Grand Prairie, TX Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Chapter 13, Article VII (Secs. 13-120 through 13-127) governs licensed child care centers separately from home-based "child care homes" under Article V. Sec. 13-123(b) sets the fire and emergency requirements: evacuating children is the caregiver's first responsibility if fire breaks out; centers need an annual fire inspection with a written report, except centers inside a public school building the fire marshal has already approved for that use, which get an initial inspection and then discretionary follow-ups. Every center must keep at least one fire-marshal-approved extinguisher on hand, checked annually and serviced as needed, and post a written fire evacuation, severe-weather and relocation plan in every room used by children, with fire drills held monthly at varying times.

The building itself must let children exit safely within three minutes: at least two exits on different sides of the building, doors between rooms that stay unlocked while children are present, and pathways that are never blocked. Heating equipment is tightly restricted: gas appliances need metal tubing and connections unless the fire marshal approves otherwise, open-flame space heaters are banned outright, and any vented space heater must vent to the outside; combustible materials must stay clear of light bulbs and other heat sources. Rooms must have smoke detectors, and centers with gas pipes must add carbon monoxide detectors, with gas pipes tested for leaks every two years by a Texas-licensed, city-registered plumber.

Sec. 13-124 gives the regulatory authority the power to inspect any center at reasonable times, to suspend a permit immediately on written notice for conditions posing immediate danger, including hazards tied to the facility's construction or on-premises buildings, and to revoke a permit after a written cure notice and hearing rights before the city manager. Sec. 13-127 makes a violation a misdemeanor, fined under Sec. 1-8, with each day of violation counted separately.