Home Occupations

Submittal Requirements

The first step to submitting a development of any kind is to call (850) 267-1955 to schedule a pre-application meeting with staff. No applications will be accepted prior to a pre-application meeting.
 

Home Occupations

Walton County presently does not have a business license or occupational license. However, one may have wondered what to do if one wanted to work out of their home.

A "permit" is required to work out of your home and it is called a "home occupation permit." A home occupation is a personal service business operated from a bona fide dwelling unit as a temporary accessory use subordinate and incidental to the dwelling without change to the residential character of the home. These types of live/work uses are to be minimal in intensity, not exceeding 25% of the gross floor area of the home. Further, a home occupation must not create a nuisance of fumes, vibrations, noise, glare, odors, or electrical interference.

This type of permit allows a resident to operate in their home office (i.e. one could provide a bookkeeping service from a rental house) as long as they live at that particular address doing that particular business. These permits are not renewed yearly; however, should that person move, or decide to modify their business, a new permit is required. The proposed business cannot create additional traffic within the residential neighborhood, should not involve employees, will not be allowed to change the residential nature of the structure or the appearance of the home or premises with visible evidence of the home occupation.