How Scottsdale Handles Home Business: A Practical Guide
Scottsdale maintains 134 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with home business. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Scottsdale falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Home Daycare
Scottsdale's Zoning Ordinance lets a resident run a small in-home day care by right: a 'Day care home' watching no more than four unrelated people needs no conditional use permit and shows up as a flat 'Permitted' use on the residential zoning tables. Cross the four-person line and the operation shifts into a different, more heavily regulated use category.
Key details: Day care home cap: 4 people, permitted by right. Day care group home cap: 10 people, also permitted. Day care center threshold: 5+ people, needs conditional use permit. Governing section: Zoning Ordinance § 3.100. Zoning table listing: Table 5.012, item 7, marked 'P'.
Because a Day care home of four or fewer children is a permitted use, no zoning violation attaches unless the operator exceeds the headcount without qualifying as a group home or center, or otherwise fails to comply with an applicable use condition. General Zoning Ordinance violations under §§ 1.1401-1.1402 draw a civil sanction up to $2,500 (minimum $500 for an unpermitted use), issued by the Zoning Administrator, a police officer, the City Attorney or the City Manager's designee under § 1.1404, with a second violation within two years becoming a misdemeanor.
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Scottsdale's Zoning Ordinance permits a 'home occupation' only when a family member runs it on the premises, it stays clearly incidental to living there, generates no commodity sales and no more traffic than is normal for the neighborhood, and carries no signs, buildings or structures beyond what the district already allows. A carport or garage can never be used for the business.
Key details: No commodity sales: Barred on the premises, § 3.100. Traffic limit: No more than normal for the district. Sign limit: None beyond what the district allows. Garage/carport: Cannot be used for the business. Professional exception: Consultation/emergency only, not general practice.
A home occupation that violates § 3.100, such as by generating excess traffic, posting a sign, or operating out of a garage, is enforced as a Zoning Ordinance violation under §§ 1.1401-1.1402: a civil sanction up to $2,500 generally applies, with a mandatory minimum $500 sanction for a non-permitted use. The Zoning Administrator, a police officer, the City Attorney, or the City Manager's designee may issue the citation under § 1.1404, and a second violation within two years becomes a class one misdemeanor.
The Bottom Line
Scottsdale's home business rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Scottsdale is broadly strict or permissive.
Keep in mind that Scottsdale can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.