Tucson, AZ Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Section 4.9.7.E, Home Occupation: General Standards, requires review and consideration for approval under Section 3.3.3, the PDSD Director Approval Procedure, before a resident may operate a qualifying home business (E.1). The occupation must remain 'clearly secondary to the residential use of the dwelling' (E.2) and be conducted so it is 'compatible with the residential character of the neighborhood' (E.3). Space is capped: except for multifamily development, no more than 25% of all buildings on the lot, or, in multifamily development, no more than 25% of the dwelling unit, may be devoted to the home occupation, and a detached accessory building used for the purpose is capped at 200 square feet (E.4).

Only residents of the dwelling may work in the occupation, with a narrow exception allowing one nonresident employee in the IR, RH, SR, SH, O-2, O-3, NC, C-1, C-2, C-3, OCR-1, and OCR-2 zones (E.5). Goods related to the business cannot be visible from the street, cannot be sold on the premises, and cannot be stored outdoors (E.6-E.8). The occupation cannot alter the residence's exterior appearance beyond a permitted sign, and it cannot create noise, smoke, fumes, dust, odors, electrical interference, or perceptible vibration affecting neighbors (E.9, E.11).

One commercial vehicle, limited to a passenger car, van, or pickup no more than 20 feet long and 7 feet tall, may be used, garaged or screened from adjoining properties (E.13).