to review and approval under the zone in which the property is located, cannot be approved under the home business ordinance.

Do all home businesses need a Home Business permit?

If your business has a minimal impact to the neighborhood, and is limited to the following standards, a home business permit from the county is not required. However, a building permit may be required:

In urban areas:

• A maximum of 25 percent of gross floor area or 1,000 square feet (whichever is less) of the dwelling and attached garage may be used for the home business (see below for “gross floor area” definition)
• No use of accessory structures for the home business
• Maximum of two employees who come to the home business location, with one parking space on-site for each non-resident employee
• No customers that come to the home business location
• No outside storage
• No heavy equipment; no more than one home business-related vehicle
• No on-site retail sales
• No more than one sign related to the home business of two square feet or less.

In rural areas:

• A maximum of 25 percent of gross floor area or 1,000 square feet (whichever is less) of the dwelling and attached garage may be used for the home business (see below for “gross floor area” definition)
• Use of up to 400 square feet of an accessory structure
• Maximum of two employees who come to the home business location, with one parking space on-site for each non-resident employee
• No customers that come to the home business location
• No outside storage
• No heavy equipment; no more than one home business-related vehicle; and, no on-site retail sales
• No more than one sign related to the home business of two square feet or less

Note: 

• There is no minimal lot size for exempt home businesses
• Two or more exempt home businesses on the same parcel require application for a Type I or II Home Business permit if the combined features of each business exceed the above standards

What is the difference between a minor and major home business?

The review process depends on whether you are in the urban or rural areas, and the extent of the impacts the business may have on the neighborhood. The distinctions are summarized below:

Urban Home Business

Note: On-site retail (other than incidental), adult entertainment enterprises as defined in Clark County Code, Chapter 5.45, automotive recycling material facilities, and in urban areas, new facilities for servicing motor vehicles are prohibited.

Rural Home Business

Are there other permits that may be required?

Yes, in most cases.

Building Permit

Depending upon your home business situation, you will need a residential or commercial building permit.

Home business applications and building permits must be submitted at the same time.

A residential building permit is required when your home business will be located inside the home or in an attached garage, and the area used for the home business is 500 sq. ft. or less.

The areas used for your home business that are used by employees or customers are required to meet the current 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings standard and the current International Existing Building Code (IBEC) with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).

A commercial building permit is required when your home business will be located in a structure that is detached from the home or the structure, addition, or space used for home business is over 500 sq. ft.

The areas used for your home business that are used by employees or customers are required to meet the current 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings standard and the current International Existing Building Code (IBEC) with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).

Before the home business owner applies for a home business permit, they should speak with a Plans Examiner and Permit Technician at the Permit Center to determine the extent of building permit requirements and fees.

For more information or general building permit questions, call 564.397.4912 or email permitservices@clark.wa.gov. For more information on ADA standards, email building@clark.wa.gov 

ADA Stairway and Ramp Details (PDF)

Fire Marshal

Approval from the Fire Marshal may be required if your home business is a non-office type of work (e.g., wood working or other types of manufacturing). Call 564. 397.2186 or email firemar@clark.wa.gov for more information.

Electrical

Washington State Labor & Industries conducts all electrical plan reviews and inspections for the county. For all electrical work, call 360.896.2300, contact lni.wa.gov or go to www.lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/electrical/electrical-permits-fees-and-inspections/purchase-permits-request-inspections .

Critical Areas

If you are proposing to construct new buildings or commence home business activities within an environmental critical area additional permits may be required. Such critical areas include: Shoreline Management areas, Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas (CARA), geo-hazard, floodplains, wetlands and habitat. Contact environmental staff at 564.397.5855 or email wetlandhabitatreview@clark.wa.gov.

Certain activities can have a negative impact on groundwater such as vehicle service and repair shops, auto wrecking, storage of hazardous substances, and similar activities and are required to receive approval under a CARA permit prior to issuance of a Home Business Permit.

Water and septic/sewer

If the home business will be using a septic or water well system, you should consult with Public Health. Call 564.397.8428 or email Public.Health@clark.wa.gov for more information.

