Bellflower, CA Home Business: Home Occupation Permits (2026)

To run a business from a home in Bellflower, a resident must satisfy the city's home occupation requirements through the Planning Division and obtain a city business license. Home occupation standards are part of the zoning code (Title 17), which permits one home occupation per residential household as an accessory use in residential zones and requires the business to remain incidental to the dwelling and keep the home's residential character. The city's Business License Division (within the Planning department) administers business licenses under Title 5 of the Municipal Code (Chapter 5.04, Business Licenses Generally, and Chapter 5.08, the Business License Tax Schedule); applications are made through the city's online business-license portal or at City Hall, and the city notes that most business licenses are issued the same day, though additional approvals and documents may be required before issuance. Questions about home occupations are directed to the Planning Division, which confirms the proposed use is permitted at the property's zoning designation, and questions about the business license itself go to the Business License Division - both reachable at (562) 804-1424. Because Bellflower is an incorporated city, these approvals come from the city, not Los Angeles County. Family day care is treated separately and is a residential use by right under state law (see the daycare topic), and a registered cottage food operation has its own standards under Section 17.16.190.