Can I run a business from home in Carpinteria, California?
Allowed with a permit
Yes. Home occupations are allowed by right in Carpinteria's R-1 zone if they use no more than one room, are run only by the people who live there, have no signs or displays, and serve no more than five customers at a time. You need a city business license.
| Zoning approval | Permitted by right in R-1 (subject to 14.50.030) [1] |
| Space | No more than one room of the dwelling [2] |
| Employees | Only occupants of the dwelling [4] |
| Signs and displays | None allowed; no on-site sales [5] |
| Customers on site | No more than 5 at any one time [6] |
| License | City business license required [8] |
Allowed by right
In the R-1 single-family district, home occupations are a use permitted by right, subject to the standards in Section 14.50.030 [1]. There's no use permit or hearing; you need a city business license [8].
The standards
- Space: the business must be run within no more than one room of the dwelling [2].
- No visible change: no structural alterations, and the business can't be apparent from beyond the property line [3].
- Who can work there: only the people who live in the home [4]. Outside employees aren't allowed.
- Signs and sales: no displays, no sale of goods on the premises and no advertising signs [5].
- Customers: no more than five customers, patients, clients, students or others served on the premises at any one time [6].
- Nuisances: no radio or TV interference, no noise audible beyond the site, no smoke or odor, and no outdoor storage of business materials [7].
- Vehicles: no vehicles or trailers other than those incidental to residential use.
The business must stay secondary to the residential use and can't change the residential character of the home or neighborhood.
Child care and other state-protected uses
The R-1 zone also lists child day care and small family care homes as uses permitted by right. Under state law, licensed family child care homes are a residential use by right and can't be charged a city business license fee, and cities can't prohibit registered cottage food operations. A cottage food operation may have one full-time-equivalent employee from outside the household and (Class A) may sell directly to customers, so state law may override the city's occupants-only and no-sales rules for those businesses.
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Next steps
- Check that your business fits in one room, needs no outside employees and will have no more than five clients on site at once.
- Apply for a City of Carpinteria business license (Municipal Code 5.04.080) through the city's Administrative Services/Finance office. Under state law, licensed family child care homes can't be charged a business license fee.
- For a cottage food business or family child care home, get the county environmental health registration or state child care license first.
- Questions about whether your use qualifies go to Community Development Planning, (805) 684-5405.
Common questions
- Do I need a permit for a home business in Carpinteria, California?
- No use permit or hearing is needed: home occupations are allowed by right in the R-1 zone if they meet the code standards. You do need a city business license.
- What are the home occupation rules in Carpinteria, California?
- The business must use no more than one room, be run only by the people who live there, and have no signs, displays or sale of goods on site. It can't be apparent from beyond the property line.
- How many customers can come to a home business in Carpinteria, California?
- No more than five customers, patients, clients, students or others served on the premises at any one time.
- Can I run a cottage food business or day care from home in Carpinteria, California?
- Yes. Cities can't prohibit registered cottage food operations, and licensed family child care homes are a residential use by right that can't be charged a city business license fee. State law may override the city's occupants-only and no-sales rules for those businesses.
California state protections for home-based businesses
California has no general statewide home-occupation law. Cities and counties set the rules on employees, signs, customer visits and parking. State law protects a few specific home businesses:
Family child care homes (Health & Safety Code §1597.45):
- A licensed small (up to 8 children) or large (7 to 14 children) family daycare home is a residential use by right under all local ordinances, including zoning. A city can't require a use permit.
- Cities can't charge a business license, fee or tax for operating one, and it isn't a change of occupancy under building codes.
- Local rules may apply only if they are identical to those for other homes in the same zone, whether the home is rented or owned.
Cottage food operations (Gov. Code §51035; AB 1616, effective 2013):
- Cities and counties can't prohibit home cottage food operations. They must allow them as a permitted use or through a permit limited to reasonable spacing, traffic, parking and noise standards.
- A cottage food operation has no more than one full-time-equivalent employee besides family or household members. Class A (direct sales only) is capped at $75,000 a year and Class B at $150,000, adjusted for inflation (H&S Code §113758).
- You must register (Class A) or get a permit (Class B) from the county environmental health agency.
Home kitchens selling meals (microenterprise home kitchen operations): allowed only where the city or county has authorized them, with a permit and a limit of 30 meals a day and 90 a week (§113825).
What the ordinance says
- Sec. 14.12.030(3), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.12 R-1 Single-Family Residential District (14.12.030 uses permitted by right), p. 1
Home occupations subject to the provisions of Section 14.50.030 ;
- Sec. 14.50.030(1), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.50 General Use and Development Standards (14.50.010 coastal plan development standards; .020 accessory structures; .030 home occupations; .040 swimming pools; .050 fences, walls and landscape plantings), p. 1
A home occupation (as defined in Chapter 14.08 ) shall be conducted within not more than one room of the dwelling portion of a building.
- Sec. 14.50.030(2), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.50 General Use and Development Standards (14.50.010 coastal plan development standards; .020 accessory structures; .030 home occupations; .040 swimming pools; .050 fences, walls and landscape plantings), p. 1
There shall be no structural alterations of the dwelling and the existence of the home occupation shall not be apparent beyond the boundaries of the property.
- Sec. 14.50.030(3), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.50 General Use and Development Standards (14.50.010 coastal plan development standards; .020 accessory structures; .030 home occupations; .040 swimming pools; .050 fences, walls and landscape plantings), p. 1
The home occupation shall be conducted solely by the occupants of the dwelling unit.
- Sec. 14.50.030(4), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.50 General Use and Development Standards (14.50.010 coastal plan development standards; .020 accessory structures; .030 home occupations; .040 swimming pools; .050 fences, walls and landscape plantings), p. 1
There shall be no displays, sale of commodities upon the premises or advertising signs used on the premises.
- Sec. 14.50.030(5), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.50 General Use and Development Standards (14.50.010 coastal plan development standards; .020 accessory structures; .030 home occupations; .040 swimming pools; .050 fences, walls and landscape plantings), p. 1
There shall be no more than five customers, patients, clients, students, or other persons served by the occupation upon the premises at any one time.
- Sec. 14.50.030(6), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.50 General Use and Development Standards (14.50.010 coastal plan development standards; .020 accessory structures; .030 home occupations; .040 swimming pools; .050 fences, walls and landscape plantings), p. 1
A home occupation shall not create any radio or television interference or create noise audible beyond the boundaries of the site.
- Sec. 14.50.030(11), Municipal Code Title 14 Ch. 14.50 General Use and Development Standards (14.50.010 coastal plan development standards; .020 accessory structures; .030 home occupations; .040 swimming pools; .050 fences, walls and landscape plantings), p. 1
A city business license shall be required as provided in Section 5.04.080 .
This page summarizes Carpinteria's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-05. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with City of Carpinteria Community Development Department (Code Compliance / Building & Safety), 5775 Carpinteria Avenue ((805) 684-5405) before you build. Spot an error?