If the home business will use public sewer, approval from the provider is required. Contact Clark Regional Wastewater District at 360.750.5876, or the city of Vancouver at 360.487.7866.

Is outside storage of home business related items allowed?

Outside storage is not allowed under the Minor Home Business regulations. 

Are there additional requirements if I live on a private road?

Under the Type II review process, the county will visit the site and may require certain roadway improvements to ensure a minimizing of dust, noise, trip generation, and road safety and maintenance are adequately addressed.

Applications for major home businesses on a private road shall include evidence that safety and maintenance impacts are adequately mitigated. Impacts to be addressed shall include, but are not limited to: dust, noise, trip generation, and road safety and maintenance.

What is the application process?

All land use reviews are conducted online.

Follow the Land Use Application Submittal Process and these instructions on how to apply online.

Contact planningapps@clark.wa.gov with questions on how to apply.  

For Type I process, see Clark County Code 40.510.010. 

For a Minor Home Business, including those businesses on private roads that also submit a neighborhood agreement, the applicant must submit a completed and signed application form, Applicant Agreement form and the Decision form, and submit payment for the required fee. A decision on the application will be made within 21 days from the date the application is deemed Fully Complete.

For a Minor Home Business that is located on a private road and a neighborhood agreement has not been submitted, the application will be reviewed under a Type II process. This process requires all items listed on the submittal requirements including payment of the required fee. A decision on the application will be made within 78 days from the date the application is deemed Fully Complete.

For Type II process, see Clark County Code 40.510.020. 

Note: a Pre-Application Conference is required for a Type II Home Business request.

What if I didn’t submit all of the required information?

Minor Home Business applications, including those on private roads with a neighborhood agreement, will be checked upon submittal to ensure the application is complete. All incomplete submittal packages will be returned to the applicant.

For Minor Home Business on private roads without a neighborhood agreement (i.e., Type II review), the county conducts two application checks to ensure that applications are complete before staff begins their development review process. Staff will conduct a Counter Complete review of your submittal packages. This initial review ensures that all items with a bold underlined space listed in the submittal requirements have been submitted before accepting your application.

Once your application is accepted, the original submittal package is routed to our review staff. Staff conducts a second completeness check, known as the Fully Complete review. This more detailed review ensures that all items with a checkbox to the left listed under the numbered headings of the attached submittal requirements have been submitted. As an example, does the Site Plan include the location and dimensions of the private road?

If required items are missing from your original submittal, you will receive a letter of Not Fully Complete with a list of the missing items. If you have not submitted the requested information within 30 days of this written request, staff will return your application and refund the application fee, less the processing costs incurred to date.

If all of the submittal requirements have been met, you will receive a Fully Complete determination letter and the technical review will begin.

What kind of public notice is provided?

There is no public notice for a Minor Home Business, unless it is located on a private road and a neighborhood agreement has not been submitted.

For a Minor Home Business that is located on a private road and a neighborhood agreement has not been submitted (i.e., Type II review), public notice describing the proposal will be mailed to property owners within a 500' radius of the project (if within an urban growth boundary) or a 1,000' radius of the project (if within a rural area), the area neighborhood association representative, and to the applicant.

The notice will invite written comments to be submitted within 14 calendar days of the date of the notice. Copies of any written comments received in a timely manner will be sent to the applicant. The applicant may submit a written response to the comments received within 14 days from the date the comments are mailed to the applicant.

Can the decision be appealed?

The Responsible Official’s decision may be appealed to the county Hearing Examiner by the applicant or any person or group. An appellant must submit an appeal application and fee within 14 calendar days after the written notice of the decision is sent.

See Appeals for more information.

Note: Approval of this application does not constitute approval of modification to existing driveways or construction of a new driveway. Construction of a new driveway or modification to an existing driveway requires a Driveway Approach Permit, which is applied for and issued at the Permit Center.

