Home Occupations
(Including Customary and Rural Home Occupations, Bed and Breakfasts, and Cottage Food Operations)
Residents of unincorporated Lake County can operate certain businesses out of their homes if they comply with the operational standards of Subsections 151.113 (E), (F), (G), and (H) of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) of the Lake County Code. Customary home occupations (E), cottage food operations (F) (production of certain food items in a residential kitchen), and bed and breakfasts (H) may be conducted on lots of any size. Rural home occupations (G), which may be of greater operational intensity, are restricted to lots 80,000 square feet or larger.
Customary Home Occupation
Some types of work can be conducted at home with little or no effect on the surrounding neighborhood. The home occupation regulations of Subsection 151.113 (E) of the (UDO) are intended to permit residents to engage in customary home occupations, while ensuring that the home occupation will not be a detriment to the character and livability of the surrounding area. The regulations require that home occupations (an accessory use) remain subordinate to the allowed principal use (the residential use) and that the residential viability of the dwelling unit is maintained. A zoning certificate must be issued by the County before a home occupation may be established in a home.
Please Note: The regulations outlined on this page were enacted to regulate home-based businesses and applies to individuals who are self-employed or operate their own business in their primary place of residences. A home occupation does not apply to individuals who perform administrative-related work in their home for an entity that is located elsewhere.
Allowed Uses:
- The home occupation regulations establish performance standards rather than providing a detailed list of allowed types of home occupations.
- Uses that comply with all the standards will be allowed as home occupations unless they are specifically prohibited.
- The home occupation must be clearly incidental to the use of the dwelling as a residence.
Prohibited Uses:
- Animal care or boarding facilities
- Barber shops, beauty shops, and nail salons, unless they are served by community sewer systems
- Contracting businesses
- Dispatch centers @(Model.BulletStyle == CivicPlus.Entities.Modules.Layout.Enums.BulletStyle.Decimal ? "ol" : "ul")>
- Food service businesses (except cottage food operations, see below)
- Mobile (off-site) vehicle servicing
- Vehicle and large equipment storage/repair @(Model.BulletStyle == CivicPlus.Entities.Modules.Layout.Enums.BulletStyle.Decimal ? "ol" : "ul")>
All customary home occupations are subject to general standards including:
Size and Location:
- Home occupations are allowed as an accessory use to any allowed residential use.
- All activities and storage areas associated with home occupations must be conducted and located inside the principal dwelling unit, not in detached buildings or garages.
- A home occupation may not occupy more than 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling unit.
Number of Home Occupations:
- There is no limit on the number of home occupations, provided that the home occupations in cumulative comply with all the regulations of the UDO.
Employees:
The operator of a home occupation must be a full-time resident of the dwelling unit.
- A maximum of two (2) nonresident employee shall be allowed in conjunction with a home occupation.“Nonresident employee” includes an employee, business partner, co-owner, or other person affiliated with the home occupation, who does not live at the site, but who visits the site as part of the home occupation.
Customers:
- Customers may visit the site only during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- No more than six (6) customers or clients may visit the site in any single day.
Exterior Appearance:
- Visible evidence of the conduct of a home occupation when viewed from the street right-of-way or from an adjacent lot is prohibited.
- There may be no change in the exterior appearance of the dwelling unit that houses a home occupation or the site upon which it is conducted that will make the dwelling appear less residential in nature or function.
- Examples of the prohibited alterations include construction of parking lots or adding commercial-like exterior lighting.
Signs:
- Signs are not allowed (except Bed and Breakfast, see below).
Operational impacts:
- No home occupation or equipment used in conjunction with a home occupation may cause odor, vibration, noise, electrical interference, or fluctuation in voltage that is perceptible beyond the lot line of the lot upon which the home occupation is conducted.
- No hazardous substances may be used or stored in conjunction with a home occupation.
Deliveries:
- Deliveries or pickups of supplies or products associated with home occupations are allowed only between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
- Vehicles used for delivery and pickup are limited to those normally servicing residential neighborhoods.
Retail Sales and Display:
- No stock-in-trade shall be produced on the premises, except for the following:
- The hand-assembly or handcrafting of arts and crafts and the kiln-firing of hand-wrought or hand-painted ceramics.
- The hand-wrapping or finishing of gift baskets, variety packs, or other similar multi-content stock, wherein the component items have been manufactured elsewhere.
- No stock-in-trade shall be sold on the premises, except for the following:
- The trans-shipment or pre-arranged pickup of items specifically pre-ordered or pre-purchased by a customer, except for vehicles and large equipment and
- The direct shipment of items to a customer that were specifically pre-ordered or pre-purchased by the customer.
Home Day Care
Home day care for seven (7) or fewer individuals (or as permitted by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services) at any one time is considered “babysitting” and regulated as a customary home occupation
Bed and Breakfasts
Bed and breakfast operations are subject to the home occupation provisions of Subsection 151.113 (E) and the following standards, provided that the home occupation customer limits of subsection 151.113(E)(11) do not apply. In the event of conflict, the following standards shall apply.
