Town Permit Guide

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Can I run a business from home in Lexington, Massachusetts?

Lexington, Middlesex County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-03 · Reviewed · 11 cited sections

Allowed

Yes. In Lexington's residential districts, instruction and minor home occupations (no non-resident employees, no more than 2 visitors at a time and 6 a day) are allowed by right, while a major home occupation (one non-resident employee, up to 10 visitors a day) needs a special permit. No business signs, exterior storage or exterior alterations are allowed, and client visits are limited to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Minor or instruction home occupationAllowed by right in RO and RS [10]
Minor: visitorsNo more than 2 at a time, 6 per day [1]
Major home occupationSpecial permit (Board of Appeals) in RO and RS [11]
Major: employees and visitors1 non-resident employee, up to 10 visitors per day [2]
SignsNo sign indicating the business [4]
Hours for business visits7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. [5]
Pickups and deliveriesAverage of no more than 2 per day [7]
Parking (major)1 space per non-resident employee on site [8]

Three kinds of home occupation

These rules come from the Zoning Bylaw PDF incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025; the only later zoning change we know of (2026) was described as technical corrections.

Lexington's Zoning Bylaw treats a home occupation as a business run for gain inside a home by someone who lives there, incidental to the home's residential use. It defines three types:

  • Instruction: teaching inside the instructor's home, such as music lessons or tutoring.
  • Minor: no non-resident employee working on site, no more than two business visitors at a time and six over the course of a day [1].
  • Major: no more than one non-resident employee, partner or contractor on site and no more than 10 business visitors a day [2].

In the RO and RS one-family districts, instruction and minor home occupations are allowed by right [10], while a major home occupation requires a special permit [11]. Special permits are granted by the Board of Appeals unless another board is named [9].

Rules for every home occupation

  • The business must be run by a resident and stay incidental to the home's residential use (§6.8.3).
  • No exterior alterations for the business and no exterior storage of materials or equipment [3]. No business sign is allowed [4].
  • Business visits only between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. unless a special permit allows otherwise [5].
  • Minor and instruction home occupations can't have any non-resident employee, contractor or partner [6]; off-site employees who don't regularly visit aren't limited.
  • Deliveries are limited to passenger vehicles, mail carriers and small vans, averaging no more than two pickups or deliveries a day [7].
  • No hazardous materials beyond quantities allowed in homes (§6.8.10).

Parking

A major home occupation must provide one off-street space for a non-resident employee who regularly works on site, and the Board of Appeals may require up to one space per client expected at one time [8].

Child care

A family child care home is allowed by right in RO, RS and RT; a large family child care home needs a special permit (Table 1, A.2.010-A.2.011).

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Next steps

  1. Decide which category fits: instruction, minor (no employees on site, 2 visitors at a time, 6 a day) or major (1 employee, up to 10 visitors a day).
  2. For an instruction or minor home occupation, confirm with the Zoning Office (781-698-4534) that no permit filing is needed and follow the §6.8 standards.
  3. For a major home occupation, apply to the Board of Appeals for a special permit and show the off-street parking space for your employee.
  4. If you operate under a name other than your own, file a business certificate with the Town Clerk.

Common questions

Can I run a business from my home in Lexington, Massachusetts?
Yes. Instruction and minor home occupations (no non-resident employees, no more than 2 visitors at a time and 6 a day) are allowed by right in residential districts.
Do I need a special permit for a home business with employees in Lexington, Massachusetts?
Yes. A major home occupation, with one non-resident employee and up to 10 visitors a day, needs a special permit.
Can I put a sign up for a home business in Lexington, Massachusetts?
No. No business signs, exterior storage or exterior alterations are allowed, and client visits are limited to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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.

State sources: M.G.L. c. 40A, §3 (family child care; Dover Amendment) · M.G.L. c. 15D, §1A (family child care home definitions) · M.G.L. c. 110, §5 (business certificates)

What the bylaw says

Exact text from Lexington's published bylaws. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. §10 Definitions, Home Occupation, Minor, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 114
    2. HOME OCCUPATION, MINORA home occupation with no nonresidential employee, partner, or contractor working on the premises; no more than two business-related visitors to the premises at a time; and no more than six business-related visitors to the premises over the course of a day.
  2. §10 Definitions, Home Occupation, Major, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 114
    3. HOME OCCUPATION, MAJORA home occupation with no more than one nonresident employee, partner, or contractor working on the premises and no more than 10 business-related visitors to the premises over the course of a day.
  3. §6.8.4(1)-(2), Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 59
    1. The business shall not require alterations to the exterior of the building. 2. There shall be no exterior storage of materials, supplies, or equipment related to the business.
  4. §6.8.4(3), Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 59
    3. There shall be no sign indicating the business.
  5. §6.8.6, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 59
    6.8.6 Hours of Operation. Business visits to a home occupation shall be limited to the hours from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., unless otherwise authorized by special permit.
  6. §6.8.7(1), Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 59
    1. A minor home occupation or instruction home occupation shall have no nonresident employee, contractor, or partner.
  7. §6.8.8(2), Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 60
    2. Pickups and deliveries shall not exceed those normally and reasonably occurring at a residence and shall not include more than an average of two pickups and deliveries of products or materials per day.
  8. §6.8.9, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 60
    1. One parking space shall be provided for a nonresident employee, partner, or contractor regularly working on the premises;
  9. §10 Definitions, Special Permit Granting Authority, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 124
    The authority empowered to grant special permits, which shall be the Board of Appeals unless some other board is so designated in these bylaws.
  10. Table 1, Permitted Uses, A.2.06-A.2.07, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 129
    A.2.07 Home occupation, minor N Y Y
  11. Table 1, Permitted Uses, A.2.08, Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 135 (incorporating amendments through Annual Town Meeting 2025), p. 130
    A.2.08 Home occupation, major N SP SP
This page summarizes Lexington's posted bylaws as of 2026-10-03. Bylaws are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Building Office / Zoning (Department of Land Use, Housing and Development), 1625 Massachusetts Avenue (781-698-4530 (Zoning 781-698-4534)) before you build. Spot an error?