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

For home businesses in the unincorporated inland county, Chapter 20.156 of the Zoning Code (Title 20, Division I) provides a permissive, by-right framework. Section 20.156 states that a use permit is not required to conduct a home occupation; instead the operator must comply with the chapter's general standards and with all other County Code requirements. Those general standards (Section 20.156.010) require that the uses, their operation, and their appearance not change or disturb the residential or rural character of the premises or its surroundings, and that the activity remain clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use. While no zoning use permit is needed, the home occupation is still subject to general Division requirements such as off-street parking, and to all other permits required under County Code, including building permits for any construction or alteration and a County business license under the business-license provisions. If a proposed activity is too intensive to qualify as an incidental home occupation, it would instead require a discretionary use permit or could not be conducted in a residential setting. Operators in the Coastal Zone or the Town of Mendocino should consult the parallel Division II and Division III provisions, which may layer in Coastal Development Permit requirements.