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

To operate a home occupation in the unincorporated county, an applicant must obtain a Home Occupation Zoning Clearance from the RMA Planning Division and a Business Tax Certificate from the Tax Collector's Business License Bureau. Applications can be submitted at the Planning counter or through the Citizen Access web portal; Planning counter staff approve or disapprove based on compliance with the Non-Coastal Zoning Ordinance standards. Under NCZO Sec. 8107-1.2, hours of operation for clients are limited to 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, though business activity may continue beyond those hours when clients are not present. The maximum number of clients per day is six, with no overlapping visits. The ordinance provides a waiver mechanism: an operator who obtains a signed waiver from the owners (or lessees) of the three closest occupied dwellings in both directions on the same side of the street and the seven closest occupied dwellings on the opposite side may increase the limits to a maximum of ten clients per day, allow more than one client on site at a time, allow clients until 9:00 p.m., and allow clients on Saturdays. The Planning Director may modify the waiver requirement for unique circumstances. All other home occupation standards (no outside employees, no outdoor display, no signage, one commercial vehicle up to 14,000 pounds, no highly toxic materials) continue to apply. Food businesses must first obtain Environmental Health approval under the cottage food law.