HomeMy WebLinkAboutHome Occupation Handout rentonwa.gov/permitservices | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 2/17/2025 Page 1 of 2 CITY OF RENTON Ι PERMIT SERVICES HOME OCCUPATIONS This handout addresses the most commonly asked questions and provides general information regarding home occupations. Please see RMC 4-9-090 for more detailed information. HOME OCCUPATION DEFINITION The city defines a home occupation as “any commercial use conducted entirely within a dwelling or accessory building and carried on by persons residing in that dwelling unit, but which is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling as a residence.” The dwelling unit must be the primary residence of the business owner in order to qualify as a home occupation. PROHIBITED HOME OCCUPATIONS The following uses are prohibited as home occupations: • Kennels and other boarding for pets, including pet daycare. • Automobile and associated mechanical repairs. • Businesses which dispense regulated substances. • Retail sales, except for sales of products made on the premises or online-only sales. RENTON BUSINESS LICENSE REQUIRED A City of Renton Business license must be obtained prior to any business activity in Renton. A Renton license can be applied for at www.filelocal-wa.gov. All Renton business licenses expire on, and need to be renewed, by Jan 31st of the following year of application or renewal. Further information can be obtained by calling 425-430-6851 or emailing taxandlicensing@rentonwa.gov. HOME OCCUPATION STANDARDS Home occupations shall comply with all of the following standards, unless a Special Home Occupation permit is requested, approved, and issued (See page 3 regarding Special Home Occupation permits): • Customer Visits – Customer visits shall comply with the standards:  Maximum Number of Customers: No more than 8 customer visits per day.  Appointments Required: Customer visits shall be by appointment only. There shall be no more than one customer on the premises at any one time.  Customer Hours: Customer visits shall be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.  Limitation of Use: No more than one home occupation may be operated within a dwelling unit with customer visits. • Parking – There shall be no expansion of parking or paving in a manner that creates or increases nonconformity with the Parking, Loading, and Driveway Regulations. Parking shall comply with the following standards:  On-Site Parking Required: Employee or customer parking shall be off-street and located on the same parcel as the home occupation business.  Residential Parking Displacement: The home occupation shall not displace or impede the use of required parking spaces for the residence(s). rentonwa.gov/permitservices | planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov | 425-430-7294 2/17/2025 Page 2 of 2 HOME OCCUPATION HANDOUT  Customer Parking: If the business includes customer visits, the site shall be brought into conformance with current driveway regulations prior to business license issuance.  Maximum Home Occupation Parking: There shall be no more 2 vehicles parked on-site as a result of the business at any one time. • Space – The business shall not occupy more than 25% of the floor space of the dwelling unit or 500 square feet, whichever is less. • Employees and Independent Contractors – There shall be no more than ne business employee, or independent contractor associated with the business, visiting the property per day. • Deliveries – There shall be no pickups or deliveries by commercial vehicles over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). • Mechanical/Electrical Equipment – There shall be no use of mechanical or electrical equipment that would interfere with radio or television receivers or cause fluctuations in line voltage. • Environmental Impacts – There shall be no noise, vibration, smoke, gas, dust, odor, heat or glare produced by the business which would exceed those typical of a residence. • Storage – Outdoor storage or display is prohibited. Indoor storage is limited to the space limitations identified above. Off-site storage within a commercial storage facility is exempt from this standard. • Flammable Liquids – Storage or use of Class I flammable or combustible liquids requires a permit. • Fire Extinguisher – A minimum rated 2-A 10 BC fire extinguisher is required on premises. • Accessory Buildings – Detached garages may be used for home occupations; provided, that the property still complies with the parking requirements. Other accessory buildings, such as sheds, may only be used for storage, provided the structure is fully enclosed. All accessory buildings used to house or support home occupations shall not exceed 1,000 square feet, or the size of the primary residence, whichever is less. • Signage – Only one nonelectric and nonilluminated sign (maximum 2 SF in area) is permitted and shall be attached flush to the wall of the building. The sign material and appearance must be harmonious with the architecture of the home. SPECIAL HOME OCCUPATION PERMIT If a proposed home occupation will not comply with all the standards identified above, the applicant may request a Special Home Occupation Permit, which will include public notice to all property owners within 300 feet of the home occupation. Applications should be submitted to Planning Division staff electronically, not in person. Please email or call your assigned Project Manager to submit your application. If you have any Planning related questions you may reach out to Planning Customer Service at 425-430-7294 or planningcustomerservice@rentonwa.gov. BUILDING, PLUMBING, MECHANICAL, AND ELECTRICAL PERMITS If building additions, plumbing, mechanical, electrical or other utilities will be needed for the home occupation, additional permits will be required. Applications for these permits may be obtained on the 6th floor of Renton City Hall or online at www.rentonwa.gov. Depending on the type of business, other permits may be required by agencies such as the King County Health Department, which you should look into. FAMILY DAY CARE HOME OR ADULT FAMILY HOME In order to ensure the safety and well-being of children and the elderly, family day care homes and adult family homes are in a special category which has their own state and local regulations. Please refer to Family Day Care Home information form, available at Renton City Hall or online at www.rentonwa.gov, or contact the Department of Social and Health Services at 1-800-422-7880 or www.dshs.wa.gov for more information on the special requirements.