Maricopa, AZ Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Outdoor play hours
- 7 a.m.-8 p.m. in RS districts
- Spacing between centers
- 500 feet minimum
- Family day care fence
- 6-ft solid masonry, self-latching
- Licensing
- State license under A.R.S. Title 36 Ch. 7.1
Summary
Maricopa zoning sets siting, hours, and licensing standards for day care facilities, whether stand-alone centers or in-home operations.
They must be in a stand-alone facility and cannot be co-located in a single-family residence.
a. Hours of Operation in RS Single-Family District. When the site is located within a residential single-family district, day care facilities shall operate only Monday through Friday. No outdoor play is allowed before 7:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.
b. Pick-Up and Drop-Off. A plan and schedule for the pick-up and drop-off of children or clients shall be provided prior to approval. The plan shall demonstrate that adequate parking and loading are provided to minimize congestion, and it shall demonstrate that the plan for pick-up and drop-off of children or clients does not require passing through traffic.
c. Outdoor Play Areas. Outdoor play areas shall not be located along major arteries or adjacent to industrial uses.
d. Screening of Outdoor Play Areas. Outdoor play areas shall have a screening feature around the perimeter adjacent to the public right-of-way, outside of the minimum front and street side setbacks. Screening shall add to the visual diversity of the use and need not be an opaque barrier.
e. State and Other Licensing. All day care facilities shall be state licensed and operated according to A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 7.1 et seq. and all other applicable regulations.
f. Concentration of Uses. No more than one day care facility shall be permitted within 500 feet of the lot line of another existing day care facility.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-10, passed April 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City code requires day care centers to be freestanding buildings, not part of a house, with outdoor play barred before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. in single-family districts. No new facility may open within 500 feet of an existing one, drop-off plans must avoid through-traffic congestion, and every facility must carry a state license under A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 7.1. In-home (family) day care must stay incidental to the residence, keep play areas behind a six-foot solid masonry fence with self-latching gates, and maintain 500 feet of separation from another family day care on the same street.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required state license or outside these zoning standards is enforced as a zoning code violation, subject to the city's standard code enforcement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a day care center be run out of a house in Maricopa?
How far apart must day care facilities be in Maricopa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maricopa
Compare Maricopa to another location·View the Arizona building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.