Lake County, IL Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Day care for 8+ people, unincorporated area
- Access rule
- Frontage on collector or arterial street
- AG District
- Only paired with a religious institution
- Also required
- All applicable state day care permits
Summary
Day care facilities for more than seven people in unincorporated Lake County must clear zoning siting standards, including collector/arterial street access, before opening.
(Q) Day care facilities (day care use category). The standards of this subsection (Q) apply to day care facilities for more than seven people. ... (4) The site shall have frontage on and access to a collector or arterial street, provided that the highway authority with jurisdiction over the subject road may approve alternative access. (5) Day care shall be a permitted use in the AG District only when operated in conjunction with a religious institution use that is located on the same zoning lot.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 26-0618, passed 6-9-2026 | State legislation current through ILCS Pamphlet 2025 #5).
Full Breakdown
Unincorporated Lake County treats day care for more than seven people as a regulated use under the Unified Development Ordinance. Applicants must show state licensing compliance, submit copies of all required state, county, and federal permits (or a licensing-agency status report if permits are still pending), and site the facility with frontage on and access to a collector or arterial street unless the road authority approves an alternative. In the AG District, day care is permitted only when run alongside a religious institution on the same zoning lot.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required conditional use/permit review, without state day care licensing, or without qualifying street access/frontage can block occupancy or trigger zoning enforcement by the Planning, Building and Development Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply inside Waukegan or Highland Park?
Can a day care open in the AG zoning district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Compare Lake County to another location·View the Illinois building safety overview
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