Oconee County, SC Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Chapter 38 does not carry a dedicated building-safety article for childcare centers; instead it regulates day care through its zoning definitions and use table. 2 defines a 'day care facility (adults and children)' as a commercial facility that provides care to people not all related to each other by blood or marriage and who are not legal wards or foster children of the caregivers, provided in exchange for a payment, fee or grant, and it requires that all state registration requirements and inspections be met on top of the county's own rules.

16's zoning use matrix then controls where such a facility can open: 'Day Care Facilities (all ages)' is permitted by right ('P') in the Traditional Rural, Agriculture, Community Commercial and Highway Commercial Districts, allowed only as a Board of Zoning Appeals special exception ('S') in the Agricultural Residential, Rural Residential, Residential, Lake Residential and Mixed Use Districts, and not permitted at all ('X') in the Conservation, Public and Recreation Lands, and Industrial Districts. 1 requires a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing and findings on the applicable district provisions and any conditions the board attaches, on top of whatever fire, life-safety and occupancy standards the state's day care licensing inspection applies to the building itself.