El Cerrito, CA Home Business: Customer Traffic Restrictions (2026)

Under Ordinance Code Chapter 82-4, a home occupation in unincorporated Contra Costa must not involve customers or clients coming to the dwelling. This rules out in-home hair salons, nail studios, massage, tutoring by appointment, music lessons, therapy, in-home sales showrooms, and similar uses that depend on foot traffic. The narrowest state-protected exception is Family Daycare: under California Health and Safety Code 1597.40 and 1597.45, state-licensed small family daycare (up to 8 children) and large family daycare (up to 14 children) are considered residential uses and cannot be prohibited by local zoning; large family daycares are subject to only a ministerial permit with fire safety standards. Short-term rentals are separately regulated (typically banned or permit-required) and are not a home occupation. Infrequent pickup/drop-off related to a permitted home business (e.g., clients picking up finished goods by prior arrangement) is sometimes tolerated but is not a right. Violations follow the standard administrative-citation ladder: $100, $200, then $500 per day until compliance, and the county may revoke a Home Occupation Permit for repeated violations.