Concord, NC Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- CDO § 8.3.4.A, Day Care Center
- Fence requirement
- Minimum 4-foot fence (adult centers excepted)
- Permit needed
- Zoning Clearance Permit or Certificate of Compliance
- Street frontage
- Collector/thoroughfare required for 10+ persons
- First offense penalty
- $100 per day after 7-day warning
- Repeat offense penalty
- $300 per day, immediate
Summary
Concord's Development Ordinance requires any child care center, adult day care center or family day care home to secure a Zoning Clearance Permit or Certificate of Compliance, enclose the site with a fence at least four feet tall (adult centers excepted), and prove NCDOT driveway approval before it can open in the Cabarrus County city.
8.3.4 PUBLIC AND CIVIC USES A. Day Care Center 1. APPLICABILITY The provisions of this Section apply to any: A. Child Care Center. B. Adult Day Care Center C. Family Day Care Homes. Day care homes are also Home Occupations (see 8.5) 2. PERMIT APPLICATION The following shall be submitted with the application for a Zoning Clearance Permit or Certificate of Compliance: A. Evidence that the N.C. Department of Transportation has issued driveway permits for the facility (may submit copies). B. Such centers shall be enclosed with a fence, with a minimum height of four (4) feet (excluding adult day care centers). ... E. A copy of the N.C. State temporary license (issued for the first six months of operation) and permanent license issued to all childcare facilities, excluding religious childcare facilities. ... 3. ACCESS AND LOADING/UNLOADING B. Adequate access to and from the site, as well as adequate off-street space must be provided for the pickup and discharge of children. ... C. The use shall front a street classified as a collector or a thoroughfare if the facility will have 10 or more persons under their care in a day.
Full Breakdown
5). C. Department of Transportation has issued a driveway permit for the site. The center must be enclosed with a fence at least four feet tall; the CDO exempts adult day care centers from this fencing rule. C. C. State temporary license issued for a center's first six months and the permanent license once granted, for every childcare facility that is not religious. C. Department of Health and Human Services Adult Day Care Certification, plus a letter stating how many residents will be cared for and how many staff will be employed.
3, and any facility caring for 10 or more persons in a day must front a street classified as a collector or thoroughfare, not a purely local residential street. These permit, fencing, licensing, and street-frontage conditions apply wherever the CDO governs, covering Concord's zoning jurisdiction in Cabarrus County.
Violations & Fines
A day care center operating without the required Zoning Clearance Permit, fence, or licensing documents violates CDO Section 8.3.4.A and is enforced under Section 1.5.5. Concord's Code Enforcement Unit issues a notice with a seven-day warning period; an uncorrected first offense then draws a $100 civil penalty per day, and a repeat offense within 36 months carries an immediate $300 per-day penalty, collectible as a civil debt action in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Concord require a fence around a day care center?
What permit does a Concord day care center need before opening?
What happens if a Concord day care operator ignores a zoning violation notice?
Do family day care homes have to meet the same street-frontage rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Concord
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