Journal ·
Burbank Home Occupation Rules: Running a Business From Home
Burbank allows a business inside a house, condo or apartment only as a home occupation under Municipal Code sections 10-1-671 through 10-1-673.5. The work has to be an office use, an artistic use, a cottage food operation or music lessons. It needs a business permit from the Community Development Department, and it may occupy no more than 400 square feet or 20 percent of the home, whichever is greater. The permit is tied to one person at one address, so it does not pass to a buyer.
What counts as a home occupation in Burbank?
The zoning code defines a home occupation in section 10-1-203 as a business activity conducted on residential property by the occupants of the dwelling, one that is "clearly incidental and secondary" to living there and does not change the character of the home.
Section 10-1-671 narrows that to four kinds of work: office use, artistic use, cottage food operations and music lessons. The R-1 and R-1-H use table in section 10-1-602 lists a home occupation as a permitted use.
How much of the house can a home business use in Burbank?
Section 10-1-672(D) gives a cumulative cap for every home occupation at the address: the greater of 400 square feet, or 20 percent of the combined floor area of the dwelling and any accessory structure that is not a garage or required parking. For a cottage food operation, the home kitchen area approved by the Health Department is a third measure.
In a 1,400 square foot bungalow, 20 percent is 280 square feet, so the 400 square foot figure governs. The percentage becomes the larger number only above 2,000 square feet.
Storage is capped separately. Under 10-1-672(G), materials, equipment, inventory, supplies and files may take up no more than 25 percent of that permitted area, which is 100 square feet when the limit is 400.
| Rule | Limit | Code section |
|---|---|---|
| Home occupations per residence | 2 | 10-1-672(A) |
| Floor area, all occupations combined | Greater of 400 sq ft or 20% | 10-1-672(D) |
| Storage | 25% of the permitted area | 10-1-672(G) |
| Garage or carport | Not allowed for the business | 10-1-672(F), (G) |
| Non-resident workers on site | 0 (1 for cottage food) | 10-1-672(C) |
| Motors | 1 hp each, 2 hp total, electric | 10-1-672(H) |
| Commercial vehicle | 1, up to 22 ft long and 8 ft high | 10-1-672(J) |
| Sign | 1, up to 1/2 sq ft, on the mailbox | 10-1-672(K) |
| Music lessons | AUP, 10 students a day, no Sundays | 10-1-672(M) |
Can you run a business out of a garage in Burbank?
No. Under section 10-1-672(F), an accessory structure used for a home occupation may not be a garage, carport or other area required or designated for parking vehicles. Subsection (G) confines both the business and its storage to the dwelling unit or an entirely enclosed, roofed accessory structure that is not a garage.
That matters when a listing describes a garage finished as an office or studio. The code does not address converted garages by name, so ask the Planning Division how it treats a particular space before relying on it for a business. A detached studio or workshop is treated differently, and the size and placement limits for those buildings are covered in Burbank accessory structure rules.
Can employees or clients come to a Burbank home business?
Employees cannot work at the house. Section 10-1-672(C) limits on-site work to residents of the dwelling unit, and the city's Business License and Tax page says it plainly: home occupations "may have employees, but employees may NOT physically report to or work out of the Home Occupation." A cottage food operation is entitled to one non-resident employee.
The code sets no number for client visits. It uses a traffic standard instead: under 10-1-672(I) the business may not create pedestrian or vehicle traffic beyond what is normal for a residence. Music lessons are exempt from that standard and carry a daily student cap. Subsection (E) bars selling or displaying goods on the premises, cottage food excepted.
Vehicles and signs get exact figures. One commercial vehicle, meaning one the state requires to carry commercial plates, is allowed per dwelling unit if it is no longer than 22 feet including any trailer, no taller than 8 feet, and used for residential purposes at least 51 percent of the time each week. Other commercial vehicles may not deliver or collect materials, apart from reasonable courier service. The only sign allowed is one non-freestanding sign of up to half a square foot on the mailbox or, where there is none, near the mail delivery area. On blocks with curb restrictions, check the residential parking permit rules as well.
