Fullerton Customer Traffic Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Fullerton's home occupation standards place strict limits on customer and client traffic as a core condition of operating a business from a residential dwelling. The underlying principle is that the home occupation must remain invisible to the surrounding neighborhood — if neighbors can detect the presence of a business based on the volume of visitors, vehicles, or delivery activity at the property, the business has exceeded the permissible scope of a home occupation and must either reduce its on-site activity or relocate to a commercially zoned property.

The Fullerton Zoning Ordinance does not typically specify an exact numeric cap on the number of customer visits per day, but the standard is functional: the business must not generate traffic that exceeds what is normal for the residential neighborhood. In Fullerton's established residential neighborhoods, this means the home business should not produce a noticeable increase in vehicles arriving at or departing from the property, should not cause additional vehicles to park on the street or in the driveway beyond the normal residential pattern, and should not result in customers or clients walking up to the front door with a frequency that attracts attention from neighbors. In practice, home businesses that operate entirely online, by phone, or by mail — such as freelance writing, graphic design, financial consulting, software development, and e-commerce with shipments handled by standard residential parcel carriers — easily meet this standard.

Businesses that require customers to visit the home on a regular or walk-in basis are generally incompatible with Fullerton's home occupation regulations and are specifically prohibited. These include but are not limited to: retail sales with customer pick-up or walk-in shopping; hair salons, barbershops, and beauty services with scheduled client appointments; medical, dental, or therapeutic practices with patient visits; tutoring centers or music instruction with multiple students arriving throughout the day; animal grooming with pet drop-off and pick-up; and equipment or vehicle repair services. These business types must operate from a commercially zoned location where customer traffic, parking, and signage are permitted and properly accommodated.

Delivery activity is also regulated. While a home occupation may receive standard residential mail and parcel deliveries (USPS, UPS, FedEx), frequent deliveries by large commercial trucks, multiple daily courier stops, or the regular receipt or dispatch of pallets and freight are not consistent with residential use. If a home business generates delivery volumes that exceed what would be expected at a residential address, code enforcement may issue a violation notice.

Enforcement is largely complaint-driven. Neighbors who observe a pattern of unusual traffic, unfamiliar vehicles, or frequent visitors at a home business address may file a complaint with the Fullerton Code Enforcement Division. The division will investigate and, if the business is found to be generating traffic beyond residential norms, will require the operator to reduce the activity or cease the home occupation. Repeated violations or a pattern of neighbor complaints may lead to revocation of the home occupation permit. Contact the Community Development Department at (714) 738-6884 for guidance on traffic limitations for a specific home occupation proposal.