Loudoun County, VA Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum children (under 13)
- 12, including provider's own
- Residency requirement
- Must be provider's principal residence
- Hours of operation
- 6:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., 5 days/week
- Outdoor play area
- 75 sq ft per child, fenced 3'6"
- Non-resident staff cap
- Maximum 2 assistants on-site
- Lot size if over 9 children
- Minimum 4,000 sq ft, detached home
Summary
A Child Day Home in unincorporated Loudoun County must be the provider's principal residence, may care for no more than 12 children under 13, and can only operate 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., five days a week, under Zoning Ordinance Section 4.04.08.B.
The total number of children cared for in a Child Day Home must not exceed 12 children under the age of 13... The Child Day Home must be the principal residence of the Child Day Home provider... The hours of operation for the Child Day Home are limited to 5 days a week between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Full Breakdown
B governing the home-based version. The total number of children cared for, including the provider's own and any residing on the premises, cannot exceed 12 children under age 13, and the home must be the provider's principal residence: neither limit can be modified through the Minor Special Exception process. 04, a County Business License, and a State Family Day Home License from Virginia as applicable. Before permit approval, the county mails written notice to adjacent property owners, who have 30 days to object; the Zoning Administrator can still issue the permit if all Zoning Ordinance requirements are met even after an objection.
An outdoor play area is required unless a qualifying public park sits within 1,000 feet, sized at 75 square feet per child and enclosed by a fence at least 3 feet 6 inches high in the rear or side yard. , five days a week. A Child Day Home caring for more than 9 children is restricted to a single-family detached dwelling on a lot of at least 4,000 square feet. 02 must be designed for safe child drop-off and pick-up. This applies to unincorporated Loudoun County; incorporated towns such as Leesburg and Purcellville administer their own zoning for home day cares.
Violations & Fines
Operating a Child Day Home beyond the 12-child cap, outside the 6 a.m.-7 p.m. window, or without the required Zoning Permit is a Zoning Ordinance violation. Under Section 10.13.E.1.b, non-ADU civil violations carry a $200 penalty for the first charge and $500 for each additional charge, with each day counted separately (capped at once per 10-day period for the same facts); a denied Zoning Permit can still be pursued through a Minor Special Exception before the Board of Supervisors under Section 10.11.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kids can I legally watch in my Loudoun County home?
What hours can a Loudoun County home daycare operate?
Do neighbors get a say before I open a home daycare?
Is a fenced play area mandatory?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loudoun County
Compare Loudoun County to another location·View the Virginia home business overview
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