business.gov.au

Home-based business / occupations - City of Moreton Bay - Queensland

Description

If you are looking to run your business from home, you will need to determine whether you need approval to do so.

Examples of a home-based business include a:

  • home office
  • bed and breakfast
  • home-based childcare
  • hairdressing.

You need to consider how your business will impact your building and the surrounding area. Things to consider include, but are not limited to:

  • the floor area used for the activity
  • the number of employees
  • visitor / client appointments
  • operating hours
  • signage
  • visible goods
  • car parking facilities.

It is possible that you will not require approval from your council or local authority to operate your home business. However, if the operation of your home business makes a material change to the use of your premises, you may be required to apply for development approval. This can include constructing new buildings, changing how buildings or land is used, or exceeding the allowed use of existing buildings or land.

Please note that you also need to meet all other licensing requirements relevant to your business activity (e.g. a food business licence, higher risk personal appearance service licence or advertisement approval).

It is advised that you contact your council or local authority to determine your requirements.

Service type

Advisory Material

Advisory material provides advice and guidance in undertaking a business.

Eligibility requirements

Your council or local authority may impose specific requirements to determine whether you will need to apply for development approval for your home-based business. Generally, you will be allowed to operate your business without approval if you meet some or all of the following requirements:

  • you live permanently in the home from which you want to operate the business
  • you only employ one person who doesn't live in your home
  • your business does not exceed your council's floor area limitations
  • you do not display goods or signs
  • you do not hire out materials, goods, appliances or vehicles
  • your business does not release any contaminant as defined in the Environmental Protection Act 1994, including noise
  • your business does not impose greater requirements on any public utility (such as water or sewerage) than would be reasonable from a family home
  • your business does not interfere with the amenity of the neighbourhood (e.g. through noise emission, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, vapour, steam, soot, ash, dust, grit, oil, waste water, waste products, radio or electrical interference)
  • your business does not exceed your council's defined customer visitation requirements
  • your business results in only one motor vehicle parked on the site or on the site's street frontage at any time
  • your business results in only one weekly visit by a delivery vehicle with a maximum capacity of 2.5 tonnes
  • your business operating hours are limited to 8am - 6pm Monday to Saturday (except for commercial guest or home stay accommodation).

More strict or other requirements may be imposed on you if you operate specific types of home businesses (e.g. accommodation or childcare).

Prerequisites

Might Need

Development approval

Application process

Apply

Your council or local authority may impose specific requirements to determine whether you will need to apply for development approval for your home-based business. Generally, you will be allowed to operate your business without approval if you meet some or all of the following requirements:

  • you live permanently in the home from which you want to operate the business
  • you only employ one person who doesn't live in your home
  • your business does not exceed your council's floor area limitations
  • you do not display goods or signs
  • you do not hire out materials, goods, appliances or vehicles
  • your business does not release any contaminant as defined in the Environmental Protection Act 1994, including noise
  • your business does not impose greater requirements on any public utility (such as water or sewerage) than would be reasonable from a family home
  • your business does not interfere with the amenity of the neighbourhood (e.g. through noise emission, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, vapour, steam, soot, ash, dust, grit, oil, waste water, waste products, radio or electrical interference)
  • your business does not exceed your council's defined customer visitation requirements
  • your business results in only one motor vehicle parked on the site or on the site's street frontage at any time
  • your business results in only one weekly visit by a delivery vehicle with a maximum capacity of 2.5 tonnes
  • your business operating hours are limited to 8am - 6pm Monday to Saturday (except for commercial guest or home stay accommodation).

More strict or other requirements may be imposed on you if you operate specific types of home businesses (e.g. accommodation or childcare).

Disqualified persons or entities

Businesses that do not qualify as home-based businesses include:

  • businesses that may disrupt your neighbours (as determined by your local council or authority)
  • mechanics
  • retail shops
  • transport depots
  • cafes
  • industrial businesses.

Administering agency

City of Moreton Bay

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.