Brentwood, CA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit needed
- Home occupation use permit, Ch. 17.840
- Space cap
- 20% of home's living space
- Initial term
- 1 year, renewals up to 3 years
- Safety gear
- Smoke detector + 5-lb fire extinguisher
- Reviewer
- Community Development Director
- Appeal path
- Chapter 17.880 procedure
Summary
Brentwood requires a home occupation use permit under Municipal Code Chapter 17.840 for any home-based business, even one using the residence only as a mailing address. The activity must stay incidental to residential use and fit within 20% of the home's living space, and the Community Development Director can deny, condition, or revoke the permit.
This procedure shall be required whenever a business license is required using a home as the "location of business in Brentwood" or in the absence of a location, using a home as a "mailing address" and in any case where a commercial or commercial-like activity or an activity not customarily conducted in the home, is being conducted in a home. ... ... A. The home occupation shall be conducted entirely within the dwelling unit or a legal accessory building located on the property and comprise no more than twenty percent of the living space on the property at the time of application submittal. If conducted within a garage or other accessory building, the doors shall be closed at all times.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4604307; v5 updated 2025-12-09).
Full Breakdown
002 "whenever a business license is required using a home as the 'location of business in Brentwood' or in the absence of a location, using a home as a 'mailing address'" or wherever a commercial-like activity not customarily conducted in a home is occurring there. 005). 006(A)). 006(B)). 006(E)). 010).
Violations & Fines
If an operator fails to comply with the conditions of approval, the community development director may revoke the home occupation permit "after notice and an administrative hearing" under § 17.840.006(D). A decision may be appealed under Chapter 17.880 (§ 17.840.012). Operating a home business without the required permit or business license also exposes the operator to the code's general enforcement provisions, which treat unlicensed commercial activity as a misdemeanor or infraction under § 1.20.010, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit if I just use my home as a mailing address for my LLC?
How much of my house can I use for the business?
How long does the permit last?
Can the city take my permit away?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brentwood
How Brentwood compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·California rules heatmap·Compare Brentwood to another location·View the California home business overview
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Zoning & Home Occupation Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Contra Costa County handle zoning & home occupation permits.