La Mesa · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in La Mesa
La Mesa's own rule on home businesses sets an annual business license fee for an office kept in a residence. The fee applies to home offices that offer personal services only.
Key points
- License fee: La Mesa charges a business license fee of $35 a year for each office kept in a residence for business purposes.
- Who pays: The fee covers La Mesa home offices offering personal services only, with no merchandise sales or orders and no paid employees.
Each rule below is marked La Mesa code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Running a business from home
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Lot splits under SB 9
La Mesa code 1 parcel may not be smaller than 40% of the original parcel's area. Each new parcel must be at least 1,200 square feet.
All 9 La Mesa rules on lot splits under sb 9, with the code text and the state law underneath →
Swimming pools
La Mesa code No more than 4 inches between a hard surface and the bottom of the barrier. No more than 2 inches between earth and the bottom of the barrier.
All 13 La Mesa rules on swimming pools, with the code text and the state law underneath →
Pets, chickens and bees
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| Chickens |
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Other La Mesa rules on this
La Mesa's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Permit for rooftop solar on a home (§ 14.30.020)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a business from my home in La Mesa?
La Mesa charges a business license fee of $35 a year for each office kept in a residence for business purposes. The fee covers La Mesa home offices offering personal services only, with no merchandise sales or orders and no paid employees.
Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in La Mesa?
La Mesa's code: Hives at least 100 feet from the outer edge of the traveled part of a public road. (Applies where bees are allowed.) (§ 8.04.040); Hives at least 600 feet from any dwelling other than the keeper's own. (Applies where bees are allowed.) (§ 8.04.040).
General information, not legal advice.
Ask about a specific La Mesa property
Ask GoCodebook how these rules apply to your address and get an answer that cites the section.
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