Mountain View, CA Home Business: Customer Traffic Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Extra trips allowed
- 5 per day, max
- Deliveries allowed
- 2 per day, max
- MEHKO exemption
- Not subject to trip cap
- Applies to
- All licensed home occupations
- License condition
- Signed compliance statement
Summary
Mountain View caps the traffic a home occupation can add: City Code Section 36.28.85(f) limits most home businesses to five extra vehicle or pedestrian trips per day beyond what the residence would normally generate, plus no more than two deliveries a day.
f.Excluding microenterprise home kitchen operations, the home occupation shall not generate more than five (5) additional pedestrian or vehicular trips in excess of that customarily associated with the residential use in the zoning district in which it is located, and no more than two (2) deliveries per day.g.Operators of a home occupation must have and maintain a valid business license with the city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
" This trip cap sits alongside the section's other standards: the occupation must remain clearly secondary to the residence (subsection a), cannot be visible from the street (subsection b), and is limited to one vehicle no larger than three-quarter ton used in connection with the business (subsection d). 80. confined to a fenced rear yard when outdoor dining is offered.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the trip or delivery cap is a violation of Chapter 36's home occupation standards: Section 36.58.80 makes it a misdemeanor under City Code Section 1.7, treats the noncomplying use as a public nuisance abatable under Chapter 25, and the city can revoke the business license tied to the operator's signed compliance statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much extra traffic can a home business generate in Mountain View?
Do delivery limits apply to home bakeries or cottage food businesses?
Are microenterprise home kitchen operations exempt from the trip cap?
What happens if my home business exceeds the trip limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California home business overview
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Customer Traffic Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle customer traffic restrictions.