Home occupations are permitted in all residential zones in Santa Ana with a Home Occupation Permit issued by the Planning Agency under SAMC Chapter 41. The business must be incidental to the residential use and not alter the residential character of the property.
Under SAMC Chapter 41, every business operating from residential premises must obtain a Home Occupation Permit from the Planning Agency and a City business license. Home occupations are limited to activities conducted entirely within the dwelling or attached garage. The business must be operated by the resident(s) of the dwelling, with limited outside employees. No more than 25% of the dwelling floor area may be used for business purposes. The business must not generate noise, odors, vibrations, or traffic exceeding what is typical for a residential use. Prohibited home occupations include auto repair, commercial retail sales from the premises, manufacturing, and any activity requiring heavy equipment.
Operating a home business without a Home Occupation Permit is a zoning violation. Violations may result in fines, cease-and-desist orders, and business license revocation.
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not regulate decorative lawn ornaments, statuary, or year-round yard decorations on private property. Property maintenance standards in SAMC C...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not specifically regulate residential inflatable holiday displays. There is no size cap, lighting curfew, or fan-noise limit specific to infla...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not have a specific ordinance regulating residential holiday light displays. Display dates, brightness, and decorative content are not regulat...
Santa Ana, CA
Built-in outdoor kitchens in Santa Ana require building, electrical, plumbing, and gas permits under SAMC Chapter 8 (Building and Construction Standards), wh...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana does not have a specific ordinance regulating backyard smokers or wood-fired ovens by time of day. Use is governed by the general nuisance provisio...
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana enforces the California Fire Code (CFC) through SAMC Chapter 14 (Fire Prevention) and OCFA (Orange County Fire Authority) under contract. Under CFC...
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