San Benito County, CA Home Business: Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Under San Benito County Code Section 25.08.004(C), 'No permit is required for a home occupation.' A home occupation is allowed by right in the AR, AP, R, RT, RR, R-1, and RM zones so long as it complies with the operating standards: it must be conducted entirely inside the primary dwelling or an accessory dwelling unit, the dwelling must be the operator's primary residence, no non-resident may work on site, customer or client visits are normally limited to no more than three per day and ten per week, and there can be no outdoor storage, window displays, or off-site nuisance effects. The trade-off for the no-permit treatment is strict compliance - a home occupation that breaks these limits is subject to code enforcement under Title 1. For businesses that need employees or a dedicated outbuilding, the county offers the 'rural home enterprise,' which does require a permit: an administrative use permit is required, with a conditional use permit needed for certain expansions such as adding more than five non-resident employees or operating outside 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekday hours. Rural home enterprises are limited to the AR, AP, R, and RT agricultural zones. Separately, Section 25.08.004(H) makes all home businesses subject to the county's Business License Tax under Title 5, Article IV, so even a permit-free home occupation must register and pay that tax.