Calaveras County, CA Home Business: Zoning Restrictions (2026)

Under Calaveras County Zoning Code Section 17.25.140, a home occupation may operate in any residential unit countywide regardless of the zoning district. It is defined as a commercial use conducted on residential property by the residents of that home. The use must be conducted entirely within the residential unit, garage, or other accessory structure and may occupy no more than 33 percent of the total floor area of all structures on the property. Outdoor appearance must remain residential, with no exterior indication of the business other than a permitted sign. Direct on-site retail display or sale of products is prohibited except by mail, phone, internet, or electronic order, or as allowed for cottage food operations. Exterior storage must meet the zone's outdoor-storage rules, and trailers, lowboys, backhoes, and similar heavy equipment must be screened from neighboring parcels and the right-of-way. Activities may not change the fire-safety or occupancy classification of the premises or use utilities beyond normal residential service. A use that is too intensive for these limits, such as one that manufactures goods or needs more employees, falls under 'Rural Home Industry' (Section 17.25.180), which requires a conditional use permit, a compatibility finding, and a noise limit of 60 Ldn at adjoining residential property lines. Family day care is regulated separately under state law.