Skip to content

San Luis Obispo County · Building on your lot

Running a business from home in San Luis Obispo County

A home business needs Zoning Clearance; only household members may work on site, and services allow 1 client vehicle at a time.

Key points

  • Home businesses: A home business needs Zoning Clearance; only household members may work on site, and services allow 1 client vehicle at a time.

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

What San Luis Obispo County's code says

San Luis Obispo County code What San Luis Obispo County's code adds
Space used
  • The business must stay incidental and secondary to the site's main use as a home.
    Applies: General home businesses.
    § 23.08.030 · code text
    The home occupation shall be incidental and subordinate to the principal use of the site as a residence.
Customer visits
  • No more than 1 client vehicle at any time.
    Applies: Office-type or personal services, including personal instruction such as music lessons and counseling.
    § 23.08.030 · code text
    Office-type or personal services (including personal instruction such as music lessons and counseling services) that do not involve the presence of more than one client vehicle at any time;
Employees
  • Only household members who live on the premises may work on the site.
    Applies: People employed and working on the site.
    § 23.08.030 · code text
    No person other than members of the household residing on the premises may be employed and working on the site.
Permit
  • A Zoning Clearance is required.
    Applies: General home businesses.
    § 23.08.030 · code text
    Zoning Clearance, except for garage sales (see Section 23.08.030 g(1) following) which require no land use permit, and are subject to business license clearance if required by the county tax collector.
  • No land use permit. Business license clearance if the County Tax Collector requires it.
    Applies: Garage sales.
    § 23.08.030 · code text
    garage sales (see Section 23.08.030 g(1) following) which require no land use permit, and are subject to business license clearance if required by the county tax collector.
Businesses not allowed
  • On-site retail sales of the products of a home occupation
    Applies: Except garage sales and sales of handcrafted items and artwork made on site (not more than twice per year, up to two days per sale), home distributors supplying other approved home occupations, and approved animal sales
    § 23.08.030 · code text
    On-site retail sales of the products of a home occupation are prohibited, except:
  • mass-production operations such as cabinet shops
    Applies: handcraft or artwork production
    § 23.08.030 · code text
    Handcraft or artwork production, including but not limited to pottery and ceramics, artistic glass or metalwork, electronic components, woodcarving and woodworking (except for mass-production operations such as cabinet shops), antique furniture restoration, painting and photography.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in San Luis Obispo County?

A home business needs Zoning Clearance; only household members may work on site, and services allow 1 client vehicle at a time.

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific San Luis Obispo County property

Ask GoCodebook how San Luis Obispo County'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 San Luis Obispo County