Sullivan County, TN Home Business: Home Daycare (2026)
Key Facts
- Minor daycare threshold
- Fewer than 4 unrelated children
- Minor daycare status
- SUP, Building Commissioner review
- 4+ children
- Becomes Family/Group Childcare Facility
- Larger facility status
- Major Home Occ.; barred (X) in some districts
- Applies in
- Unincorporated Sullivan County only
- Violation penalty
- Up to $500 per day
Summary
Sullivan County's use table draws the line for home daycare at four children. Table 3-102A classifies 'In-Home Day Care' with fewer than four unrelated children as a Minor Home Occupation needing only Building Commissioner sign-off, while larger operations reclassify as a Family or Group Childcare Facility under the stricter Major Home Occupation tier.
TABLE 3-102A: 'In-Home Day Care (Minor Home Occupation - less than 4 unrelated children) SUP SUP SUP SUP SUP SUP' ... 'Family Childcare Facility (Major Home Occ./Accessory Use) SUP SUP X SUP SUP X' ... 'Group Childcare Facility (Major Home Occ./Accessory Use) SUP SUP X X X X'
Full Breakdown
1 standards are met, with no public hearing required. /Accessory Use),' both of which remain SUP in some districts but are marked 'X,' specifically not permitted, in others, so once a home daycare grows past the under-four-children threshold it can lose its zoning eligibility in districts where the smaller in-home version was fine. A related row, 'Parents Day Out,' sits in the same permission pattern as the Minor in-home daycare use. 3 governs how any SUP finding works: the Building Commissioner must confirm 'the specific standards indicated for the use in question have been met' before the operation may begin.
This entire framework applies to unincorporated Sullivan County only; a home daycare inside Kingsport, Bristol or Bluff City falls under that city's own zoning code rather than the county resolution.
Violations & Fines
Caring for four or more unrelated children under a Minor Home Occupation permit, without reclassifying and obtaining the applicable Family or Group Childcare Facility approval, is a zoning violation. Section 12-107.1 lets any person file a written complaint with the Building Commissioner, and Section 12-107.2 makes the violation a misdemeanor carrying a civil penalty up to $500 for each day it continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children can I care for in my home in Sullivan County without extra zoning approval?
What happens once I care for four or more children?
Does this in-home daycare rule apply inside Kingsport or Bristol?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sullivan County
Compare Sullivan County to another location·View the Tennessee home business overview
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