Tulare County, CA Home Business: Zoning Restrictions (2026)

The unincorporated areas of Tulare County are zoned under Ordinance No. 352, the County Zoning Ordinance, which is administered by the Resource Management Agency (RMA) Planning Division and codified in the Tulare County Ordinance Code (current through Ordinance 3662, adopted August 2025). A home occupation is permitted as an accessory use in residential and certain other zones only when it is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for residential purposes and does not alter the character of the surrounding residential area. The County's general zoning regulations (Ordinance Code Title 7) describe the standards that keep a home business subordinate to the home: limits on employment of non-resident help, on equipment beyond what is normal to a household, and on outward signs of commercial activity. Activities that exceed these limits — generating traffic, noise, outdoor storage, or customer visits inconsistent with a residence — are treated as a commercial use requiring a different zone or a discretionary permit (such as a special use permit under the zoning ordinance). Because zoning varies by parcel, applicants should verify their parcel's zone designation through the County's parcel search and the RMA Planning counter before starting a home business.