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El Cajon · Building on your lot

Running a business from home in El Cajon

El Cajon allows no customers at a home business, except one student or family per session for indoor lessons, and resident employees only.

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Key points

  • Home businesses: El Cajon allows no customers at a home business, except one student or family per session for indoor lessons, and resident employees only.

Each rule below links to the section of the El Cajon Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What El Cajon's code says

El Cajon code What El Cajon's code adds
Customer visits
  • No customers may come to the home.
    Applies: Except indoor lessons or tutoring, limited to 1 student or family per session.
    § 17.225.050 · code text
    One for which no customer comes to the dwelling to receive the service or merchandise offered by the home occupation;
  • Only a single student or family per session.
    Applies: Indoor lessons and training, such as music lessons and academic tutoring.
    § 17.225.050 · code text
    Customers are limited to a single student or family per session for activities such as music lessons and/or academic tutoring.
Employees
  • No employees other than people who live in the home.
    § 17.225.050 · code text
    One for which no employees other than inhabitants of the dwelling work at or come to the dwelling;
Permit
  • A valid business license is required and must be renewed every year.
    § 17.225.050 · code text
    One for which a valid business license is obtained and annually renewed.
  • Required permits from the County Department of Environmental Health.
    Applies: Cottage food operations.
    § 17.225.050 · code text
    A cottage food operator must obtain and maintain required permits from the County Department of Environmental Health in order to operate a cottage food home occupation business.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in El Cajon?

El Cajon allows no customers at a home business, except one student or family per session for indoor lessons, and resident employees only.

General information, not legal advice.

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El Cajon Municipal Code — full text