Barrow County, GA Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Barrow County Code § 89-172 splits day care regulation by size. A group day care facility, serving up to 18 adults or children for compensation and under 24 hours of care per day, must provide an outdoor play area in the rear or side yard enclosed by a solid hedge, wall or fence at least six feet high, separated from driveways, streets and parking, plus an off-street area for safe drop-off and pick-up. m. A day care center or private kindergarten serving 19 or more requires lot access on an arterial or collector street, at least 30 square feet of indoor play area per child at maximum enrollment, at least 100 square feet of outdoor play area per child, and a six-foot fence around the outdoor area.

As a principal use, a day care center or private kindergarten cannot sit within 300 feet of another day care center or group day care facility, and a group day care facility run as a principal use faces the same 300-foot separation. Both tiers must hold all required state licenses and operate under all applicable state and local regulations, and when run as an accessory use, both must be located inside a nonresidential building. The county's zoning use tables tie these facilities to permit type 'PR' (permitted with restrictions) across most non-residential districts, cross-referenced to this section.