Can I run a business from home in Burlington, Massachusetts?
Yes. A general home occupation ("Home Occupation 2") is allowed by right in Burlington's RO single-family district, as long as only family members living there work in it, it uses no more than 25% of the home's floor area, and the only outside sign is one non-lit sign of up to 1 sq ft on the wall. A professional office in the home of a physician, dentist or similar professional ("Home Occupation 1") needs a Planning Board special permit in RO.
| General home occupation in RO | Allowed by right (Home Occupation 2) [1] |
| Professional office (physician, dentist, etc.) in RO | Special permit (Home Occupation 1) [1] |
| Employees | Only family members living on the premises [3] |
| Max floor area used | 25% of the dwelling unit [3] |
| Sign | One sign, max 1 sq ft, non-illuminated, flat on the wall [4] |
| Traffic and parking | Normal residential volumes; parking off-street and not in the required front yard [5] |
| Family child care home | Allowed in all districts [7] |
These rules come from the zoning bylaw as consolidated through January 2025 and may have changed since.
Two kinds of home occupation
Burlington's Zoning Bylaw has two categories. Home Occupation 1 is use of part of a dwelling as an office by a physician, dentist or other professional living there [2]. Home Occupation 2 covers other home occupations, with no display or advertising beyond a permitted sign. In the accessory use schedule, Home Occupation 1 needs a special permit (SP) in the RO One-Family district and isn't allowed in other base districts. Home Occupation 2 is allowed by right (YES) in RO, RG, RC and MIX [1]. So in RO, a general home business is by right while a resident professional's office needs a special permit. Special permits under the use schedule come from the Planning Board [6].
Conditions for every home occupation (§10.1.0)
- Staff: only family members living on the premises may be engaged in the business [3].
- Size: the business must be clearly secondary to the home, using no more than 25% of the dwelling unit's floor area [3].
- Appearance and signs: no change to the outside of the building or other visible sign of the business, except one sign of no more than 1 sq ft, unlit, mounted flat against the principal building's wall [4].
- Customers and parking: traffic can't exceed what's normal for a residential neighborhood, and business parking must be off the street and outside the required front yard [5].
- Nuisances: no equipment or process creating noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or electrical interference detectable off the lot (for a single-family home).
Child care
A family child care home is allowed in every district [7], consistent with state law protecting licensed family child care.
What's not covered
The bylaw doesn't list specific prohibited businesses; instead, any business that can't meet these conditions (for example, one with non-resident employees or regular customer traffic) wouldn't qualify as a home occupation.
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Next steps
- Check that your business fits: family members living there only, no more than 25% of the home's floor area, no outside storage or visible changes.
- If you're a physician, dentist or other professional seeing clients at home in RO, apply to the Planning Board for a special permit (Home Occupation 1).
- Limit signage to one unlit sign of 1 sq ft or less mounted flat on the house wall, and keep client parking in your driveway, not the front yard.
- If you use a business name other than your own, file a business certificate with the Town Clerk; ask the Building Department (781-270-1615) if unsure.
Common questions
- Can I run a business from home in Burlington, Massachusetts?
- Yes. A general home occupation (Home Occupation 2) is allowed by right in the RO single-family district if only family members living there work in it, it uses no more than 25% of the home's floor area, and outside signage is limited to one small unlit wall sign.
- Do I need a home occupation permit in Burlington, Massachusetts?
- It depends. A general home occupation is allowed by right in RO, but a professional office in the home of a physician, dentist or similar professional (Home Occupation 1) needs a Planning Board special permit there.
- Can I have a sign for my home business in Burlington, Massachusetts?
- Yes, but only one sign of no more than 1 sq ft, unlit and mounted flat against the house wall. No other exterior change or visible sign of the business is allowed.
- Can I have employees in a home business in Burlington, Massachusetts?
- No outside employees. Only family members living on the premises may be engaged in the business, and customer traffic can't exceed what's normal for a residential neighborhood, with parking off the street and outside the required front yard.
Massachusetts state rules for home businesses
Massachusetts has no general state law on home occupations. Whether you can run a business from home, and what limits apply (employees, signs, client visits, parking), is set by your town's zoning bylaw. State law does protect some home-based uses and add a few requirements:
- Family child care is protected: a licensed family child care home or large family child care home (licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care) is an allowed use everywhere. Towns may not prohibit or regulate it through zoning (M.G.L. c. 40A, §3). A family child care home serves up to 6 children under 16, counting the provider's own children who are cared for there.
- The "Dover Amendment" (also c. 40A, §3) bars zoning from prohibiting religious or nonprofit educational uses and child care facilities. Towns can still apply reasonable rules on bulk, height, setbacks, open space and parking. This mainly matters for institutions, not typical home offices.
- Business certificate ("DBA"): if you do business under any name other than your own legal name, you must file a business certificate with the city or town clerk where your office is located (M.G.L. c. 110, §5).
- Farm stands and agriculture get zoning protection only on qualifying farm parcels (generally 5+ acres, or 2+ acres with $1,000 per acre in yearly sales).
- State licensing for specific trades (cosmetology, food production, etc.) applies no matter where you work.
What the bylaw says
- §4.3.1.3-4.3.1.4 Accessory Use Regulation Schedule, Burlington Zoning Bylaws (as amended through January 2025, pending AG approval at posting), p. 48
4.3.1.3 Home Occupation 1 SP NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES YES YES YES NO 4.3.1.4 Home Occupation 2 YES YES YES NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES YES YES YES YES
- Art. II, Home Occupation 1, Burlington Zoning Bylaws (as amended through January 2025, pending AG approval at posting), p. 19
Use of a portion of a dwelling as an office by a physician, dentist or other professional person residing in the dwelling, incidental to such residence provided there is no display or advertising other than a permitted sign.
- §10.1.0(a)-(b), Burlington Zoning Bylaws (as amended through January 2025, pending AG approval at posting), p. 127
(a) No person other than members of the family residing on the premises shall be engaged in such occupation; (b) The use of the dwelling unit for the home occupation shall be clearly incidental and subordinate to its use for residential purposes by its occupants, and not more than 25 percent of the floor area of the dwelling unit shall be used in the conduct of the home occupation;
- §10.1.0(c), Burlington Zoning Bylaws (as amended through January 2025, pending AG approval at posting), p. 127
(c) There shall be no change in the outside appearance of the building or premises, or other visible evidence of the conduct of such home occupation other than one sign, not exceeding one square foot in area, non-illuminated, and mounted flat against the wall of the principal building;
- §10.1.0(d), Burlington Zoning Bylaws (as amended through January 2025, pending AG approval at posting), p. 127
(d) No traffic shall be generated by such occupation in greater volumes than would normally be expected in a residential neighborhood, and any need for parking generated by the conduct of such home occupation shall be met off the street and other than in a required front yard.
- §9.2.1 Special Permit Requirements, Burlington Zoning Bylaws (as amended through January 2025, pending AG approval at posting), p. 119
In all districts, any use or accessory use designated by SP in the Principal Use Regulations Schedule and the Accessory Use Regulations Schedule (Article IV, Sections 4.2.0 and 4.3.0) shall require a Special Permit granted by the Planning Board.
- §4.3.1.18 Accessory Use Regulation Schedule, Burlington Zoning Bylaws (as amended through January 2025, pending AG approval at posting), p. 50
4.3.1.18 Family Child Care Home YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES