Colusa County, CA Home Business: Home Occupation Permits (2026)

In unincorporated Colusa County, running a home-based business legally is a permitted process. Zoning Code Section 44-4.90(E) is explicit: "No home occupation shall be allowed unless an administrative permit has first been issued for such use as required by Article 44-1 (Administrative Provisions)." The administrative permit is the county's discretionary check that the proposed home occupation will comply with the operating standards in Section 44-4.90, namely that the use is confined within a legal structure, occupies no more than twenty-five percent of a dwelling or fifty percent of an accessory building, is carried on only by resident family members with no outside employees, sells only merchandise produced on-site or incidental to the service, and generates no external evidence such as noise, odors, or alteration of the building's residential appearance. Only one sign, allowed under the Sign Regulations, is permitted. Applications are filed with the County Planning Division at 1213 Market Street, Colusa. Because the County administers this as an administrative-level permit rather than a full use permit, the review is generally less involved than a discretionary use permit, but the underlying standards must still be satisfied for approval and continued operation. Residents should contact the Planning Division for the current application form and fee schedule.