Home Based Business

If you are looking to start a Home based occupation please contact the Business Tax Office to verify that your home is located within the City of Lakeland City limits.

Business Tax Office
228 S Massachusetts Avenue
Lakeland, FL  33801
863.834.6025

General Requirements for all Home Based Businesses:

1. Only the person or persons maintain the dwelling as their primary place of residence may operate a home occupation.
2. A home occupation may only operate within a completely enclosed structure. A home occupation may take place in the dwelling but shall not occupy more than 25% of the floor area of the structure or 530 square feet, whichever is less. A home occupation may take place in a detached accessory structure but in no case shall the total area of the occupation occupy more than 530 square feet on any one building-lot.
3. No external advertising, external display of goods, or any other external evidence of any home occupation, is allowed except for signage in accordance with Section 4.9 of the Land Development Code.
4. The outdoor storage of goods or materials is prohibited.
5. No substances or materials may be store or used except as they would, in such quantity, be normal and acceptable in a residential setting.
6. Home occupation activities may not result in any continuous, intermittent, pulsating or other noise or vibration that can be detected by a normal person off the premises.
7. Home occupations are subject to the requirements pertaining to the parking of commercial vehicles in residential districts. 

APPLICATION