Home occupations in Ferndale, MI

What the Ferndale zoning ordinance says about home occupations, district by district. Section numbers link to the official ordinance.

All districts

Home-based businesses are permitted in R-1 through CBD, subject to the Section 5.06 conditions:

The business stays clearly incidental and subordinate to the residential use.
At most 1 non-residential employee.
No merchandise sold on the premises.
Deliveries limited to customary mail and package service. The business cannot generate parking or circulation concerns or draw truck traffic.
No non-residential exterior alterations.
On outdoor work, the code states: "Outdoor Activities: Prohibited (except for one trailer or food truck)." That exception is unusual as written. Confirm with the city how it applies before relying on it.
Signage is limited to a nameplate (Section 8.06.H).

Section 5.06

Get alerted when Ferndale zoning rules change

$49/month. An email when a human-reviewed rule change is published for Ferndale — with the citation, the date, and a link to the updated page. Quiet months get a short note confirming we checked. Cancel any time.

Alerts come only from reviewed changes, never from raw ordinance-site noise. Billing via Stripe; unsubscribe and cancellation links in every email.

Get the full picture for your property

Enter an address. We identify the zoning district and assemble what the ordinance says about it: permitted uses, dimensional rules, accessory structures, and the approval process.

District identification is free. The full brief is $79.