Moore County, NC Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Moore County Code § 5-63(8)
- Enforcing agency
- Moore County Fire Marshal's Office
- State inspection basis
- G.S. Chapter 110 (day care)
- Permit required
- Sec. 5-66, fire marshal approval
- Penalty range
- $50.00 to $500.00 (Sec. 5-70)
- Appeal window
- 10 days to Fire Marshal or Insurance Commissioner
Summary
In unincorporated Moore County, the Fire Marshal's Office carries the local duty to inspect day care facilities for fire safety, per Moore County Code Section 5-63(8), which tasks the fire marshal with 'making fire inspections in schools as required by G.S., Chapter 115 and day care facilities as required by G.S., Chapter 110.' The county's general fire code permit and penalty rules apply to those inspections.
The fire marshal's duties include, but are not limited to, the following: ... (8)Making fire inspections in schools as required by G.S., Chapter 115 and day care facilities as required by G.S., Chapter 110;
Full Breakdown
Sec. S. Chapter 110. The Fire Marshal's Office is established under Sec. 5-62 to enforce the fire prevention code, which Sec. 5-61 adopts as the North Carolina Fire Code 'controlling in all areas of the county not governed by a city or town,' meaning a day care operating in unincorporated Moore County falls under this office rather than a municipal fire department. Because a day care is a building or occupancy under that adopted fire code, it is also subject to Chapter 5's general fire-code machinery: Sec.
5-66 requires a permit before anyone may 'maintain, store, handle materials, and conduct processes which produce conditions hazardous to life or property,' with the fire marshal inspecting and approving the space before issuing it; Sec. 5-67 sets inspection and permit fees in the county's Annual Budget Ordinance; and Sec. O. Box address or to the state Commissioner of Insurance. Sec. 5-64 requires the fire marshal to report annually to the director of public safety and the county manager on all fire-code proceedings, including day care and school inspection activity.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 5-70 sets the fire code's civil penalty ladder that applies to a day care found in violation: $50.00 for a Type 1 violation such as a missing permit or blocked fire equipment access, $100.00 for Type 2, $250.00 for a Type 3 violation like a disabled smoke alarm or blocked exit, and $500.00 for a Type 4 repeat or unpaid violation, with the fine waived once if the facility has no citation in the prior 12 months and corrects the problem within 72 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who inspects day care facilities for fire safety in unincorporated Moore County?
Does a day care need a fire permit separate from its state licensing?
What can a day care do if the fire marshal denies a permit?
What fines apply if a day care fails a fire inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moore County
Compare Moore County to another location·View the North Carolina building safety overview
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