{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-160a-205.8","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160A-205.8","heading":"No-impact home-based businesses.","body":"(a)\tA city shall not adopt an ordinance or other regulation prohibiting no-impact home-based businesses within its jurisdictional limits or require a person to apply, register, or obtain any permit, license, variance, or other type of approval to operate a no-impact home-based business within its jurisdictional limit. A city may impose reasonable regulations on no-impact home-based businesses if the regulations are narrowly tailored for any of the following purposes:\n(1)\tEnsuring the protection of public health and safety, as allowed by law.\n(2)\tEnsuring that the business activity meets all of the following:\na.\tIs compatible with the residential use of the property and surrounding residential use.\nb.\tIs secondary to the use of the property as a residential dwelling.\nc.\tComplies with State and federal law, including the payment of applicable taxes.\n(3)\tProhibiting or limiting the use of no-impact home-based businesses for the purpose of selling illegal drugs, liquor, operating or maintaining a structured sober living home, pornography, obscenity, or nude or topless dancing or other adult-oriented businesses.\n(b)\tA city shall not require as a condition of operating a no-impact home-based business that the owner or occupant of the property do the following:\n(1)\tSubmit a petition for rezoning the property for commercial use.\n(2)\tInstall or equip fire sprinklers in any building or structure subject to the North Carolina Residential Code.\n(c)\tThe provisions of this section shall not apply if the operation of a no-impact home-based business is prohibited by the terms of:\n(1)\tAny deed, covenant, or agreement restricting the use of the land.\n(2)\tAny master deed, bylaws, or other documents applicable to a homeowners association.\n(d)\tThe following definitions apply in this section:\n(1)\tGoods. - Any merchandise, equipment, products, supplies, or materials.\n(2)\tHome-based business. - Any business owned and operated by the owner or occupant of the residential dwelling that manufactures, provides, or sells goods or services.\n(3)\tNo-impact home-based business. - A no-impact home-based business for which all of the following apply:\na.\tThe total number of on-site employees and clients do not exceed the city's occupancy limit for the residential property.\nb.\tThe business activities are characterized by all of the following:\n1.\tAre limited to the sale of lawful goods and services.\n2.\tDo not generate on-street parking or a substantial increase in traffic through the residential area.\n3.\tOccur inside or in the yard of the residential dwelling.\n4.\tAre not visible from the street.\n5.\tDo not store merchandise, equipment, products, supplies, or materials outside of the premises. (2026-51, s. 1.)","path":["Chapter 160A. Cities and Towns.","Article 8. Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_160A/GS_160A-205.8.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T18:25:42Z","sha256":"20ba43adf480bd74a0b595941292f141ec400f258486f43a3e4cf204b60916a7","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-160a-205.7","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-160a-206"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}