Mountain View, CA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Business license
- Required before operating
- Allowed zones
- All residential districts
- Use status
- Must stay secondary to residence
- Exterior visibility
- None from street/neighbors
- Vehicle limit
- 1 vehicle, up to 3/4 ton
Summary
Mountain View allows home occupations as an accessory use in every residential zoning district, but City Code Section 36.28.80 requires a business license, and Section 36.28.85 imposes operating standards keeping the business clearly secondary to the residence.
Purpose. The following provisions allow for home occupations that are secondary to and compatible with surrounding residential uses. Application. Business licenses are required for home occupations, which are permitted as accessory uses in all residential zoning districts. A statement of compliance with the following operating standards shall be signed prior to issuance of the business license. ... All home occupations shall comply with all of the following operating standards, unless expressly exempt as stated in this Section: a.The home occupation is clearly secondary to the full-time use of the structure as a residence;b.The use does not require a modification not customarily found in a dwelling, nor shall the use be visible from the street or from neighboring properties;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
80 states the purpose of the home occupation rules is to allow occupations that are "secondary to and compatible with surrounding residential uses," and requires a business license for every home occupation, with a signed statement of compliance with the operating standards required before the license issues. 85's general operating standards, which apply unless a use is expressly exempted, require the occupation to remain clearly secondary to the residence, forbid structural modifications not customary to a dwelling or visibility from the street or neighboring properties, ban any window display, sign or other exterior identification, and generally limit the business to one vehicle of no more than three-quarter-ton capacity.
Storage of flammable, explosive or hazardous material is barred absent fire department approval under Chapter 24. if confined to a fenced rear yard. 90 separately lists uses the city has found incompatible with residential activity and bars them outright as home occupations, including adult entertainment, medical services other than chiropractors and counselors, vehicle repair, welding, cannabis businesses, and firearms sales or storage.
Violations & Fines
A home occupation operating without the required business license or outside these zoning standards is a Chapter 36 violation: Section 36.58.80 makes it a misdemeanor under City Code Section 1.7, declares the noncomplying use a public nuisance abatable under Chapter 25, and the city may issue a stop-work order or revoke the business license tied to the signed compliance statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a home business in Mountain View?
Can my home business be visible from the street?
What vehicle can I use for a home-based business?
Are cottage food and home kitchen operations treated differently?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
How Mountain View compares: Easiest Cities to Run a Home Business·California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California home business overview
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Zoning & Home Occupation Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle zoning & home occupation permits.