Twin Falls, ID Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Chapter 17 of Title 3 of the Twin Falls City Code regulates daycare facilities. Section 3-17-1 defines a child as anyone under twelve, defines daycare as care and supervision for compensation during part of a twenty-four hour day for children not related to the provider by blood or marriage, in a place other than the child's own home, and defines a daycare facility as one providing that care for more than six children.

The stated purpose (§ 3-17-2) is to protect children's safety while relieving facilities from requirements of the international building code unrelated to life safety. The chapter supplements, and does not replace, the state daycare license law at Idaho Code section 39-1101 et seq.

Applications are made on forms from the public safety department. Once the application is complete, the department inspects and issues the license on establishing compliance and payment of a $25.00 fee (§ 3-17-3). The license is valid for two years, must be posted at the main entrance, and the facility consents to reinspection at any time. A denied applicant can appeal in writing to the Twin Falls City Council, which sets a hearing with notice at least three days before.

New construction for daycare use must meet the international building code and international fire code as adopted by the city, while facilities in existence on January 1, 2003 with prior approved fire inspections comply with the codes under which they were approved (§ 3-17-4).

Section 3-17-5 adds inspected items beyond Idaho Code section 39-1109 and the state fire marshal's regulation. An attached private garage needs a common wall protected by at least one hour fire resistive materials on the garage side, with a self-closing, tight fitting, solid wood core door of at least one and three-eighths inches. Unvented oil and gas room heaters are not permitted. Flammable liquid storage is limited to ten gallons for maintenance and equipment. The occupant load must be posted, and daycare is prohibited above the first floor or below the level of exit discharge unless there is an exit directly outside.