Which businesses are prohibited at home in Burbank?
Section 10-1-673 lists the activities that cannot be home occupations:
- Motor vehicle repair, body and fender work, and auto detailing.
- Mechanical or electronic repair that keeps more equipment on site than is common to a residence.
- Harboring, training or raising dogs, cats, birds or other animals.
- Food handling, processing, warehousing or packaging, except a cottage food operation with a valid Health Department permit.
- Manufacturing, selling, leasing or renting firearms or ammunition, except operations continuously permitted since before September 1, 1998.
- Repair, processing or alteration of goods. Custom sewing and tailoring are allowed if the goods are not made as stock for sale or distribution, and watch repair, jewelry repair and original jewelry creation are carved out.
- Anything that would violate the article or other law, or that the Community Development Director finds similar to the activities above.
Artists and artist studios are allowed, with two exceptions for commercial work: welding and ceramics fired in a commercial kiln.
Do music lessons at home need a permit in Burbank?
Yes. Section 10-1-672(M) requires an Administrative Use Permit and sets operating terms, including:
- Lessons run between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
- No more than five days a week, never on Sunday.
- A maximum of 10 students per day and two students per lesson.
- No group lessons, recitals or concerts.
- One on-site parking space beyond the home's required parking, kept open during lessons, plus a designated waiting area shown on the site plan.
- Fingerprinting for anyone teaching students under 18.
- No lessons in a multifamily building where the unit shares a wall, ceiling or floor with another unit.
Notice works differently from other permits of this type. The general rule in section 10-1-1959 mails the proposed decision to owners and occupants within 1,000 feet and gives 15 days to request a hearing. For music lessons the code sets a much smaller radius. The published text reads "a one hundred and 150 feet radius," so confirm with the Planning Division whether 100 or 150 feet applies.
The city's FY 2026-27 adopted fee schedule lists "Home Occupation (including Music Lessons)" at $1,529.03 per application under the heading "Administrative Use Permits (AUP) and Other Administrative Permits," in a section last updated June 2, 2026. The schedule does not say whether that line reaches an ordinary home office, which the use table permits without an AUP, so ask the counter before budgeting.
What permit does a Burbank home business need?
Section 10-1-673.5 requires the business permit described in section 3-4-1901. The Community Development Director reviews the application, inspects the premises and approves it if the use meets the article's requirements and other applicable law. The Planning and Business License counters are both in the Community Services Building at 150 North Third Street.
Business tax is a separate charge. Section 2-4-808 exempts a home occupation from business tax and the registration fee when gross receipts are under $1,200 per year. The exemption still cites "Section 10-1-661," a number that today opens the condominium conversion division, so ask the counter how it applies the exemption.
A permit for a home occupation that is not operated in compliance can be suspended or revoked by the Community Development Director after 15 days' notice. Any interested person, not only the applicant, may appeal a decision to deny, revoke or suspend one.
Does a home occupation permit transfer when the house sells?
No. Section 10-1-673.5(C) says a business permit for a home occupation may not be transferred or assigned to a different person, a different address or a different occupation.
For anyone selling a home with a studio or office, the permit is not a feature of the property, and a listing should describe the space, not the business. A buyer who plans to work from the house applies fresh and may want to check the floor area cap, the garage rule and, for music lessons, the parking requirement before removing contingencies.
Q: How many home businesses can one Burbank address have? Two. Several fictitious business names can count as one if the Community Development Director finds them similar enough.
Q: Can Burbank prohibit a cottage food business in a home? No. Government Code section 51035 bars a city from prohibiting a cottage food operation in a residential dwelling, though it may require a permit that must be granted when reasonable local standards are met.
This article summarizes public municipal code and state law as published online on October 12, 2026 and is not legal advice. The online code is current through Ordinance 26-4,038, passed February 24, 2026. Confirm current rules and fees with the City of Burbank. Call Alla at (818) 699-5367 or use the enquiry form.
More on this community in the Burbank area guide.