Fremont allows home occupations in all residential zones by right with a Home Occupation Permit. Activity must be clearly incidental to residential use. No manufacturing.
Fremont Municipal Code Title VIII, Chapter 18 authorizes Home Occupations in all residential zones subject to a Home Occupation Permit issued by the Community Development Department. Permitted uses include professional services (consulting, accounting, therapy), tutoring, e-commerce fulfillment, remote office work, and licensed childcare (up to 14 children under state law). Prohibited uses include auto repair, retail sales with walk-in customers, manufacturing, kennels, and any activity generating noise, odor, vibration, or traffic beyond typical residential levels. The business must occupy no more than 25 percent of the home and no outdoor storage of materials is allowed. Only residents may conduct the business; one non-resident employee is permitted under state childcare law. A Fremont Business Tax Certificate is also required. Client visits are generally limited to one at a time, by appointment, with no walk-in trade.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Fremont, CA
Fremont limits leaf blower use to daytime hours and must comply with California AB 1346 banning sales of new gas blowers statewide as of 2024.
Fremont, CA
Fremont limits industrial noise to 70 dBA at commercial property lines and 55 dBA at abutting residential lines under FMC Chapter 5.30.
Fremont, CA
Fremont treats persistent dog barking as a public nuisance under FMC Chapter 6, with Animal Services investigating complaints and issuing citations.
Fremont, CA
Fremont permits wood, masonry, vinyl, and metal fences but restricts barbed wire, electric fencing, and combustible materials in fire-hazard zones.
Fremont, CA
Retaining walls over 3 feet high require engineered permits in Fremont, with extra scrutiny for Mission Peak and Hayward Fault slope areas.
Fremont, CA
Fremont prohibits exotic and wild animals under California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671 and FMC Chapter 6, preempting most exotics.
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