Flagstaff, AZ Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Flagstaff regulates day care as a zoning use under Section 10-40.60.150, splitting the rules between home-based care and standalone centers. A home day care can employ no more than one full-time person who does not live on the premises, and the total number of people receiving care in the dwelling or its accessory structure cannot exceed eight, a cap that includes any resident supervised child under fourteen and any older or disabled resident receiving supervision. Outdoor play equipment is allowed but must be screened by at least a five-foot-high fence or wall, hours of operation cannot create adverse impacts on neighboring properties, and care is limited to less than twenty-four hours at a stretch; the home day care must also hold an active State license whenever Arizona requires one.

Day care centers, the larger, non-residential use, carry a heavier safety load: the facility must comply with all applicable State and fire codes, including Arizona Revised Statutes, exterior lighting must meet the City's Outdoor Lighting Standards under Division 10-50.70, and a six-foot-high solid fence or wall is required on the property lines or around outdoor activity areas, except in the front setback or a traffic visibility area, consistent with the City's fencing and screening standards under Division 10-50.50. Centers must also have public access, keep hours that do not disturb adjoining properties, cap supervision at under twenty-four hours, and hold an active State license when Arizona law requires one. Community Development administers these standards through the zoning and use-permit process rather than the building code.