Newark · Building on your lot

Running a business from home in Newark

City rule: a general home business may use at most 20% of the home's floor area, with no client visits and no non-resident employees.

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Key points

Home businesses: City rule: a general home business may use at most 20% of the home's floor area, with no client visits and no non-resident employees.

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

What Newark's code says

Newark code What Newark's code adds
Space used	No more than 20% of the home's floor area. Applies: General home businesses. § 17.26.140 · code text No more than twenty percent of the floor area of the dwelling unit may be used in the conduct of the home occupation.
Customer visits	No customer or client visits. Applies: General home businesses, except personal instruction services. § 17.26.140 · code text No customer or client visits are permitted except for personal instruction services (e.g., musical instruction or training, art lessons, academic tutoring) which may have up to two students at one time. Up to 2 students at one time. Applies: Personal instruction services, such as music lessons, art lessons and academic tutoring. § 17.26.140 · code text No customer or client visits are permitted except for personal instruction services (e.g., musical instruction or training, art lessons, academic tutoring) which may have up to two students at one time.
Employees	No employees or independent contractors other than residents of the home. Applies: General home businesses; cottage food operations have their own rule. § 17.26.140 · code text No employees or independent contractors other than residents of the dwelling shall be permitted to work at the location of a home occupation except as otherwise allowed for cottage food operations. 1 full-time equivalent employee, plus the operator and household members living in the home. Applies: Cottage food operations. § 17.26.140 · code text Only the cottage food operator and members of his or her household living in the unit, as well as one full-time equivalent cottage food employee, may participate in a cottage food operation.
Permit	A home occupation permit certified by the director, and a current business license. § 17.26.140 · code text No home occupation shall be conducted without a current business license obtained and maintained pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5.04, Business Licenses. Minor use permit approval. Applies: Cottage food operations. § 17.26.140 · code text Cottage food operations are allowed subject to minor use permit approval.
Businesses not allowed	Automobile/vehicle sales and services; animal care, sales, and services; eating and drinking establishments; hotels and motels; hospitals and clinics; firearm sales; personal services; retail sales Applies: specific businesses not permitted as home occupations § 17.26.140 · code text The following specific businesses are not permitted as home occupations:

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Newark?

City rule: a general home business may use at most 20% of the home's floor area, with no client visits and no non-resident employees.

General information, not legal advice.

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