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Laguna Woods · Building on your lot

Running a business from home in Laguna Woods

City code limits a home business to one room or 25% of the gross floor area, whichever is less; only residents may work.

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Key points

  • Home businesses: City code limits a home business to one room or 25% of the gross floor area, whichever is less; only residents may work.

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

What Laguna Woods's code says

Laguna Woods code What Laguna Woods's code adds
Space used
  • No more than 1 room or 25% of the home's gross floor area, whichever is less.
    § 13.26.120 · code text
    The home occupation shall be limited to one room of the dwelling unit or 25 percent of the gross floor area of the dwelling unit; whichever is less.
Customer visits
  • No more car, delivery or foot traffic than is normal for the community.
    Applies: Traffic to the home business.
    § 13.26.120 · code text
    Vehicular, delivery or pedestrian traffic to the home occupation shall not be greater than that normal for the community in which the home occupation is conducted.
Employees
  • Only real residents of the home can work in the business, paid or unpaid.
    § 13.26.120 · code text
    The home occupation shall not employ, either paid or unpaid, persons who are not bona fide residents of the dwelling unit.
Permit
  • All permits and inspections the County of Orange Health Care Agency requires.
    Applies: Home businesses that handle food.
    § 13.26.120 · code text
    Home occupations involving the handling of food must have all the proper permits and inspections required by the County of Orange Health Care Agency.
  • All needed approvals from the homeowners association.
    Applies: Before starting a home business.
    § 13.26.120 · code text
    The resident shall obtain all necessary approvals from his homeowner's association prior to initiating a home occupation.
Businesses not allowed
  • Escort or dating service; Fortuneteller; Masseur/masseuse in which clients are seen in the provider's home; Medical, dental or similar occupations in which patients are seen in the provider's home; Automotive repair, storage or other automobile services; Automobile sales and leasing; Junkyards, scrap metal recycling; Barber or beauty services in which clients are seen in the provider's home; Carpentry or cabinet making; Bed and breakfast operations; Firearm repair, maintenance and sales; Construction storage yards; Equipment rentals yards; Similar uses that may have a negative impact to the surrounding land uses as determined by the Community Development Director
    § 13.26.120 · code text
    The following uses are prohibited as home occupations:

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Laguna Woods?

City code limits a home business to one room or 25% of the gross floor area, whichever is less; only residents may work.

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Laguna Woods property

Ask GoCodebook how Laguna Woods's running a business from home rules apply to your situation and get an answer that cites the section.

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Laguna Woods Municipal Code — full text