Auburn, WA Home Business: Customer Traffic Restrictions (2026)

ACC 18.60.020(J), the Vehicle Trips clause of Auburn's home occupation requirements, sets a hard daily ceiling on traffic a home business can generate. Home occupations that operate strictly by appointment and never schedule overlapping client visits get the higher allowance: a maximum of eight two-way client and delivery-related trips per day. Every other home occupation, including walk-in or overlapping-appointment models, is held to a lower ceiling of five two-way client or delivery trips per day. The clause works alongside ACC 18.60.020(I), which limits customer visiting hours to 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and employee hours to 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays or 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends, and ACC 18.60.020(F), which bars any additional off-street parking from being added to accommodate the business.

Because vehicle trips is one of the 11 enumerated requirements a home occupation must meet outright, exceeding the five- or eight-trip cap knocks the requirement count below 11; the business can continue only if it still meets at least nine of the 11 total requirements, in which case a special home occupation permit under ACC 18.60.040 becomes mandatory and is reviewed by the planning director as a Type I land use decision. Businesses like personal service shops, music and dance studios, and craft classes are already funneled into the special permit track under ACC 18.60.040(A) regardless of trip count, since the planning director must independently find the use will not be materially detrimental to the surrounding property or vicinity.