Woodland, CA Home Business: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Woodland Municipal Code § 17.84.200 treats a home business as an accessory use permitted in every residential unit and property in the City regardless of the parcel's zoning designation, but it excludes family day cares, which are separately regulated under § 17.84.150. Before opening, the operator must obtain a Zoning Clearance under § 17.100.030; that clearance is tied to one address and one business type, cannot be transferred to a new owner or modified to a different business, so a new Clearance is required for each new home occupation.

The use itself must stay clearly incidental and subordinate to the property's residential purpose, with no outward appearance identifying it as a business and no structural or design alteration, including a prohibition on garage conversions for the occupation. The home occupation cannot exceed 25% of the home's total livable area or 500 square feet, including indoor storage, whichever figure is smaller, and no more than two home occupations may run from a single site at once. Renters need the property owner's written approval, submitted with the business license application, and the business must shut down if that approval is withdrawn.

Any request to deviate from these operational or performance standards requires a Zoning Administrator Permit or a Development Review Tier 3 Permit, and the Director may inspect the premises during regular business hours to confirm ongoing compliance.