Home Business Definitions

• Activity area - See home business activity area.
• Gross Floor Area - includes basement and attached garage but does not include an unfinished attic or a detached garage.
• Heavy equipment - means any free-standing piece of equipment with a gross vehicle weight of 15,000 pounds (as defined by the manufacturer) or greater that is used for the purpose of a home business and that is typically transported to a job site by a vehicle. The term shall include equipment that is motorized or non-motorized, stationary, or self-propelled. Tools or pieces of machinery that are permanently located within an accessory structure shall not be counted as heavy equipment for the purposes of this section.
• Home Business - means a business in conjunction with a residential use which results in financial remuneration from a product or service and is conducted by at least one (1) resident occupying the dwelling on the subject property.
• Home business activity area - (hereafter activity area) means a defined outside area used in conjunction with a home business that includes all outside activities associated with the home business, including, but not limited to parking areas used for business vehicles and equipment, areas used for loading and unloading, worker or client parking areas, and areas used for outdoor storage.
• Incidental retail sales - means retail sales that are ancillary and secondary to the home business, such as selling shampoo from a home hair salon.
• Outdoor storage - means the outdoor holding of any materials or merchandise, whether covered or uncovered, used or associated with a home business.
• Trailer - is a non-motorized vehicle that is licensed for road use that is used exclusively, or in part, for the purpose of a home business. Trailers equipped by the manufacturer as combination tractor-trailers shall not be counted as a separate trailer but shall be considered together with their tractor a part of a single vehicle.
• Vehicle – (for the purposes of this ordinance) means any motorized vehicle licensed for road use that is used exclusively, or in part, for the purpose of a home business. A vehicle equipped by the manufacturer to serve as a combination tractor-trailer shall be counted as a single vehicle.

Submittal Requirements

The following list identifies information to be included with the application.

1. Application form - The application form shall be completed and original signed in ink by the applicant.
2. Application fee - The required fee shall accompany the application.
3. GIS Developer’s packet - A copy of the GIS Developer’s Packet shall be submitted with the application. Applicants can order a GIS Developer's Packet with a credit card online. For more information, contact GIS at 564.397.4082 or themapstore@clark.wa.gov.
4. Legal description - A full and complete legal description of the property must be submitted. Available from a title company or a surveyor.
5. Applicant Agreement form - A completed and signed Applicant Agreement form must be submitted.
6. Site plan - A site plan, drawn to scale, must be submitted that identifies the following:
   • Location and dimensions of the private road (i.e., roadway easement or separate tract) and all properties having access to the road;
   • Existing roadway improvements (e.g., gravel, asphalt, curbs etc), type, location and dimensions.
   • Proposed roadway improvements (e.g., gravel, asphalt, curbs etc.), type, location and dimensions.
   • North arrow
   • Location of parking for on-site employees, customers or work vehicles.
   • Existing and proposed structures
7. Written narrative and evidence - A written narrative and evidence must be submitted describing how the existing and/or proposed roadway improvements will ensure that safety and maintenance impacts are adequately mitigated. The impacts shall include, but are not limited to dust, noise, trip generation, and road safety and maintenance.
8. Questionnaire narrative
9. Associated permit applications - Where the proposed Home Business triggers other permits (e.g., stormwater, habitat, wetland, forest practices, building, etc.), such permit applications shall be included with the Home Business application package. See associated handouts for application requirements.
10. Floor plan - Label each room, show dimensions, layout of machinery, office equipment, and furniture.
11. Private road neighborhood agreement - If the home business is located on a private road, a private road neighborhood agreement is required for a Type I review.
12. Special studies, such as wetland, habitat, floodplain, etc.

Fee schedule

The following fees are required to be paid when the application is submitted.

Urban and Rural Type I Review 
Planning: $221
Issuance: $53
Engineering deposit: $200
Issuance: $53
Engineering will bill at an hourly rate which must be fully paid before application is approved or finalized.

Fire Marshal review, if applicable: $434

CARA permit, if applicable: $1,378
Issuance: $53

Reference

Clark County Code 40.260.100 Home Businesses