Home Business in Mobile, AL (2026)
4 verified home business rules for Mobile, Alabama, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Mobile allows home-based businesses as an accessory residential use under strict conditions: no on-site sale of goods not made in the home, a 25% floor-area cap, no non-resident employees, and only one customer visit at a time.
Mobile Home Occupation Rules
Some RestrictionsMobile City Code § 64-4-2
B.Conditions.1.No article shall be sold or offered for sale from the dwelling unless it is produced inside of the dwelling by the dwelling occupants.2.Home occupations shall not occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the floor area of the dwelling.3.The services shall be performed by persons occupying the home as their private dwelling.4.No additional persons who do not live in the dwelli...
Signage Rules
Mobile limits home businesses to one non-illuminated sign of one square foot, mounted flat against the house.
Mobile Home Occupation Sign Limit
Some RestrictionsMobile City Code § 64-4-14(K)(2)(c)
Home occupation signs. One (1) non-illuminated sign shall be permitted for each home occupation provided that the display surface area of such sign does not exceed one (1) square foot in area and that such sign is mounted flat against the wall of the dwelling in which such home occupation is conducted.
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Mobile's Unified Development Code allows only one customer visit on a home-occupation property at any time, keeping home businesses from generating retail-style traffic. The business must stay incidental to the residence, occupy no more than 25% of the dwelling's floor area, and cannot employ anyone who doesn't live in the home.
Mobile Home Occupation Customer Visit Limit
Some RestrictionsMobile City Code § 64-4-2(B)
A.Applicability.1.This section allows home occupations with standards to ensure that they do not change the residential character of the property.2.A home occupation shall be incidental to the residential use of the property.B.Conditions.1.No article shall be sold or offered for sale from the dwelling unless it is produced inside of the dwelling by the dwelling occupants.2.Home occupations shal...
Home Daycare
Mobile, Alabama lets a resident run a home-based child day care for up to six children as an accessory use in nearly every residential and business zoning district, no separate permit required. Care for seven to twelve children needs a city council conditional use permit under Sec. 64-5-6, with fixed parking, floor-space, and a four-foot fenced play yard.
Mobile, Alabama Home Day Care Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsMobile City Code § 64-5-6.E.11(d)
(d)Daycare, child (home based 7-12 children).(1)All parking shall comply with the parking requirements of article 3, section 12, except that the parking and driveway may be of an approved alternative paving surface...(2)The following minimum amount of off-street parking must be provided:a.The minimum number required for residences as set forth in section 64-3-12 and table 64-3-12.1 (i.e., two (...
Looking for Mobile County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Mobile city rules.
Home Business in Mobile County →