Arcadia, CA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)

Two sections of the Arcadia Municipal Code cover home-based child care. Section 9104.02.090 governs large family child day care homes for nine to fourteen children, and its standards apply in addition to requirements imposed by the California Department of Social Services and other regulatory agencies such as the Fire Department. The operator must hold a valid license under California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 12. The home must be the care provider's primary residence, clearly residential in character and incidental and accessory to the use of the property as a residence, in compliance with Health and Safety Code Section 1596.78.

Site standards are specific. Fences or walls must provide for safety with controlled points of entry and comply with Section 9103.05 (Fences, Walls and Gates). Outdoor play areas, including all stationary play equipment, go in the rear area of the parcel and meet the setbacks of the zone. A minimum of two off-street uncovered parking spaces must serve as a drop-off and pick-up area, in addition to the spaces required for the dwelling, and a driveway can supply them if the City Traffic Engineer approves the arrangement. A garage cannot serve as the play area unless alternative on-site covered parking meets the minimum residential requirement and the garage is improved to meet Building and Fire Code regulations as a habitable space.

Operation is capped at a maximum of 14 hours each day between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Before the home opens, the City Building Official inspects the premises to confirm there are no unpermitted uses, structures, electrical, or mechanical improvements.

Section 9104.02.100 covers small family child day care homes of eight or fewer children. They must comply with Health and Safety Code Section 1597.30 et seq., need no discretionary City permits, and are exempt from Section 9107.20 (Site Plan and Design Review). Both kinds of family day care are excepted from the one-room or 600 square foot limit that applies to other home occupations under Section 9104.02.170.