Olympia, WA Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Section 18.04.060(D) of the Olympia Municipal Code sets the use standards for child day care centers in the City of Olympia, Thurston County, Washington. A center is a permitted use in the districts specified in Tables 4.01 and 5.01 if it meets three conditions. First, a center located in a residence must be separate from the usual living quarters of the family, or located in the portion of the residence used exclusively for children and their caregivers during the hours the center is in operation. Second, the provider must comply with state licensing requirements. Third, before initiating child care services, each provider must file a Child Care Registration Form with the Department, using forms the Department provides, and must demonstrate compliance with the applicable requirements of the code listed on that form. No fee is required for registration.

A center is treated as an accessory use when it is sited on the premises of a community service use, such as a private or public school, grange, place of worship, community center, library or similar adult gathering place, and is associated with that activity. Child care facilities for the exclusive use of employees of a business or public facility are also an accessory use. The operator must still register with the City before operating.

In the R-4, R4CB, RLI, R 4-8, R 6-12 and MR 7-13 districts, child day care centers are a conditional use, subject to the requirements in subsection A and one added standard: no structural or decorative alteration is permitted which would alter the residential character of an existing residential structure used as a child day care center. Small in-home operations are also addressed in the home occupation standards of Section 18.04.060(L), which refer to specific standards for family child care homes and exempt child daycare from the 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. customer hours limit.