Santa Monica Customer Traffic Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

SMMC Section 9.31 treats customer and client traffic as one of the most critical variables in determining whether a home occupation is compatible with residential neighborhood standards. Customer or client visits are not automatically permitted for all home occupations — the home occupation business license application must specifically request and obtain approval for client visits, and the Planning Division evaluates whether the anticipated traffic would be compatible with the surrounding residential area.

If client visits are approved, the ordinance limits them to a maximum of 8 visits per day. This cap is intended to prevent a home business from generating the kind of traffic associated with a small retail shop, salon, or professional office building. Group sessions — such as yoga classes, group tutoring sessions, or community meetings — where multiple clients arrive simultaneously are generally incompatible with the home occupation standards because they generate clustered traffic and parking demand that is visibly commercial in character. Deliveries to the home business must remain within the range typical for a residential household; regular large commercial deliveries from freight carriers are a red flag for code enforcement. The business must not obstruct neighborhood streets, block neighboring driveways, or consume curbside parking at a rate that exceeds normal residential expectations. Violations of client visit limits are among the most common grounds for home occupation business license revocation.