This is a development website. None of this content is final. Please visit our current website at https://vcrma.org 

Home Occupation (Business)

According to the Ventura County Non-Coastal and Coastal Zoning Ordinances, any commercial activity conducted on or from a residential lot that is incidental and secondary to the use of the residential lot for dwelling purposes is considered a Home Occupation. 

What is Home Occupation (Business)?

Ventura County Non-coastal Zoning Ordinance:

Any commercial activity conducted on or from a residential lot where such activity is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the residential lot for dwelling purposes and the activity does not change the character of the residential use.
(Article 2: Definitions, Home Occupation, VCNCZO)

Ventura County Coastal Zoning Ordinance:

Any commercial activity that is clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of a dwelling and does not change the character thereof. (Article 2: Definitions, Home Occupation, VCCZO)

What is the Home Occupation permitting process?

  1. Review the Ventura County Non-Coastal (Sec. 8107-1.2) or Coastal Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 8172-5.1 f.) standards for Home Occupation.*
  2. Fill out Tax Collector’s Business License form.
  3. Bring completed Home Occupation – Zoning Clearance Application Packet and completed Business License form to public counter. Alternatively, you may apply for a Home Occupation Zoning Clearance through the Citizen Access Web Portal. Note- Please attach both forms with your submission.
  4. Counter staff will review your submittals, and based on whether or not the submittals meet requirements, the counter staff person will approve or disprove your submittal. If the submittal is approved, the counter staff person will stamp the Business License and administer a Zoning Clearance. If your application was submitted via Citizen Access, a PDF copy of your stamped tax certificate will be emailed to you.

*Per the Food Cottage Act, if your proposed use involves consumer operations (ie. catering, food, etc.), please contact the Environmental Health Division before contacting the Planning Division.

How much does a Home Occupation Permit Cost?

Fee Requirements – Planning Fee Schedule

Please contact the Tax Collector’s Business License Bureau at (805) 654-2653,
for Business License related fees and/or questions.

Contact Us

Planning Counter Staff 

Plan.Counter@ventura.org
(805) 654-2488

Translate Disclaimer

The vcrma.org website has been translated for your convenience using translation software powered by Google Translate. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace human translators. Translations are provided as a service to users of the Ventura.org website, and are provided “as is.” No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, or correctness of any translations made from English into any other language. Some content (such as images, videos, Flash, etc.) may not be accurately translated due to the limitations of the translation software.

The official text is the English version of the website. Any discrepancies or differences created in the translation are not binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in the translated website, please refer to the English version of the website which is the official version.