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

Chapter 18.60 of the La Habra Municipal Code lets a resident operate a home occupation as an accessory use only in zone districts where such uses are already permitted, per § 18.60.010 and § 18.60.030. Before starting, the operator must file an application with the planning department, pay a filing fee set by city council resolution, and win approval from the director of planning against the seven criteria in § 18.60.040: no more than two employees who are not immediate family, no signage beyond what the zone district otherwise allows, no change to the dwelling's residential appearance from colors, materials, lighting, or emitted sounds and odors, no loss of required parking, setback, or yard area, no electrical or mechanical equipment that interferes with radio or TV reception or raises fire risk, no traffic beyond normal residential volume or added parking demand, and no regular commercial deliveries.

If the director denies the application or attaches disputed conditions, § 18.60.050 lets the applicant appeal to the planning commission, which must hold a public hearing after notifying property owners within a hundred feet of the site. Once granted, the permit runs with the specific operator and location: § 18.60.070 makes it nontransferable to a new owner, tenant, or address. Under § 18.60.060, the director of planning can revoke a permit already issued if any § 18.60.040 requirement is violated, if the permit was obtained through misrepresentation or fraud, or if the operation becomes a nuisance or a threat to public health or safety, ending the right to operate the business from that residence.