Hialeah, FL Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Sec. 98-2033 of the Hialeah Code of Ordinances layers a fire-safety compliance requirement onto the zoning permission granted to family day care homes and large family child care homes under the preceding sections. The home must comply with the city fire code as adopted in Sec. 38-31, and must allow the city to inspect the premises, including the interior of the home itself, to verify that compliance. 00, which the section specifies also covers a re-inspection if one is needed, so a failed first inspection does not trigger a second charge.

Once the city determines the home complies with the fire code, it issues a certificate of compliance that remains valid for two years from issuance. Responsibility for renewing that certificate before it lapses falls on the property owner or the day care operator, not the city; the section places the recertification duty explicitly on the property owner or operator. Because Sec. 98-2032 conditions the underlying residential use on state licensure or registration with the department of children and family services, a home operating without a current Sec.

98-2033 fire compliance certificate is out of step with both the local fire code and, likely, its state licensing file, since state child-care licensing typically depends on passing local fire inspections. The requirement applies uniformly to both capacity tiers defined in Sec. 98-2031, the smaller family day care home and the larger, staff-intensive large family child care home.