Hawthorne, CA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

72 governs home occupations. 040 before issuing the permit; a business license from the business license department under Title 5 is also required once the home occupation permit is approved. 040 spells out the standards: the operation must be "clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the structure for dwelling purposes," confined entirely within the dwelling, and limited to "not more than twenty percent of the ground floor area of the dwelling so used, including any area for storage" (cottage food operations are exempt from that twenty percent cap).

Equipment is restricted to electric motors totaling no more than two horsepower, or one-half horsepower for any single motor. Only a permanent resident of the home may work in the business, with a narrow cottage-food exception allowing one non-household employee. Home occupations in a rented unit require the property owner's or manager's written authorization, and utility use cannot exceed what is normal for residential use. 070 lets the director of planning revoke a permit for noncompliance after ten days' written notice, with the same appeal path available to the operator.