Skip to content

Napa · Building on your lot

Running a business from home in Napa

City rule: a home business may use 200 sq ft or 25% of the home and attached garage, whichever is larger; no non-residents employed.

Key points

  • Home businesses: City rule: a home business may use 200 sq ft or 25% of the home and attached garage, whichever is larger; no non-residents employed.

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

What Napa's code says

Napa code What Napa's code adds
Space used
  • No more than 200 square feet or 25% of the main home and attached garage, whichever is larger.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    The use is confined to an area not more than 200 square feet or 25% of the principal dwelling and attached garage, whichever is larger,
  • No more than 200 square feet in total.
    Applies: Detached accessory buildings.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    and not more than 200 square feet total in any detached accessory building(s).
Customer visits
  • 1 student at a time, up to 6 lessons a week, each no more than 1 hour.
    Applies: Music or dance lessons.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    Giving music or dance lessons to no more than one student at a time up to six lessons in any one week of no more than one hour each;
  • 2 people at most at a time, up to 6 visits or lessons weekly, each up to 1 hour.
    Applies: Parsonages, dressmaking, tailoring, color consulting or swimming lessons.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    Parsonages, dressmaking, tailoring, color consulting or giving swimming lessons to no more than two persons at a time, up to six visits/lessons in any one week of no more than one hour each;
  • No more than 4 customer trips per month.
    Applies: Sale or transfer of firearms.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    Sale or transfer of firearms which involve no more than four customer trips per month.
  • No customer or client traffic or client visits, except the listed lessons, firearm sales and similar uses.
    Applies: Standard home businesses; deliveries only by pickup trucks or panel delivery trucks.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    The use does not generate customer or client traffic, deliveries by commercial vehicles other than pickup trucks or panel delivery trucks, or clients coming to the residence, except for the following:
Employees
  • Only resident household members; no other person may be employed.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    The use is carried on only by the resident members of the household occupying the dwelling, with no other person employed.
Permit
  • No use permit. Allowed as an accessory use.
    Applies: Home businesses that meet all the standard rules.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    Home occupations are permitted accessory uses to residences provided that all of the following standards are met:
  • A use permit.
    Applies: Expanded home businesses that need exceptions to the standard rules.
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    Exceptions to the above standards may be granted with the approval of a use permit for an expanded type of home occupation.
Businesses not allowed
  • on-premises retail sales
    Applies: winery home occupations
    § 17.52.240 · code text
    No on-premises retail sales are permitted.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Napa?

City rule: a home business may use 200 sq ft or 25% of the home and attached garage, whichever is larger; no non-residents employed.

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Napa property

Ask GoCodebook how Napa's running a business from home rules apply to your situation and get an answer that cites the section.

Ask your question

More on building on your lot in Napa