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Stockton · Building on your lot

Running a business from home in Stockton

City rule: a home business may use at most 10 percent of the habitable area; no non-resident employees; client visits only for lessons.

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Key points

  • Home businesses: City rule: a home business may use at most 10 percent of the habitable area; no non-resident employees; client visits only for lessons.

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

What Stockton's code says

Stockton code What Stockton's code adds
Space used
  • No more than 10% of the home's living area, including storage and equipment.
    § 16.80.160 · code text
    No more than 10 percent of the habitable area of the dwelling shall be used for the home occupation, including storage of items used or produced and equipment.
Customer visits
  • Clients, customers or students may not visit or do business at the home.
    Applies: Except permitted lessons, such as art, music, swimming and tutoring, that do not exceed normal residential traffic.
    § 16.80.160 · code text
    Clients, customers, patrons, or students shall not visit or conduct business at the residence, except as provided by Chapter 16.132 (Home Occupation Permits);
Employees
  • Only people living in the home may work in the business.
    § 16.80.160 · code text
    Persons engaged in the business shall be limited to persons residing on the premises;
Businesses not allowed
  • Adult entertainment activities
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    A. Adult entertainment activities;
  • Animal hospitals and grooming facilities
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    B. Animal hospitals and grooming facilities;
  • Automotive and other vehicle repair, reconditioning, servicing, engine manufacture, painting, or storage
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    C. Automotive and other vehicle (boats, motorcycles, or trucks) repair (body or mechanical), reconditioning, servicing, manufacture of any internal combustion or diesel engine, painting, or storage;
  • Caterers
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    D. Caterers;
  • Commercial cabinet or furniture making businesses
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use; woodworking as a hobby excluded
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    E. Commercial cabinet or furniture making businesses (Does not include woodworking as a hobby);
  • Contractor's storage yards
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    F. Contractor's storage yards;
  • Dismantling, junk, or scrap yards
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    G. Dismantling, junk, or scrap yards;
  • Exercise studios
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    H. Exercise studios;
  • Massage, acupressure, fortune telling, and related activities, including offices
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    I. Massage, acupressure, fortune telling, and related activities, including offices for such uses;
  • Medical clinics, laboratories, and offices
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    J. Medical clinics, laboratories, and offices;
  • Non-office activities routinely conducted in commercial and industrial zoned areas
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    K. Non-office activities which are routinely conducted in commercial and industrial zoned areas;
  • Sales of building materials and home furnishing materials
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    L. Sales of building materials and home furnishing materials including carpeting, floor covering, tile, lumber, and other similar materials;
  • Uses requiring explosives, flammable, highly combustible, or toxic materials, including guns and ammunition
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    M. Uses which require explosives, flammable, or highly combustible or toxic materials, including guns and ammunition;
  • Welding, industrial, and machine shop operations
    Applies: Activity beyond office-only use
    § 16.132.060 · code text
    N. Welding, industrial, and machine shop operations; or

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a business from my home in Stockton?

City rule: a home business may use at most 10 percent of the habitable area; no non-resident employees; client visits only for lessons.

General information, not legal advice.

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