St. Johns County, FL Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LDC Section 2.03.04, Child and Adult Care Centers
- Permit required
- Special Use Permit
- Minimum lot area
- 6,000 square feet
- Play yard minimum width
- 60 feet, fenced
- Non-residential threshold
- Over 10 children requires non-residential zoning
- Sign limit
- 32 sq ft, 8 ft, unlit
Summary
St. Johns County requires child care centers and adult day care centers to obtain a Special Use Permit under Land Development Code Section 2.03.04 before opening. Centers need at least a 6,000-square-foot lot with a 60-foot-wide fenced play yard, must follow Chapter 402.305, Florida Statutes for design, and centers serving more than 10 children must sit in non-residential districts with arterial or collector road access.
Child Care Centers (except those defined as Family Day Care Home by this Code and Florida Statutes), Kindergartens and Adult Day Care Centers may be permitted as a Special Use within districts defined in Section 2.03.01 and shall be subject to the following conditions along with design criteria contained in Section 6.08.02 and 6.08.10 of this Code. A. The Minimum Lot area, for Child Care Centers and Adult Care Centers shall be not less than six thousand (6,000) square feet and Lot width in portion used for fenced recreation area shall not be less than sixty (60) feet. ... H. ... Child Care Centers with a capacity of more than ten (10) children shall be located only in non-residential zoning districts and shall have direct access to an Arterial or Major or Minor Collector.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
10. The minimum lot area is 6,000 square feet, and the portion of the lot used for the fenced outdoor recreation area must be at least 60 feet wide. 305, Florida Statutes, and the play area must be fenced and located in the rear yard when the site sits in a residential district. Every facility, its operation, and its maintenance must meet all applicable county and state regulations, and the Special Use application itself must state the maximum number of children or adults to be served; that approved capacity can never be exceeded.
Off-street parking, loading and unloading must be provided exactly as shown on the approved site plan. Scale drives location: a Child Care Center licensed for more than 10 children must sit in a non-residential zoning district with direct access to an Arterial, Major Collector, or Minor Collector road, and an Adult Care Center for more than 10 individuals faces the same non-residential requirement, rising to a mandatory arterial or collector access once capacity passes 25 adults. Any on-site sign identifying the center is capped at 32 square feet and 8 feet in height and may not be illuminated.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the capacity stated on the Special Use Permit, operating without the permit, or building an unfenced or undersized play area violates Section 2.03.04. Enforcement runs through the Code's Part 10.05.00 provisions: the County Administrator gives notice under Chapter 162, Florida Statutes, and an uncorrected violation can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor under Section 125.69, Florida Statutes, with each day counted as a separate offense, or stopped immediately with a stop-work order and civil injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big must the lot be for a day care center in St. Johns County?
Can a home in a residential neighborhood operate a large day care center?
What does the play area have to look like?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Johns County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Johns County to another location·View the Florida building safety overview
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