Last updated: September 2026
QUICK SUMMARY
The short answer is yes, but with tighter limits than before. Mountain Brook’s updated home occupation ordinance, passed July 13, 2026 and effective Aug. 20, 2026, still allows most quiet home businesses. Tutors, music teachers and coaches may see no more than two clients at a time. Medical, retail and animal boarding businesses are not allowed in homes. Businesses that qualify can get administrative approval; others must go before the Planning Commission, with adjoining neighbors notified. Existing home businesses have about a year to comply.
Key Takeaways
- Remote work with no clients coming to the house is the easiest case to approve.
- Instructors: two clients at a time, maximum.
- No medical, retail or animal boarding businesses in homes.
- Non-qualifying businesses need a Planning Commission hearing, a certified list of adjoining owners, and a one-year follow-up review.
- Buyers who plan to work from home should check the rules before closing, not after.
Mountain Brook is one of the most sought-after suburbs in Greater Birmingham, and many buyers here work from home, teach lessons, or run a small practice. In 2026 the city rewrote the rules for those businesses. The Williams Group at Keller Williams Realty helps buyers and sellers across Mountain Brook, Homewood and Vestavia Hills, and this is the question we now hear from buyers: can I keep doing what I do if I move here?
What does Mountain Brook’s 2026 home business ordinance allow?
The City Council passed the updated home occupation ordinance on July 13, 2026. Four council members voted yes, and one abstained to avoid a conflict of interest. It took effect Aug. 20, 2026. Under the new rules:
Businesses with no clients coming to the home are the simplest case and can qualify for administrative approval.
Instructors such as tutors, music teachers and athletic coaches may have no more than two clients at a time.
Businesses that do not meet the standard criteria must apply to the Planning Commission.
What home businesses are not allowed in Mountain Brook?
The ordinance bans three categories outright in homes: medical businesses, retail businesses and animal boarding. Council President Billy Pritchard explained that retail was always meant to happen in the city’s commercial villages, such as Mountain Brook Village, Crestline Village, English Village and Cahaba Village.
For buyers, that matters if you plan to see patients at home, sell goods from your house, or board pets. Those uses belong in commercial space.
Relocating to Mountain Brook and working from home? We can help you check a home against your work needs before you make an offer. Call 205-292-7142.
How does the Planning Commission process work?
Neighbor list: applicants provide a list of adjoining property owners, certified by the county tax assessor.
Notice and hearing: neighbors are notified and can take part in the hearing.
One-year review: businesses approved by the Planning Commission must come back after one year to keep operating.
Complaints: neighbor complaints can trigger an earlier review, which can end in revocation.
The draft presented before the vote also described limits on how the business shows from the street: no visible business activity outside, clients waiting in their cars rather than outdoors, business hours ending at 7 p.m., no patron parking on the street, and no more than two patron vehicles in the driveway. Confirm the final adopted wording with the city before you rely on any single detail.
Why did Mountain Brook change the rules?
The city’s home occupation rules date to 1997 and were amended in 2017. Home businesses grew during COVID, and some created friction with neighbors over traffic and noise. About 250 home businesses were licensed in the city when the council took up the change. The council’s stated goal was to protect the residential character of neighborhoods while still allowing small, quiet businesses.
What should buyers check before buying a home in Mountain Brook?
1. Describe your work honestly. Remote office work is very different from lessons, client visits or deliveries.
2. Look at the lot, not just the house. Driveway space, street parking, and how close the neighbors are all shape whether a client-based business will work in practice.
3. Check private rules too. Some neighborhoods also have covenants or an HOA that can be stricter than the city. Our guide to HOA rules for Alabama buyers explains how to find them.
4. Call the city early. Mountain Brook’s Planning, Building and Sustainability department handles home occupation questions. Asking during your due diligence period is much better than finding out after closing.
5. Compare nearby cities. If your business does not fit Mountain Brook’s rules, Homewood and Vestavia Hills are close by, and each city sets its own zoning rules.
2027 CITY BUDGET
Mountain Brook adopted a $58 million budget for fiscal 2027 on September 28, 2026. See what Mountain Brook’s 2027 budget means for homeowners, including the O’Neal Library renovation, sidewalk funding and how property taxes fund the city.
The Williams Group’s local perspective
LOCAL TWG PERSPECTIVE
Mountain Brook buyers pay for quiet streets, strong schools and the village feel, and this ordinance is the city protecting that. For most remote workers, nothing changes. Where we see it matter is for piano and voice teachers, tutors, coaches and small practitioners who want to see clients at home. Those buyers should treat the city’s rules as part of the home search, the same way they would think about commute or lot size. Sellers who have run a home business should be ready to answer buyer questions about it. For a broader look at the city, see our complete guide to living in Mountain Brook, and for what is changing along its western edge, our update on the Brookwood Village redevelopment.
Thinking about selling in Mountain Brook? Start with a free home valuation or call 205-292-7142.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work remotely from my home in Mountain Brook?
Yes. Businesses with no clients coming to the home are the simplest case under the 2026 ordinance and can qualify for administrative approval.
Can I teach piano lessons from my home in Mountain Brook?
Yes, within limits. Instructors, including music teachers, tutors and athletic coaches, may have no more than two clients at a time.
Can I run a medical or therapy practice from home in Mountain Brook?
Medical businesses are prohibited as home occupations under the 2026 ordinance. Check with the city about how your specific practice is classified.
When do existing Mountain Brook home businesses have to comply?
Existing home businesses have a one-year grace period from the Aug. 20, 2026 effective date.
This article summarizes local news coverage of the ordinance and is not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the City of Mountain Brook.
Sources
- Village Living: Mountain Brook council passes new home occupation ordinance (July 14, 2026)
- Village Living: Mountain Brook council set to vote on home occupation ordinance (July 10, 2026)
- WBRC: Mountain Brook city council approves new home-based business ordinance (July 14, 2026)
- WBRC: Mountain Brook considering ordinance to regulate home-based businesses (July 2026)
- City of Mountain Brook
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