Putnam County, FL Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Putnam County Code Sec. 45-171 splits home-based care from commercial centers. A family day care home providing care for six or fewer children is allowed in any residential or agricultural zoning district by right, provided it is licensed under F.S. ch. 402 at all times. Once a facility cares for more than six unrelated children and receives payment, fee or grant for any child, it becomes a child day care center and needs a special use permit in the AG, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, RMH, C-1, C-2 or C-3 districts.

Conditions attached to that permit require direct access to a road classified minor collector or higher, a location that will not push non-residential traffic onto local streets, a lot of at least one acre with 100 feet of lot width, compliance with the applicable district's setbacks, and, if the site is in a residential district, hours limited to 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. unless the zoning board of adjustment sets different hours. Signage must meet article VIII of the code, and noise must stay within the chapter 18, article VII noise limits.

The zoning board of adjustment, not planning staff, sets the maximum enrollment and may add other conditions to keep the use compatible with its surroundings. Planning and Development Services processes the special use permit application; Building and the state licensing agency under F.S. ch. 402 handle the underlying facility licensing.