Long Beach Zoning Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Long Beach Municipal Code Title 21 (Zoning), Chapter 21.31 (Residential Districts) authorizes home occupations as an accessory use in all residential zone districts (R-1 through R-4 and their equivalents under the Transition Zoning Code adopted in 2020). A Home Occupation Permit must be obtained from the Community Development Department Planning Division before commencing business operations. The permit is intended to ensure that home-based enterprises remain secondary to the residential purpose of the dwelling and do not change its character or impact surrounding neighbors.

Allowed home occupation types include professional office uses — businesses whose principal product is information, management, or design — such as accounting, architecture, brokerage, computer programming and software development, consulting, drafting, engineering, fashion design, interior decoration, legal services, marketing, and related fields. Direct sales and internet sales of products are also permitted provided storage remains limited and no retail customers visit the site. Cottage food operations are allowed consistent with California Health and Safety Code AB 1616, which permits the preparation of low-risk food items at a private residence for sale to consumers. No mechanical equipment beyond that ordinarily used for household or leisure purposes may be used, and the equipment must not generate noise perceptible at neighboring property lines above applicable noise standards. Total storage of business materials or products may not exceed 128 cubic feet within the dwelling. The home occupation must be conducted entirely within the enclosed living area of the dwelling; garages, carports, accessory structures, yards, and porches may not be used for business purposes.

The Residential Zoning code explicitly prohibits many business types as home occupations, including ambulance service, appliance repair, automobile repair or detailing, beauty salons and barber shops, boardinghouses, carpentry, ceramics using kilns of six cubic feet or more, churches or religious instruction, food preparation beyond cottage food law limits, gun sales or repair, health clubs, gyms, dance studios, or massage, limousine or pedicab service, medical or dental offices, mortuary or hearse service, and fortune-telling. Any use that requires toxic, explosive, flammable, corrosive, radioactive, or other restricted hazardous materials is also prohibited. The Zoning Administrator may designate additional prohibited uses on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Planning Division Zoning Information Line at (562) 570-6194 for permit applications and questions.