Can I run a business from home in Hingham, Massachusetts?
Yes, in most residence districts. Hingham's Zoning By-Law permits a customary home occupation run by a resident with no more than one other regular employee, no outdoor storage and no product display visible from the street. Resident professional offices (doctor, lawyer, architect and similar) may have up to three people working on site. In Residence E these uses need a special permit.
| Customary home occupation | Permitted in Residence A-D; special permit (A1) in Residence E [1] |
| Employees (home occupation) | No more than 1 other person regularly employed [1] |
| Professional office/studio | Up to 3 persons on the premises at a time, including the resident professional [2] |
| Art dealer, decorator, appraiser | By appointment only; up to 3 persons; no exterior signs [3] |
| Outdoor storage / displays | No exterior storage; no product display visible from the street [1] |
| Signs | Must follow Section V-B sign rules [1] |
What counts as a home occupation
The by-law defines a home occupation as an accessory use producing goods or services, giving paid lessons, or doing custom domestic work from a dwelling by a resident, without changing the home's residential character [4].
Three kinds of home business
The Schedule of Uses lists three accessory uses allowed with a single- or two-family home:
- Customary home occupation (examples given: dressmaking and millinery), run by a resident with no more than one other person regularly employed, no exterior storage of materials or equipment, no product display visible from the street, and advertising only as allowed by the sign rules in Section V-B [1].
- Professional office or studio of a resident physician, dentist, attorney, architect, artist, musician, engineer, real estate or insurance broker, or other recognized profession, with no more than three people (including the resident) working on site at once [2].
- Office or studio of a resident art dealer, interior decorator or appraiser, open to clients by appointment only, with no more than three people working on site, no display or advertising visible from the street, and no exterior signs [3].
Zone differences
All three are permitted in Residence A, B, C and D and Business A and B, need a Special Permit (A1) from the Zoning Board of Appeals in Residence E, and are prohibited in the office park, waterfront, industrial, business recreation and official/open space districts [1]. You may also run these uses in an accessory building such as a barn, garage or studio on a single- or two-family lot [5].
Signs
In residence districts, the sign table allows a very small building-mounted sign with no permit, while larger signs need a building permit or a zoning special permit [6]. Check the exact size limits with the Building Department.
Not covered
The by-law doesn't set a separate limit on customer visits for customary home occupations; parking and traffic would be judged against the "residential character" test.
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Next steps
- Check your zoning district: home occupations are permitted in Residence A-D but need a Zoning Board of Appeals special permit in Residence E.
- Make sure the business fits one of the three categories, with the employee limit (1 other employee, or 3 people total for professional offices) and no outdoor storage.
- Before putting up any sign, confirm the size and permit requirements under Section V-B with the Building Department (781-741-1420).
- If you'll use a business name other than your own, file a business certificate with the Town Clerk.
Common questions
- Can I run a business from my home in Hingham, Massachusetts?
- Yes, in most residence districts. A customary home occupation run by a resident is permitted in Residence A-D, but needs a special permit in Residence E.
- How many employees can a home business have in Hingham, Massachusetts?
- No more than one other regular employee. Resident professional offices may have up to 3 people working on site.
- Can I store products outside for a home business in Hingham, Massachusetts?
- No. The by-law allows no outdoor storage and no product display visible from the street.
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
- Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, 1.8.6, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 27
1.8.6 Customary home occupation such as dressmaking and millinery conducted by a resident on the premises, provided that no more than one other person is regularly employed therein in connection with such use, and that there is no exterior storage of material or equipment, and that no display of products is visible from the street, and that any display or advertising is in accordance with Section V-B.
- Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, 1.8.4, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 27
1.8.4 Professional office or studio of a resident physician, dentist, attorney, architect, artist, musician, engineer, real-estate or insurance broker, or member of another recognized profession, provided that no more than three persons, including the resident professional(s), or business owner(s), shall be employed on the premises at any one time, and further provided that any display or advertising shall be in accordance with provisions of Section V-B.
- Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, 1.8.5, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 27
1.8.5 The office or studio of a resident art dealer, interior decorator, or appraiser, provided that said office or studio is open to clients by appointment only, that no more than three persons, including the resident professional(s), or business owner(s), shall be employed on the premises at any one time, and that there shall be no display or advertising visible from the street and no exterior signs.
- Section VI, Definitions (Home Occupation), Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 143
An accessory use involving the production of goods or services, the giving of lessons for compensation, or the performance of custom work of a domestic nature conducted from a dwelling by a resident thereof and which does not change the dwelling’s residential character.
- Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, 1.8.7, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 27
1.8.7 In accessory buildings incidental to a Single-Family Dwelling or a Two-Family Dwelling, the following uses are permitted: (a) the accessory uses listed in subsections 1.8.1 through 1.8.6 above;
- Section V-B, Schedule of Sign Regulations, note 6 (Permit Procedure), Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 117
N = No permit required; permitted as-of-right B = Building Permit required Z = Zoning Special Permit required