Mississippi Home Occupation Permits by City: Madison, Pearl, Ocean Springs, Starkville and More
Mississippi Home Occupation Permits by City: Madison, Pearl, Ocean Springs, Starkville and More
If you want to run a business from your house in Mississippi, the first thing to know is that the state does not decide it. Mississippi has no statewide home occupation law and no state general business license. Each city zones home businesses on its own, so the rules can change a lot from one city to the next. A home office that needs only a quick form in one city may need a formal permit, a public hearing, or a board vote in another.
This guide covers the cities readers ask about most: Madison, Pearl, Ocean Springs, Olive Branch, Southaven, Gautier, Starkville and Clinton. It also explains the state filings that often get confused with a city permit, and it shows you how to confirm the current rules before you pay for a form.
This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Ordinances get amended, and fees and forms change. Confirm every figure here with your city before you rely on it, and talk to a Mississippi attorney or CPA if your situation is complicated, such as a business with employees, inventory, or a lease with a home-use restriction.
Mississippi has no state home occupation permit
No state law creates a home occupation permit. Inside city limits, the city controls whether you can run a business from a residential property. Outside city limits, ask the county whether it licenses your business, since counties license only businesses outside municipalities.
Mississippi also does not issue a general state business license. Two state filings look like licenses, but they are not:
- Secretary of State filings. Forming an LLC or corporation is a registration of the entity, not permission to operate from home. Filing an LLC Certificate of Formation (Form F0100) costs $50. A fictitious (assumed) business name is registered with the Secretary of State on Form F0070 for $25, not with the county.
- Sales tax permit. If you make retail sales, you register with the Department of Revenue. The DOR treats this as a tax registration, and there is no fee for it. An applicant with no permanent Mississippi location may be required to post a bond.
Mississippi also has no state minimum wage law, so that is one state-level cost you do not need to plan around if you hire help.
The city privilege license is separate from the home permit
Every city, town and village issues its own privilege license under Miss. Code 27-17. The privilege license is a local business license. It is a different step from the zoning approval that allows a home business to operate at a residential address. Some cities require both, and Gautier is one example: its process ends with a privilege license after the zoning hearing. Ask your city whether you need the privilege license in addition to the home occupation approval, and ask for the fee for each.
The state sales tax is 7%. Mississippi has no county add-on, and city levies apply only in Jackson and Tupelo. If you sell taxable goods from your home in another city, the state rate is the same, but confirm with the DOR at dor.ms.gov before you set your prices.
Common limits in city home occupation rules
The cities below use similar limits, but the details vary. The table shows each limit. Treat it as a checklist of what to ask about, not a substitute for the ordinance.
| Limit | What applies |
|---|---|
| Floor area | 25% of the home in Pearl, Ocean Springs and Olive Branch. Madison uses 25% or 400 square feet, whichever is less. |
| Who works there | Family members only in Olive Branch and Southaven. Residents only in Madison. Ocean Springs allows one non-resident employee. |
| Signs | No signs in Madison. One small sign in Olive Branch. |
| Client visits | Up to 6 clients a day, from 8am to 8pm, in Ocean Springs. |
| Storage | No visible storage in Pearl. |
City-by-city requirements
Madison
Madison requires a Home Occupation Permit from the Zoning Administrator under Sec. 405 of its zoning ordinance. The business must be owner-occupied, limited to residents, and carry no signs. The business use is capped at 25% of floor area or 400 square feet, whichever is less. A kitchen-table or home-office business usually fits. A workshop with equipment and a hire usually does not. The Madison fee is not confirmed, so confirm it with the Zoning Administrator.
Pearl
Pearl treats a home business as a conditional use, which the Mayor and Board decide under Zoning Sec. 406 (2024). The limit is 25% of floor area, and the business may not have visible storage. Because the Mayor and Board make the decision, expect a formal review rather than a counter approval. The Pearl fee and review timeline are not confirmed, so ask the city clerk how the application is scheduled and what it costs.
