Home Occupation Permits: Petaluma vs Rohnert Park
How do home occupation permits rules compare between Petaluma, CA and Rohnert Park, CA?
Rohnert Park has fewer restrictions than Petaluma.
Petaluma, CA
Sonoma County
IZO §7.050 requires a Home Occupation Permit for any home-based business in Petaluma residential zones. The business must be clearly secondary to residential use and not change the residential character of the neighborhood.
View full Petaluma rules →Rohnert Park, CA
Sonoma County
Since Ordinance No. 6363 (2021), unincorporated Sonoma County no longer requires a zoning permit for a qualifying home occupation under Zoning Code Section 26-88-121. Operators must instead meet by-right standards on customers, hours, deliveries, and vehicles.
View full Rohnert Park rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Petaluma | Rohnert Park |
|---|---|---|
| Permit | Required (IZO §7.050) | - |
| Employees | Residents only | - |
| Non-Occupant Vehicles | ≤2 at any time | - |
| Zoning permit | - | Not required since Ord. No. 6363 (2021) |
| Customers | - | Max 4/day, 2 at a time |
| Customer hours | - | 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Mon-Fri, no holidays |
| Deliveries | - | Max 10 per week |
| Commercial vehicle | - | One, 1-ton or smaller |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Petaluma FAQ
Can I see clients at home?
Limited client visits are allowed if parking and traffic stay within the residential norm.
Rohnert Park FAQ
Can clients come to my home for the business?
Yes, within limits. Section 26-88-121 allows up to four customers or clients per day, no more than two at one time, and only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding state and federal holidays.
Do I need to file anything to run a home occupation?
No zoning permit is required since 2021, but the property owner and applicant must sign affidavits agreeing to the home-occupation standards, and the use must stay within the customer, delivery, vehicle, and floor-area limits of Section 26-88-121.
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