Running A Business From Home

What is Required for a Home Occupation Permit?

Below are the items you will need to run a business from home.

  • Home Occupation Permit
  • Floor plan of the house showing where the business activity will be located
  • Description on  how the activity means Borough regulations

Running a Business From Home FAQ

What Type of Home Occupations are Permitted?

  • Administrative or professional activities, such as accounting, architecture, brokerage, clergy, counseling, or engineering services.
  • Support services conducted on the premises, such as computer programming, data processing, drafting, graphics, illustration, secretarial, telemarketing, or writing.
  • Services coordinated on the premises, but conducted elsewhere, such as caterer, claims adjuster, contractor, custodial, interior design, locksmith, material supplier, photographer, or sales representative.
  • Services coordinated and conducted on the premises, such as art studio, daycare/tutoring (limited to three (3) individuals), home crafts, tailoring, or travel agent.
  • Services involving incidental assembly/repair of items, such as jewelry or small electrical appliances/tools.

What are the Requirements for Home Occupations?

  • The occupation or activity, including the storage of materials, shall be conducted wholly within the principal building and shall not occupy more than 25% of the habitable floor area.
  • There shall be no display, sign or other indication of the home occupation viewable from the exterior of the  dwelling, or any variation from the residential character of the lot or the surrounding neighborhood.
  • The home occupation  shall produce no noise, vibration, smoke, odor, dust, heat, glare, electrical disruption, and/or electromagnetic interference which may create any public or private disturbance.
  • The home occupation  shall not create any additional waste, other than normally resulting from residential use.
  • There shall be no more than one (1) nonresident occupation participant at the dwelling  at any time where the home occupation is located. Other persons affiliated with the home occupation shall not physically report to or meet at the dwelling where the home occupation is located.
  • The home occupation  shall limit vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic, including pick-up and deliveries, to the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
  • Parking generated by the home occupation shall be limited to off-street parking on the lot upon which the home occupation is located.
  •  The home occupation shall not generate traffic, other than incidental traffic restricted to PennDOT Class 4, single-axle vehicles or smaller.

What is the Permit Fee?

Permit fee is $25.00, (checks payable to the Borough of Whitehall) at the time the applicant picks up the permit.

How Long Will it Take to Get the Permit?

If there are no issues with the application, the Borough strives to issue the permit in five working days.