Ocean Springs
Ocean Springs sets a $50 fee plus $1 under Ord. 2022-17. A home business may have one non-resident employee and up to 6 clients a day, between 8am and 8pm. The business use is limited to 25% of floor area. Confirm the current total with the city before you pay, since the ordinance is the source for the figure.
Olive Branch
Olive Branch requires zoning approval first, then a Home Occupation Affidavit. Only family members may work in the home, the business is limited to 25% of floor area, and one small sign is allowed. The Olive Branch fee is not confirmed, so confirm it with the city before you file the affidavit.
Southaven
Southaven charges a flat $20 home-based license. You complete a restrictions form and obtain planning approval, and only family members may work in the home. The $20 figure covers the home-based license only. Confirm with the city whether any other fee applies to your planning approval.
Gautier
Gautier charges $126 for its home occupation application, on a form revised 2/8/23. The Planning Director holds a hearing 10 or more days after notice goes to neighboring property owners. Plan for that notice period, because it affects when you can open. After approval, you obtain a privilege license. Ask the city for the current form, since the fee and form may have changed since the revision date.
Starkville
Starkville requires its own home occupation application. Its fee, floor area limit and employee and client rules are not confirmed. Get the current form from the city and read the conditions before you assume a Madison or Ocean Springs rule applies.
Clinton
Clinton also requires its own home occupation application. Its fee and conditions are not confirmed. Get the current form from the city and confirm each limit in writing.
Other cities
If your city is not listed here, the process is the same. Find the zoning ordinance and the section on home occupations, get the application form, and ask the city clerk for the current fee and whether a privilege license also applies. Do not assume that a neighboring city's rules apply to you.
How to confirm your city's current rules
- Call the zoning office and the city clerk. Ask for the home occupation section of the zoning ordinance and the current application.
- Ask what kind of approval applies. Find out whether it is a permit, an affidavit, a conditional use, or a planning approval, and who decides.
- Ask about neighbor notice and hearings. Find out whether notice goes to neighbors and how many days of notice are required.
- Get the total cost. Ask for the application fee, any hearing cost, and any privilege license fee.
- Get the approval in writing. Do this before you buy inventory, sign a lease, order a sign, or advertise.
Mistakes that delay approval
- Treating the LLC filing as the permit. Registering an LLC with the Secretary of State does not authorize you to operate from a residence.
- Assuming county rules apply inside city limits. Counties license only businesses outside municipalities.
- Storing equipment or inventory where neighbors can see it. Pearl prohibits visible storage.
- Exceeding client or employee limits. Ocean Springs caps clients at 6 a day and allows one non-resident employee.
- Putting up a sign before checking the sign rule. Madison bans signs, and Olive Branch allows one small sign.
- Skipping the sales tax permit. If you make retail sales, register with the Department of Revenue. The registration is free, but it is required.
State filings to keep on schedule
If you form an LLC, the annual report is due April 15 each year. It may be filed on or after January 1, must be filed online, and carries no fee (Form F0108). Miss the deadline and the LLC can be administratively dissolved. Corporations file their annual report on Form F0008 for $25, also due April 15 for profit corporations. Find the Secretary of State's business services page at sos.ms.gov/business-services, and search for an entity at the Secretary of State business search.
When to get professional help
A simple home business with no employees, no signs, and no visible storage is often straightforward to get approved. Get a Mississippi attorney involved if you face a neighbor objection, a hearing, a lease that restricts home use, or a zoning denial. Talk to a CPA about how the business will be taxed, especially if you choose an LLC or corporation.
Disclaimer: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. It reflects the city rules and state agency information current as of October 2026, and those rules change. Confirm the current requirements with your city clerk and zoning office, the Mississippi Secretary of State at sos.ms.gov/business-services, and the Mississippi Department of Revenue at dor.ms.gov. Consult a qualified attorney or CPA for advice about your situation.