Definitive Guide To Starting A Home-Based Design Business - Part 3 - RD206

<h2>Are you legally allowed to run a business from home?</h2> <p>[sc name="pod_ad"]By this point in the <em>Definitive Guide To Starting A Home-Based Design Business </em>series, you’ve determined that you want to start a home-based design business, you’ve written your business plan, and you’ve figured out your workspace situation at home. If you haven’t done any of that, go back and listen to <a href= "https://resourcefuldesigner.com/episode204">Part One</a> and <a href="https://resourcefuldesigner.com/episode205">Part Two</a> of this series.</p> <p class="p1">Now that the ball is rolling, and you’ve figured out precisely what you want to do and how to go about getting it all started, it might be a good time to see if you are allowed to run a business from home.</p> <h2>Legal restrictions.</h2> <p class="p1">Are there any restrictions that may prevent you from starting your home-based design business? Depending on where you live, there may be certain rules and regulations in place dictating what is allowed and what is not allowed when it comes to home-based businesses.</p> <p class="p1">Some municipalities and communities require all home-based businesses to have a business license. Some require a home occupation permit, and some may require a regulatory license depending on the business model. Contact your local government to see what licenses and permits your business requires.</p> <p class="p1">These licenses and permits cost money and, in some cases, may take time before they are approved. Some of them are one-time fees, while others must be renewed on an annual basis. All permits and licenses are tax-deductible as a business expense.</p> <p class="p1">On top of the licenses and permits, you must check if there are any municipal or even neighbourhood by-laws that may prevent you from running a home-based business. For example, the neighbourhood I live in has a by-law preventing me from seeing clients regularly in my home.</p> <p class="p1">Something else to look into is whether or not you might require licen