Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

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

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Agricultural district
Day nurseries permitted by right
Residential district
Day nurseries require conditional use permit
OI district
Day care facilities require conditional use permit
CUP process
Planning commission hearing, then board decision
Applies
Unincorporated Carroll County only

Summary

Unincorporated Carroll County, Georgia treats day care differently by zoning district: private day nurseries are a permitted use in the Agricultural (A) district under County Code § 102-8(8.1)(1)(h), but a conditional use requiring board approval in the Residential (R) district under § 102-8(8.3)(2)(b) and again in the Office and Institutional (OI) district under § 102-9(9.1)(4.0)(2).

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Carroll County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

h.Privately owned day nurseries, pre-schools, and kindergartens. ... b.Privately operated day nurseries, preschools, and kindergartens; ... 4.0Conditional uses. The following conditional uses may be permitted, subject to review and approval of a conditional use permit:(1)Residential dwellings and home occupations.(2)Day care facilities.

Full Breakdown

1)(1)(h) lists privately owned day nurseries, pre-schools, and kindergartens as a use permitted by right in the Agricultural (A) district, alongside schools, churches, and other community facilities, with no conditional use hearing required. 3)(2)(b) lists privately operated day nurseries, preschools, and kindergartens among the uses that may be permitted only after application to the governing authority, a pattern repeated for the Multi-Family Residential and Manufactured Home Subdivision districts. 0)(2) lists day care facilities among four conditional uses, alongside residential dwellings with home occupations, non-drive-in restaurants, and cemeteries.

9): a notarized application signed by the applicant and titleholders owning at least 51 percent of the property, a nonrefundable fee set by the board of commissioners, a boundary survey and development plan, and a public hearing before the planning commission advertised the same way as a rezoning request, followed by a board of commissioners vote considering neighborhood compatibility, traffic, noise, and property-value impacts. A denied applicant may appeal by certiorari to the county superior court. Because Chapter 102 zones unincorporated territory only, none of these day care provisions govern a facility inside Carrollton, Villa Rica, Temple, Bowdon, Whitesburg, Mount Zion, or Roopville.

Violations & Fines

Operating a day care as a conditional use without an approved conditional use permit is an unlawful use of land under Chapter 102, a misdemeanor under Section 102-11 with each day of continued operation charged as a separate offense; the county will also withhold the certificate of zoning compliance and business license needed to lawfully open.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a day care in my home in unincorporated Carroll County?
Zoning district controls the answer. In the Agricultural (A) district, Section 102-8(8.1)(1)(h) lists privately owned day nurseries, pre-schools and kindergartens as a permitted use needing no special hearing. In the Residential (R) district, Section 102-8(8.3)(2)(b) treats the same use as conditional, requiring board of commissioners approval first.
What does a conditional use permit for a day care require?
Section 102-12(12.9) requires a notarized application signed by the applicant and titleholders owning at least 51 percent of the property, a nonrefundable fee set by the board of commissioners, a boundary survey, and a public hearing before the planning commission advertised the same way as a rezoning request.
Does the OI district allow day care centers?
Yes, but only as a conditional use. Section 102-9(9.1)(4.0)(2) lists day care facilities among the Office and Institutional district's conditional uses, alongside restaurants, cemeteries and residential dwellings with home occupations, each requiring the same conditional use permit review before the board of commissioners.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Carroll County

All Carroll County rules

Compare Carroll County to another location·View the Georgia building safety overview

Get notified when Childcare Center Rules in Carroll County, GA changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.