- The Bed and Breakfast may not occupy more than 50% of the floor area of the residence.
- No more than five (5) bedrooms or guest rooms shall be rented per night.
- Lake County Health Department approval shall be required.
- An inspection by the Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department shall be required.
- No more than one (1) sign with a maximum area of one (1) square foot shall be displayed or posted.
- Occupancy by any guest shall not exceed seven (7) consecutive days. A permanent register shall be maintained to show the names and signatures of all guests.
- The bed and breakfast will comply with the requirements of the Illinois Bed and Breakfast Act (50 ILCS 820/1 et seq.)
Cottage Food Operations
Cottage food operations, which permits production of certain food items in the kitchen of a person’s primary residence for sale exclusively at farmer’s markets, are subject to the home occupation provisions of Subsection 151.113 (E) of the UDO.
- In addition, the operator must annually apply for a cottage food operation registration through the Lake County Health Department.
- The Illinois Cottage Food Operation Act, 41 ILCS 625, provides additional standards for the preparation and sale of food under a cottage food operation, including compliance with applicable health regulations.
Rural Home Occupation
The rural home occupation use was created to allow business activity of a greater intensity than that of a customary home occupation while still maintaining compatibility with the rural character of the surrounding area. Residents on larger lots located in rural areas may be able to conduct higher intensity uses with little or no effect on surrounding properties. The business activity shall be conducted within the dwelling or one accessory building. The use of the property for a rural home occupation must be clearly incidental and subordinate to the residential use. A zoning certificate must be issued by the County before a rural home occupation is to be established in a dwelling unit or accessory structure.
Please note: Agricultural uses on property of 200,000 square feet or greater are not regulated by the customary or rural home occupation standards. They are regulated by state statute and other provisions of the UDO.
Allowed Uses:
- The rural home occupation regulations establish performance standards rather than detailed lists of allowed rural home occupations.
- Uses that comply with all the standards will be allowed as rural home occupations unless they are specifically prohibited.
- The rural home occupation must be clearly incidental to the use of the dwelling as a residence.
Prohibited Uses:
- Barber shops, beauty shops, and nail salons, unless they are served by community sewer systems
- Dispatch centers
- Kennels @(Model.BulletStyle == CivicPlus.Entities.Modules.Layout.Enums.BulletStyle.Decimal ? "ol" : "ul")>
- Large equipment repair
- Outdoor storage
- Vehicle repair not incidental to the maintenance or repair of vehicles associated with the home occupation @(Model.BulletStyle == CivicPlus.Entities.Modules.Layout.Enums.BulletStyle.Decimal ? "ol" : "ul")>
All rural home occupations are subject to general standards including:
Size and Location:
- The minimum lot size for a rural home occupation is 80,000 square feet.
- The rural home occupation may occupy either a portion of the principal residential dwelling or one accessory building.
- Operations and storage associated with the rural home occupation shall occupy less than 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling unit or in one accessory building.
- The portion of the accessory building devoted to the rural home occupation shall not exceed 1,000 square feet
Employees:
The operator of a rural home occupation must be a full-time resident of the dwelling unit.
- A maximum of three (3) nonresident employee shall be allowed in conjunction with a rural home occupation.
- “Nonresident employee” includes an employee, business partner, co-owner, or other person affiliated with the home occupation, who does not live at the site, but who visits the site as part of the home occupation.
Customers:
- Customers may visit the site only during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- No more than six (6) customers or clients may visit the site in any single day.
Exterior Appearance:
- There shall be no visible evidence of the conduct of a rural home occupation when viewed from the street right-of-way or from an adjacent lot.
- No outdoor storage of materials or goods is permitted.
Signs:
- Signs are not allowed
Operational impacts:
- No home occupation or equipment used in conjunction with a rural home occupation may cause odor, vibration, noise, electrical interference, or fluctuation in voltage that is perceptible to the nearest residential structure on an adjoining parcel.
- No hazardous substances may be used or stored in conjunction with a rural home occupation.
Vehicles:
- Outside storage of commercial vehicles must meet all standards of Section 151.113(N) of the UDO.
- Off-street parking spaces shall be provided for all employees and patrons.
Inspections:
- Rural home occupations shall be subject to monitoring inspections during normal business hours as necessary to ensure the occupation and use of the property remains in compliance with the standards of the UDO.
Application Process
Complete the Customary Home Occupation Application Form or the Rural Home Occupation Application Form. If you are uncertain if your proposal would be permitted as a customary or rural home occupation, please call 847-377-2600 and ask to speak with a planner about home occupations. In addition, if any interior alterations to the structure are necessary to establish the home occupation, a building permit shall also be required.
When you are ready to submit your permit application, visit the Planning, Building and Development Department office located in the:
Lake County Central Permit Facility
500 W Winchester Road
Libertyville, IL 60048
Property owners or their authorized agent must apply for the permit in person. The property owner must provide a signature on the application form.
Application Fees
The fee schedule is available online. Please note, fees are increased annually, on December 1st.