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Manhattan Beach · Building on your lot

Running a business from home in Manhattan Beach

City rule: home businesses need a Home Occupation Permit, may have no non-resident employees on site, and may not be barber or beauty shops.

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Key points

  • Home businesses: City rule: home businesses need a Home Occupation Permit, may have no non-resident employees on site, and may not be barber or beauty shops.

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

What Manhattan Beach's code says

Manhattan Beach code What Manhattan Beach's code adds
Space used
  • No more than 500 square feet of floor area.
    Applies: The home business must be entirely inside a building.
    § 10.52.070 · code text
    A home occupation shall be conducted entirely within a building and shall occupy no more than five hundred (500) square feet of floor area.
Customer visits
  • No office or sales room open to visitors without an appointment.
    § 10.52.070 · code text
    No motor vehicle repair, beauty shop or barber shop shall be permitted, and a home occupation shall not include an office or sales room open to visitors without prior appointments, and there shall be no advertising of the address of the home occupation that results in attracting persons to the premises.
Employees
  • Only residents of the home may work on site or report to work there.
    Applies: Applies to employees and independent contractors.
    § 10.52.070 · code text
    No one other than a resident of the dwelling shall be employed on-site or report to work at the site in the conduct of a home occupation.
Permit
  • A Home Occupation Permit from the Community Development Director is required.
    Applies: For a home business in an R district.
    § 10.52.070 · code text
    A home occupation in an R district shall require a Home Occupation Permit, obtained by filing a completed application form with the Community Development Director.
Businesses not allowed
  • motor vehicle repair; beauty shop; barber shop
    § 10.52.070 · code text
    No motor vehicle repair, beauty shop or barber shop shall be permitted, and a home occupation shall not include an office or sales room open to visitors without prior appointments, and there shall be no advertising of the address of the home occupation that results in attracting persons to the premises.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Manhattan Beach?

City rule: home businesses need a Home Occupation Permit, may have no non-resident employees on site, and may not be barber or beauty shops.

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Manhattan Beach property

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Manhattan Beach Municipal Code — full text