Rep. Price files bill in North Carolina House to exempt certain home businesses from building code requirements

A new bill filed by State Rep. Renée A. Price in the North Carolina House seeks to exempt qualifying owner-occupied single-family dwellings with home businesses from additional building code requirements, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 248 on Feb. 27 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Live/Work Exemption for One-Family Dwellings.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill exempts certain owner-occupied, single-family dwellings with home business uses from live/work requirements under the North Carolina Building Code. It specifies that if a dwelling is owner-occupied and meets the criteria for “home business use,” it will not be subject to additional occupancy classifications or commercial requirements solely due to the business activity. The exemption applies provided the dwelling complies with local zoning laws and maintains its classification as a single-family residence. Furthermore, no local ordinances can impose stricter construction or safety requirements based solely on home business use. The North Carolina Building Code Council is tasked with amending the building codes to align with these provisions. This act becomes effective when it becomes law and applies to both existing and new qualifying dwellings used for home business purposes. Local zoning and private land-use restrictions remain enforceable, and compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations is required.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Price proposed the most bills (11) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Prince graduated from Tufts University with a BA.

Prince, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 50th House district, replacing previous state representative Graig R. Meyer.