Click on this link for further information how to conduct business from your home. In addition, information is provided about Family Day Care Homes and Child Care Homes in residential districts. 

Any time you perform any work from your home, or use your home as the place of business, then you must obtain a Home Occupation Permit. Most commonly this includes a home office within one room inside the residence. Usually there can be no customers visiting the residence (with a few limited exceptions as summarized below). 

If you would like to operate a Family Day Care Home, please refer to the bottom of this page for further information. 

HOME BUSINESSES OR HOME OCCUPATIONS 

The operating requirements are provided in Chapter 18.160 of the Redlands Municipal Code (click here for a link). The purpose of these criteria is to ensure that the business activity is ancillary to the primary use as a residence, and that there will be no detrimental effects or nuisances imposed on surrounding residents or property owners.

• The individual primarily responsible for the home occupation must live in the dwelling.
• There shall be no employment of persons other than the resident family of the dwelling.
• There shall be no material or equipment used that is not recognized as being part of the normal practices in the residential district.
• There shall be no direct sales of products or merchandise from the home, except for produce (fruit or vegetables) grown on the subject property.
• The home occupation shall not allow customers or clientele to visit the dwelling. However, incidental uses such as music lessons, tutoring, and the sale of produce may be permitted if the intensity of such use is approved by the Director.
• The home occupation shall not involve the use of commercial vehicles for delivery of materials to or from the premises beyond those commercial vehicles normally associated with residential uses.
• The home occupation shall not involve the use of advertising signs on the premises, or any other local advertising media which calls attention to the fact that the home is being used for business purposes, telephone number listing excepted.
• No more than 10% of the total square-footage of the dwelling or one room of the dwelling, whichever is less, shall be employed for the home occupation. Use of the garage for the home occupation may be permitted if such use does not obstruct required parking.
• No accessory building or space outside of the main building shall be used for the home occupation. No outdoor storage, including the storage or parking of vehicles associated with the use, shall be permitted.
• The appearance of the dwelling must not be altered, or the occupation within the residence be conducted in a manner, which would cause the premises to differ from its residential character (either by the use of colors, materials, construction, lighting, signs, or the emission of sound, noise, vibrations, or other visible evidence of the activity).
• There shall be no increase in the use of utilities (including water, sewer, electricity and garbage collection) or community facilities so that the combined total use for the dwelling and home occupation does not exceed that normal to the use of the property for residential purposes.
• Use of the United States postal service in conjunction with a mail order home occupation shall be done by means of a post office box.
• If an applicant is not the legal property owner of property where a home occupation is to be conducted, notarized written permission from the property owner approving use of the dwelling must be submitted with the application. 

how to apply for a Home  Occupation  PErmit 

You will need to complete a few steps to get the Home Occupation Permit Application approved, as well as a City business license. Go online to complete and submit your Business License application form (click here) and the Home Occupation Permit application form, and pay the applicable fees.  

FAMILY DAY CARE HOMES

A day care or child care business within a single-family residence is a Permitted use in any single-family residential zoning district. Senate Bill 234 prohibits cities and counties from requiring any Family Child Care Home licensed by the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division, large or small (as defined in Health & Safety Code 1596.78), from having to obtain a land use/zoning permit and/or business license for their operation. 

Cities and counties are to consider the operation of a Large Family Child Care Home (with 7 to 14 children) as a residential use of property as they have done with Small Family Child Care Homes (with up to 8 children). The development standards and operating requirements are provided in RMC Section 18.156.610 (click here). 

The State of California, Department of Social Services, also has a number of additional criteria, capacity requirements, licenses, and licensing procedures depending on the type of daycare facility (click here to go to the Department of Social Services website). Questions regarding State requirements must be directed to Department of Social Services staff. The regional office that serves the Redlands area is located at 3737 Main Street, Suite 700, Riverside, CA 92501. Telephone: (951) 782-4200

Click on the following links for further information:

Calif. Dept. of Social Services, Child Care Licensing Division

Guidance for Family Day Care Homes (Information Bulletin #20-008) - Office of the State Fire Marshal

Office of the State Fire Marshal – Information Bulletins