5 rules for unincorporated Mariposa County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Mariposa County allows home-based businesses chiefly through two zoning uses: Home Enterprises (Code 17.108.070) and Rural Home Industry (Code 17.108.080). Both are permitted in many zones, but the operator must reside on the property and the use must not become a nuisance.
Under Mariposa County Code 17.108.190, on-site signs up to a 16-square-foot aggregate area and 20 feet high are a permitted use on any parcel, with no flashing lights or moving parts. Off-site signs are prohibited, and signs in Town Planning Areas may require Design Review.
Cottage food (home kitchen) operations in unincorporated Mariposa County must register or be permitted with County Environmental Health under the California Homemade Food Act (AB 1616). Class A (direct sales) requires a one-time registration; Class B (direct and indirect sales) requires an annual permit and inspection.
Under California Health & Safety Code 1597.45 (as amended by SB 234, effective 2020), both small and large family day care homes are a residential use by right in unincorporated Mariposa County. No county use permit may be required; providers are licensed by the state and must meet residential fire/life-safety standards.
Mariposa County does not require a general business license, but home-based occupations within the Mariposa, Coulterville, Fish Camp, and Wawona Town Planning Areas require a permit. Elsewhere, home businesses operate under the Home Enterprise (17.108.070) and Rural Home Industry (17.108.080) zoning standards.
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