San Angelo, TX Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Sec. 413 of the Zoning Ordinance treats a home business as an allowed accessory use in any residential zoning district, not a separate permit type, but it comes wrapped in strict conditions. Only people who actually live in the dwelling may work in the business: no employees commuting in from elsewhere. The space used for the occupation cannot exceed 25% of the gross floor area of the principal building, and the entire operation must stay completely contained within that structure; no detached garage, shed or other accessory building may be pressed into service. The home cannot look like a business from the street: no exterior color, material, construction or lighting change is allowed, and any noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odor or heat detectable beyond the property line, or beyond the unit's walls in a multifamily building, is itself declared a violation of the section. All materials, equipment and supplies must stay fully enclosed, with no temporary or permanent outdoor storage.

Section 413.B lists what qualifies: teaching, tutoring, counseling or treatment of up to ten people a day, six days a week, and licensed childcare within the numeric limits set in Sec. 413.B.1.b. It also lists what never qualifies as a home occupation regardless of scale: hair and nail salons, tattoo parlors, pet grooming and any form of repair shop, because the City treats those as commercial uses no residential lot can absorb. The Planning Department, or its designated representative, may inspect the premises at any reasonable time to confirm the operation still fits within Sec. 413's limits.