Running a business from home in Sonoma County

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

What Sonoma County's code says

Sonoma County code What Sonoma County's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the home's total floor area. Applies: When using part of the home; the whole business must use only one of the listed locations. § 26-88-121 · code text A portion of the dwelling which does not exceed more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total floor area of the dwelling; No more than 500 square feet. Applies: When using a garage; the whole business must use one listed location and may not displace required parking. § 26-88-121 · code text A garage or portion thereof, (up to a maximum of five hundred (500) square feet) which does not displace any required parking; No more than 500 square feet. Applies: When using a detached accessory structure; the whole business must use only one of the listed locations. § 26-88-121 · code text A detached accessory structure or portion thereof (up to a maximum of five hundred (500) square feet).
Customer visits	No more than 4 customers or clients per day. Applies: Per home, for any service or product; visits 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, excluding state and federal holidays. § 26-88-121 · code text Not more than four (4) customers or clients shall be allowed to visit the dwelling for any service or product during any one (1) day, nor more than two (2) customers or clients at any one (1) time. No more than 2 customers or clients at one time. Applies: Per home; visits 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, excluding state and federal holidays. § 26-88-121 · code text Not more than four (4) customers or clients shall be allowed to visit the dwelling for any service or product during any one (1) day, nor more than two (2) customers or clients at any one (1) time. 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday; none on state and federal holidays. Applies: Customer visits and deliveries. § 26-88-121 · code text Customer visits and deliveries shall be limited to the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and shall not occur on state and federal holidays.
Employees	Only residents of the home can be employed. § 26-88-121 · code text No person shall be employed in the home occupation other than residents of the dwelling.
Businesses not allowed	Adult entertainment activities/businesses; animal hospitals and clinics; pet care services such as grooming, doggie day cares or kennels; automotive and other vehicle sales, repair, services, painting, storage, or upholstery; boatmaking; commercial cabinet or furniture making, furniture refinishing/antique restoration and sales; dismantling, junk, scrap, or storage yards; food processing, canning, baking, catering, or motorized mobile food vendors; gun and weapon sales or repairs and gunsmithing; hair salons, day spas, and other uses generating higher water and sewer demands or higher customer visits; uses involving medical procedures; uses requiring hazardous or toxic materials, except specified small quantities; uses requiring explosives or highly combustible materials; uses triggering ADA-related building modifications or a change of occupancy classification; welding, machine shop operations, or metal fabricating; other uses similar in impact as determined by the director § 26-88-121 · code text (b) Limitations on Use. The following business activities are prohibited as home occupations: (1) Adult entertainment activities/businesses; (2) Animal hospitals and clinics; pet care services such as grooming, doggie day cares or kennels of any size; (3) Automotive and other vehicle sales, repair, services, painting, storage, or upholstery, or the repair of engines, including automobiles, boats, motorcycles, trucks, or recreational vehicles; (4) Boatmaking; (5) Commercial cabinet or furniture making, furniture refinishing/antique restoration and sales; (6) Dismantling, junk, scrap, or storage yards; (7) Food processing, canning, baking, etc., including catering, or motorized mobile food vendors such as coffee carts or taco trucks; (8) Gun and weapon sales or repairs, gunsmithing; (9) Hair salons, day spas, and other uses which generate higher water and sewer demands, and higher customer visits; (10) Uses which involve medical procedures; (11) Uses that require the handling of any hazardous (including biologically hazardous) or toxic materials, substances or wastes (as defined by California or federal law), except for small, nonreportable or unregulated quantities that are used in woodworking, painting, or photography, or in the making of jewelry, ceramics, pottery, and sculpture; (12) Uses that require explosives or highly combustible materials; (13) Uses that may trigger building modifications to meet California Building Code requirements related to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) or such that a change of occupancy classification is required; (14) Welding, machine shop operations, or metal fabricating; (15) Other uses that the director determines to be similar in impact to those listed above.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Sonoma County?

County rule: a home business may use at most 25% of the dwelling, or 500 square feet of a garage or accessory structure. County rule: at most 4 customers a day and 2 at a time, weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; only residents may be employed.

Running a business from home in Sonoma County

Key points

What Sonoma County's code says

Who this affects

Frequently asked questions

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