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

Sonora's home occupation regulations under Municipal Code Chapter 17.59 are designed to allow residents to conduct lawful business from their homes while preserving the character, safety, and livability of residential neighborhoods. A key restriction is that home occupations must not generate customer, client, or employee traffic that is perceptibly different from normal residential activity. A continuous stream of clients arriving at a residence — characteristic of a retail shop, salon with multiple chairs, tutoring center, or other service business with high foot traffic — is inconsistent with home occupation standards.

By-appointment professional services (e.g., a single accountant meeting clients, a music teacher with one student at a time) are more likely to meet home occupation standards than high-frequency drop-in businesses. Non-resident employees are generally not permitted to work at the home occupation location, as this generates additional traffic and changes the nature of the use. All business-related parking must be accommodated on-site where possible; home businesses that require customers to park on the street regularly may be cited for generating excessive parking impact.

Sonora also requires that all business activity must be conducted entirely within the dwelling or permitted accessory structure; no outdoor business activity, storage, or display is permitted. Residents operating home businesses should discuss their specific use with the Community Development Department at (209) 532-3508 to determine whether a Home Occupation Permit is sufficient or whether a different zoning approval is needed.