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Ontario · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Ontario

Ontario's rules on running a business from home limit space, visitors and workers, and list businesses that are not allowed. Only the dwelling's occupants may work in the business, and a valid city business license is required.

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Key points

  • Space and visitors: Ontario limits a home business to 1 room and 10 percent of the dwelling's floor area, and 1 client or customer at a time.
  • Banned businesses: Not allowed: barber and beauty shops, medical and dental offices, vehicle repair, gun or ammunition sales, welding and carpentry.

Each rule below is marked Ontario 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

Ontario code What Ontario's code adds
Space used
  • The business must stay within 1 room of the home.
    Applies: Inside the home; exceptions for outdoor flower growing, AR-2 kennels and catteries, and storage or work space in permitted accessory structures.
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    The Home Occupation shall be conducted within an enclosed structure, completely confined to one room of the dwelling
  • No more than 10% of the home's gross floor area.
    Applies: Inside the home; exceptions for outdoor flower growing, AR-2 kennels and catteries, and storage or work space in permitted accessory structures.
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    occupying no more than 10 percent of the GFA of the dwelling
  • No more than 10% of the net lot area.
    Applies: Outdoor flower growing with a single-family home in the right zone; all activity in the rear half of the lot.
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    All activities shall take place within the rear one-half of the lot and occupy no more than 10 percent of the net lot area.
Customer visits
  • No more than 1 client or customer at any one time.
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    Not more than one client/customer shall visit the premises at any one time,
  • No more than 3 students at any one time.
    Applies: In-home teaching, such as music lessons, academic tutoring or religious instruction.
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    provided no more than 3 students are present at any one time
Employees
  • Only the people who live in the home can work in the business.
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    Only the occupants of the dwelling may engage in the Home Occupation.
Permit
  • A valid city business license is required.
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    No person shall engage in a Home Occupation unless such person holds a valid business license issued by the City.
Businesses not allowed
  • Gun/munitions repair or sales; ammunition loading or sales; barber and beauty shops; harboring, training, breeding, raising or grooming of cats, dogs or other animals on the premises (except as permitted in the AR-2 zoning district); carpentry and cabinet making; medical and dental offices or clinics; repair or fix-it shops; storage of equipment, materials and other accessories to the construction or service trades; motor vehicle repair (body or mechanical), upholstery or painting; welding or machining; on-site sales of motor vehicles; massage services, excepting out-call services; any other use the Zoning Administrator finds not incidental to or compatible with residential activities
    § 5.03.240 · code text
    The following list represents example uses that are not considered to be incidental to and/or compatible with residential activities, and for which a Home Occupation permit shall not be issued:

RV and boat parking

Ontario code What Ontario's code adds
Size limit
  • Oversized: over 25 feet long, 8.5 feet wide or 7 feet high; trailers, boats and RVs count at any size.
    Applies: Oversized vehicles may not park on any public street, alley or right-of-way without a valid temporary permit.
    § 4-6.1020 · code text
    Any vehicle, motorized or non-motorized, that exceeds twenty-five (25) feet in length, or exceeds eight and one-half (8.5) feet in width, or exceeds seven (7) feet in height.
Parking on the street
  • No more than 48 hours.
    Applies: Resident's temporary permit, next to their home; at most 2 permits per vehicle per calendar month, at least 48 consecutive hours apart.
    § 4-6.1020 · code text
    The duration of the permit shall not exceed forty-eight (48) hours.
  • No more than 72 hours.
    Applies: A permit the License Official may issue, at their discretion, to accommodate houseguests.
    § 4-6.1020 · code text
    At the discretion of the License Official, or his or her designee, a permit may be issued for a period not to exceed seventy-two (72) hours to accommodate houseguests.
Living in an RV
  • No.
    Applies: An oversized vehicle on the street under a temporary permit may not be used for overnight camping, lodging or living in.
    § 4-6.1020 · code text
    The oversized vehicle shall not be used for overnight camping, lodging, residing in, or any use for accommodation purposes.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Ontario code What Ontario's code adds
EV charger permit
  • Expedited, nondiscretionary review; a building permit is issued quickly when the application meets the checklist.
    Applies: Applies to EV charging station applications meeting all checklist and permit documentation requirements.
    § 8-9.04 · code text
    An application for electric vehicle charging stations that meets the requirements of the checklist and required permitting documentation of all requirements shall be deemed complete, and the Building Department shall issue a building permit or other non-discretionary permit at expedited rate.
Solar permit process
  • Expedited, nondiscretionary review; only one inspection is required.
    Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems eligible for expedited review.
    § 8-8.04 · code text
    An application for a small residential rooftop solar energy system that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan shall be deemed complete, and the Building Department shall issue a building permit or other non-discretionary permit within three (3) business days.
Review time
  • The permit is issued within 3 business days.
    Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar applications that meet the approved checklist and standard plan.
    § 8-8.04 · code text
    An application for a small residential rooftop solar energy system that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan shall be deemed complete, and the Building Department shall issue a building permit or other non-discretionary permit within three (3) business days.

Other Ontario rules on this

Ontario's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Ontario?

Ontario limits a home business to 1 room and 10 percent of the dwelling's floor area, and 1 client or customer at a time. Not allowed: barber and beauty shops, medical and dental offices, vehicle repair, gun or ammunition sales, welding and carpentry.

Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Ontario?

Ontario's code: Oversized: over 25 feet long, 8.5 feet wide or 7 feet high; trailers, boats and RVs count at any size. (Oversized vehicles may not park on any public street, alley or right-of-way without a valid temporary permit.) (§ 4-6.1020); No more than 48 hours. (Resident's temporary permit, next to their home; at most 2 permits per vehicle per calendar month, at least 48 consecutive hours apart.) (§ 4-6.1020).

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Ontario?

Ontario's code: Expedited, nondiscretionary review; a building permit is issued quickly when the application meets the checklist. (Applies to EV charging station applications meeting all checklist and permit documentation requirements.) (§ 8-9.04); Expedited, nondiscretionary review; only one inspection is required. (Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems eligible for expedited review.) (§ 8-8.04).

General information, not legal advice.

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