San Antonio, TX Home Business: Zoning Restrictions (2026)

Bexar County does not have general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, a limitation shared by nearly all Texas counties outside the narrow exceptions in Local Government Code Chapters 231 and 232. This means the county itself cannot prohibit a home occupation based on land use. However, most developed parts of Bexar County lie within the city limits of San Antonio, Alamo Heights, Balcones Heights, Castle Hills, Converse, Helotes, Hollywood Park, Kirby, Leon Valley, Live Oak, Olmos Park, Schertz (Bexar portion), Shavano Park, Terrell Hills, Universal City, Windcrest, or an ETJ. If you live inside any city, that citys Unified Development Code applies, typically limiting home occupations to activities accessory to the residential use and invisible from the street. Deed restrictions and HOA covenants are enforceable privately in Texas and can bar commercial activity even where the county and city do not. The Texas Supreme Court has upheld enforcement of reasonable restrictive covenants against home-based businesses. Verify jurisdiction at BexarAppraisalDistrict.org before assuming the county or a city regulates your property.