How many of you work from your home? I have been offered a position with a company to do sales. I would be doing the sales from my home. From what I understand talking to the owner, perhaps 95% of the work he does is via fax and email. Rarely does anyone come by his place of business (which happens to be the lower level of his house). I called the city I live in to inquire about what might be required to work from my home. They emailed a bunch of paperwork to me. The email is titled "Variance of Use Packet". It looks to me to be a request for a zoning variance. Isn't that a bit extreme? My wife was a realtor for a few years when the economy was better. She operated out of the house as did the majority of the other realtors. I don't recall anyone needing some variance of zoning. Any input would be appreciated.
License from City to Operate in My House
- Thread starter WilliamH4
- Start date
This is like one of those things where you try to do the right thing, but end up getting into all sorts of complications and bureaucracy!
I can't speak for the city you live in, although I would place a pretty big bet on the fact that its not really policed, and is more of a way for the city to extract even more money from you (I am sure there is a fee to file some useless piece of paper with them!) lol.
Throw it in the trash. Its much easier to ask for forgiveness
than it is permission, should you ever need to!
I can't speak for the city you live in, although I would place a pretty big bet on the fact that its not really policed, and is more of a way for the city to extract even more money from you (I am sure there is a fee to file some useless piece of paper with them!) lol.
Throw it in the trash. Its much easier to ask for forgiveness
than it is permission, should you ever need to!- 14,809
What cds said - throw it in the trash. My locality has similar paperwork/approval process if you're running a business out of your home but they're mainly talking about businesses where a lot of clients/customers would be coming to your house. If, for example, you wanted to open up a beauty salon out of your house, then you need the permit.
- Thread starter
- #4
Kind of how I'm looking at it too. I just don't want to get my employer in any hot water with his contracts. He's been in business for many years and in good standing with everyone. However, I think you're correct.This is like one of those things where you try to do the right thing, but end up getting into all sorts of complications and bureaucracy!
I can't speak for the city you live in, although I would place a pretty big bet on the fact that its not really policed, and is more of a way for the city to extract even more money from you (I am sure there is a fee to file some useless piece of paper with them!) lol.
Throw it in the trash. Its much easier to ask for forgiveness
G
Guest
Guest
Home bases businesses are generally OK, its when you have clients COME TO YOUR HOUSE where issues and regulations and laws and stuff happen...
You have given them your name and address, so now you might have opened a can of worms you will have to fight
You have given them your name and address, so now you might have opened a can of worms you will have to fight
- 483
Ppl can be stupid in their bureaucratic haze...think TSA.
I know you trying to do the "right" thing but the ppl down at city hall are many times just to THICK to see "hear" whats going on.
* I remember once I called the city of Pasadena, Ca about a "business license" for my home business and they told me I'd have to pay something like $300 for them to inspect the place of business for something to do with "employee safety".
I said ma'am
1) I'll have no employees and
2)...you are going to charge me $300 to come look @ me in my underwear in my own bedroom, cause that's where I'm working.
These ppl are clueless, you don't need a city license to conduct business via the phone.
The problem is these "employee" mined ppl at city hall "hear" the word business and they think
a) Fees, fees, fees
b)Retail cash & carry type showroom
c) Employee accommodations, public bathroom, hot water for cooking
....not a fax machine in a second bedroom.
You can get business correspondence all day long at your house and you can make whatever business call you want from your home, just like Bill Gates or Oprah with no license needed.
At best get a p.o. box, if you're quesy but trust me tens of thousands of sales ppl conduct business at home in our underwear (just like I am now) with no business license....and nobody ever ask for one either.
Like @cds251 said wait to ask for forgiveness...it'll be a long wait.
I asked Pasadena, that question in my naive 20's...I'm now in my know-it-all mid 40's
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If you're faxing and calling...like RBA stated this is a non-issue.
Like, I mentioned earlier if if you're quesy get a P.O. to use as your official business correspondence address and don't waste any more energy on this subject.
Good Luck
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If you're faxing and calling...like RBA stated this is a non-issue.
Like, I mentioned earlier if you're quesy get a P.O. to use as your official business correspondence address and don't waste any more energy on this subject.
Good Luck
I know you trying to do the "right" thing but the ppl down at city hall are many times just to THICK to see "hear" whats going on.
* I remember once I called the city of Pasadena, Ca about a "business license" for my home business and they told me I'd have to pay something like $300 for them to inspect the place of business for something to do with "employee safety".
I said ma'am
1) I'll have no employees and
2)...you are going to charge me $300 to come look @ me in my underwear in my own bedroom, cause that's where I'm working.
These ppl are clueless, you don't need a city license to conduct business via the phone.
The problem is these "employee" mined ppl at city hall "hear" the word business and they think
a) Fees, fees, fees
b)Retail cash & carry type showroom
c) Employee accommodations, public bathroom, hot water for cooking
....not a fax machine in a second bedroom.
You can get business correspondence all day long at your house and you can make whatever business call you want from your home, just like Bill Gates or Oprah with no license needed.
At best get a p.o. box, if you're quesy but trust me tens of thousands of sales ppl conduct business at home in our underwear (just like I am now) with no business license....and nobody ever ask for one either.
Like @cds251 said wait to ask for forgiveness...it'll be a long wait.
I asked Pasadena, that question in my naive 20's...I'm now in my know-it-all mid 40's
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If you're faxing and calling...like RBA stated this is a non-issue.
Like, I mentioned earlier if if you're quesy get a P.O. to use as your official business correspondence address and don't waste any more energy on this subject.
Good Luck
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If you're faxing and calling...like RBA stated this is a non-issue.
Like, I mentioned earlier if you're quesy get a P.O. to use as your official business correspondence address and don't waste any more energy on this subject.
Good Luck
Last edited:
It is a 'variance' of zoning laws in most places. I know in my town, they want a one time fee I think of $95 to allow a home business.
The city called me because I listed my home address as my work address on my schedule C and California feeds that info back to the local municipalities so they can get paid. I just moved my 'official' address, skipped paying them. And yes, the PO Box thing solves this since its already zoned for commercial mail
If its not a primary office (i.e., corporate headquarters), just a office of convenience, I wouldn't worry about it much.
Dan
The city called me because I listed my home address as my work address on my schedule C and California feeds that info back to the local municipalities so they can get paid. I just moved my 'official' address, skipped paying them. And yes, the PO Box thing solves this since its already zoned for commercial mail
If its not a primary office (i.e., corporate headquarters), just a office of convenience, I wouldn't worry about it much.
Dan
